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appealing to his hopeless memory； she had better trust to some
unreflective automatic instinct independent of it； and she put the
question a little forward： 〃When you leave us； where will you go
from here？〃 He stirred slightly； and turned towards her。 She
repeated her query slowly and patiently； with signs and gestures
recognized between them。 A faint glow of intelligence struggled
into his eyes： he lifted his arm slowly； and pointed。
〃Ah！ those white peaksthe Sierras？〃 she asked； eagerly。 No
reply。 〃Beyond them？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃The States？〃 No reply。 〃Further still？〃
He remained so patiently quiet and still pointing that she leaned
forward； and； following with her eyes the direction of his hand；
saw that he was pointing to the sky！
Then a great quiet fell upon them。 The whole mountain…side seemed
to her to be hushed； as if to allow her to grasp and realize for
the first time the pathos of the ruined life at her side； which IT
had known so long； but which she had never felt till now。 The
tears came to her eyes； in her swift revulsion of feeling she
caught the thin uplifted hand between her own。 It seemed to her
that he was about to raise them to his lips； but she withdrew them
hastily； and moved away。 She had a strange fear that if he had
kissed them； it might seem as if some dumb animal had touched them
orIT MIGHT NOT。 The next day she felt a consciousness of this
in his presence； and a wish that he was well…cured and away。 She
determined to consult Dr。 Duchesne on the subject when he next
called。
But the doctor； secure in the welfare of his patient； had not
visited him lately； and she found herself presently absorbed in the
business of the ranch； which at this season was particularly
trying。 There had also been a quarrel between Dick Shipley； her
mill foreman； and Miguel； her ablest and most trusted vaquero； and
in her strict sense of impartial justice she was obliged to side on
the merits of the case with Shipley against her oldest retainer。
This troubled her； as she knew that with the Mexican nature；
fidelity and loyalty were not unmixed with quick and unreasoning
jealousy。 For this reason she was somewhat watchful of the two men
when work was over； and there was a chance of their being thrown
together。 Once or twice she had remained up late to meet Miguel
returning from the posada at San Ramon； filled with aguardiente and
a recollection of his wrongs； and to see him safely bestowed before
she herself retired。 It was on one of those occasions； however；
that she learned that Dick Shipley； hearing that Miguel had
disparaged him freely at the posada； had broken the discipline of
the ranch； and absented himself the same night that Miguel 〃had
leave；〃 with a view of facing his antagonist on his own ground。 To
prevent this； the fearless girl at once secretly set out alone to
overtake and bring back the delinquent。
For two or three hours the house was thus left to the sole
occupancy of Mr。 and Mrs。 Forsyth and the invalida fact only
dimly suspected by the latter； who had become vaguely conscious of
Josephine's anxiety； and had noticed the absence of light and
movement in her room。 For this reason； therefore； having risen
again and mechanically taken his seat in the porch to await her
return； he was startled by hearing HER voice in the shadow of the
lower porch； accompanied by a hurried tapping against the door of
the old couple。 The half…reasoning man arose； and would have moved
towards it； but suddenly he stopped rigidly； with white and parted
lips and vacantly distended eyeballs。
Meantime the voice and muffled tapping had brought the tremulous
fingers of old Forsyth to the door…latch。 He opened the door
partly； a slight figure that had been lurking in the shadow of the
porch pushed rapidly through the opening。 There was a faint outcry
quickly hushed； and the door closed again。 The rays of a single
candle showed the two old people hysterically clasping in their
arms the figure that had entereda slight but vicious…looking
young fellow of five…and…twenty。
〃There； dn it！〃 he said impatiently； in a voice whose rich depth
was like Josephine's； but whose querulous action was that of the
two old people before him； 〃let me go； and quit that； I didn't come
here to be strangled！ I want some moneymoney； you hear！
Devilish quick； too； for I've got to be off again before daylight。
So look sharp； will you？〃
〃But； Stevy dear； when you didn't come that time three months ago；
but wrote from Los Angeles； you said you'd made a strike at last；
and〃
〃What are you talking about？〃 he interrupted violently。 〃That was
just my lyin' to keep you from worryin' me。 Three months ago
three months ago！ Why； you must have been crazy to have swallowed
it； I hadn't a cent。〃
〃Nor have we；〃 said the old woman； shrilly。 〃That hellish sister
of yours still keeps us like beggars。 Our only hope was you； our
own boy。 And now you only come toto go again。〃
〃But SHE has money； SHE'S doing well； and SHE shall give it to me；〃
he went on； angrily。 〃She can't bully me with her business airs
and morality。 Who else has got a right to share； if it is not her
own brother？〃
Alas for the fatuousness of human malevolence！ Had the unhappy
couple related only the simple facts they knew about the new guest
of Burnt Ridge Ranch； and the manner of his introduction； they
might have spared what followed。
But the old woman broke into a vindictive cry： 〃Who else； Steve
who else？ Why； the slut has brought a MAN herea sneaking；
deceitful； underhanded； crazy lover！〃
〃Oh； has she？〃 said the young man； fiercely； yet secretly pleased
at this promising evidence of his sister's human weakness。 〃Where
is she？ I'll go to her。 She's in her room； I suppose；〃 and before
they could restrain him； he had thrown off their impeding embraces
and darted across the hall。
The two old people stared doubtfully at each other。 For even this
powerful ally； whose strength； however； they were by no means sure
of； might succumb before the determined Josephine！ Prudence
demanded a middle course。 〃Ain't they brother and sister？〃 said
the old man； with an air of virtuous toleration。 〃Let 'em fight it
out。〃
The young man impatiently entered the room he remembered to have
been his sister's。 By the light of the moon that streamed upon the
window he could see she was not there。 He passed hurriedly to the
door of her bedroom； it was open； the room was empty； the bed
unturned。 She was not in the houseshe had gone to the mill。 Ah！
What was that they had said？ An infamous thought passed through
the scoundrel's mind。 Then； in what he half believed was an access
of virtuous fury； he began by the dim light to rummage in the
drawers of the desk for such loose coin or valuables as； in the
perfect security of the ranch； were often left unguarded。 Suddenly
he heard a heavy footstep on the threshold； and turned。
An awful visiona recollection； so unexpected； so ghostlike in
that weird light that he thought he was losing his sensesstood
before him。 It moved forwards with staring eyeballs and white and
open lips from which a horrible inarticulate sound issued that was
the speech of no living man！ With a single desperate； almost
superhuman effort Stephen Forsyth bounded aside； leaped from the
window； and ran like a madman from the house。 Then the apparition
trembled； collapsed； and sank in an undistinguishable heap to the
ground。
When Josephine Forsyth returned an hour later with her mill
foreman； she was startled to find her helpless patient in a fit on
the floor of her room。 With the assistance of her now converted
and penitent employee； she had the unfortunate man conveyed to his
roombut not until she had thoughtfully rearranged the disorder of
her desk and closed the open drawers without attracting Dick
Shipley's attention。 In the mornin