under
a blaze of light, his head erect, and his face somewhat grim as he saw
the smiles and glances of disapproval of those who made way for him.
As the rancher who was fighting Hallam and the capitalists behind him
he was already known in that city, and the story that the woman who was
spoken of with him had assisted him from the beginning by betraying the
secrets of those who employed her at his instigation had spread, and
told against him.

Alton saw it all, and did not for a moment turn aside so long as the
smiles and whispers were directed at him, but he stopped and waited,
leaning on a chair some distance behind the spot where Forel's party
were until the curtain rose again. The next act commenced, as he knew,
with a night scene, and while most of the audience had no eyes for any
one but the great tragedian, he moved forward quickly, and Alice
Deringham turned her head a trifle as a shadowy form slipped into the
vacant place beside her. She could scarcely see the man, and was not
certain that she desired to, but she would have known who he was had he
been wholly invisible.

"It is you," she said softly. "I knew that you would come."

"Yes," said Alton. "You asked me to, but now I know that I should not
have done so."

"And that I should not have asked you?" said Alice Deringham. "You
should have been on your journey already."

Alton laughed a little. "That was not what I meant--as of course you
know," he said. "Still, I wanted to see you--and I had to come."

"Why?"

Alton was silent a little. "It may be the last time."

Alice Deringham shivered. "But there is no reason?"

"No--and yes," said Alton grimly. "I--and it is due to you and another
to tell you this--have done no wrong, but there are reasons why I
should not intrude myself into your company, and I am going back up
there into the snow to-morrow."

"But," said the girl, feeling horribly guilty, "there are times when
one's friends can do a good deal for one."

Alton seemed to laugh a trifle bitterly. "Yes," he said. "Still, I do
not care to trouble mine in that direction. One must stand alone now
and then, and things have not been going well with me lately. I had
another blow to-day. I asked Miss Townshead to marry me--and she would
not."

Alice Deringham said nothing for a space, and then her voice was
different. There was no shade of expression in it. "And you are going
back to look for the silver tomorrow? I hope you wi