as she entered. The next moment sharply she drew back; for
a man's figure rose up from the seat under the billiard-room window on
which she had rested the previous evening. His great frame seemed to fill
the place. Dot turned to flee.

But on the instant he spoke, checking her. "Don't go for a moment! I know
what you're looking for. It's that little heart of yours. I've got it
here."

She paused almost in spite of herself. His voice was pitched very low. He
spoke to her as if he were speaking to a frightened child. And he smiled
at her with the words--a frank and kindly smile.

"You--you found it!" she stammered.

"Yes, I found it, Miss Burton." He lingered over the name half
unconsciously, and a poignant stab of memory went through her. So had he
uttered it on that day so long, so long ago! "I knew it was yours. I was
trying to bring myself to give it to Mr. Hill."

"How did you know it was mine?" She almost whispered the words, yet she
drew nearer to him, drawn irresistibly--drawn as a needle to the magnet.

He answered her also under his breath. "I--remembered."

She felt as if a wave of fire had swept over her. She swayed a little,
throbbing from head to foot.

"I have rather a good memory," he said, as she found no words. "You're
not--vexed with me on that account, I hope?"

An odd touch of wistfulness in his voice brought her eyes up to his face.
She fought for speech and answered him.

"Of course not! Why should I? It--is a very long time ago, isn't it?"

"Centuries," said Warden, and smiled again upon her reassuringly. "But I
never forgot you and your little farm and the old dog. Have you still got
him?"

She nodded, her eyes lowered, a choked feeling as of tears in her throat.

"He'd remember me," said Warden, with confidence. "He was a friend. Do
you know that was one of the most hairbreadth escapes of my life? If
Fletcher Hill had caught me, he wouldn't have shown much mercy--any more
than he would now," he added, with a half-laugh. "He's a terrific man for
justice."

"Surely you're safe--now!" Dot said, quickly.

"If you don't give me away," said Warden.

"I!" She started, almost winced. "There's no danger of that," she said,
in a low voice.

"Thank you," he said. "I've gone fairly straight ever since. It hasn't
been a very paying game. I tried my luck in the West, but it was right
out. So I thought I'd come back here, and that was the turning-point.
They took me on at the Fortescue Min