nd the torment of it he divined that she,
too, had a secret and the keeping of it was torturing her. As yet he had
no plan thought out in regard to how or when to leave the valley, but
he decided to tell her the necessity of it and to persuade her to go.
Furthermore, he hoped his speaking out would induce her to unburden her
own mind.

"Bess, what's wrong with you?" he asked.

"Nothing," she answered, with averted face.

Venters took hold of her gently, though masterfully, forced her to meet
his eyes.

"You can't look at me and lie," he said. "Now--what's wrong with you?
You're keeping something from me. Well, I've got a secret, too, and I
intend to tell it presently."

"Oh--I have a secret. I was crazy to tell you when you came back.
That's why I was so silly about everything. I kept holding my secret
back--gloating over it. But when Lassiter came I got an idea--that
changed my mind. Then I hated to tell you."

"Are you going to now?"

"Yes--yes. I was coming to it. I tried yesterday, but you were so cold.
I was afraid. I couldn't keep it much longer."

"Very well, most mysterious lady, tell your wonderful secret."

"You needn't laugh," she retorted, with a first glimpse of reviving
spirit. "I can take the laugh out of you in one second."

"It's a go."

She ran through the spruces to the cave, and returned carrying something
which was manifestly heavy. Upon nearer view he saw that whatever she
held with such evident importance had been bound up in a black scarf
he well remembered. That alone was sufficient to make him tingle with
curiosity.

"Have you any idea what I did in your absence?" she asked.

"I imagine you lounged about, waiting and watching for me," he replied,
smiling. "I've my share of conceit, you know."

"You're wrong. I worked. Look at my hands." She dropped on her knees
close to where he sat, and, carefully depositing the black bundle, she
held out her hands. The palms and inside of her fingers were white,
puckered, and worn.

"Why, Bess, you've been fooling in the water," he said.

"Fooling? Look here!" With deft fingers she spread open the black scarf,
and the bright sun shone upon a dull, glittering heap of gold.

"Gold!" he ejaculated.

"Yes, gold! See, pounds of gold! I found it--washed it out of the
stream--picked it out grain by grain, nugget by nugget!"

"Gold!" he cried.

"Yes. Now--now laugh at my secret!"

For a long minute Venters gazed. Then he stretched forth a