was, to warn
the occupants of the approaching fire."

"And there was a house there," said Collinson thoughtfully.

"Only the ruins." He stopped and flushed quickly, for he remembered
that he had denied its existence at their former meeting. "That is,"
he went on hurriedly, "I found out from the sheriff, you know, that
there had been a house there. But," he added, reverting to his
stronger position, "my going back there was an accident, and my picking
up the outcrop was an accident, and had no more to do with our
partnership prospecting than you had. In fact," he said, with a
reassuring laugh, "you'd have had a better right to share in my claim,
coming there as you did at that moment, than they. Why, if I'd have
known what the thing was worth, I might have put you in--only it wanted
capital and some experience." He was glad that he had pitched upon that
excuse (it had only just occurred to him), and glanced affably at
Collinson. But that gentleman said soberly:--

"No, you wouldn't nuther."

"Why not?" said Key half angrily.

Collinson paused. After a moment he said, "'Cos I wouldn't hev took
anything outer thet place."

Key felt relieved. From what he knew of Collinson's vagaries he
believed him. He was wise in not admitting him to his confidences at
the beginning; he might have thought it his duty to tell others.

"I'm not so particular," he returned laughingly, "but the silver in
that hole was never touched, nor I dare say even imagined by mortal man
before. However, there is something else about the hollow that I want
to tell you. You remember the slipper that you picked up?"

"Yes."

"Well, I lied to you about that; I never dropped it. On the contrary,
I had picked up the mate of it very near where you found yours, and I
wanted to know to whom it belonged. For I don't mind telling you now,
Collinson, that I believe there WAS a woman in that house, and the same
woman whose face I saw at the window. You remember how the boys joked
me about it--well, perhaps I didn't care that you should laugh at me
too, but I've had a sore conscience over my lie, for I remembered that
you seemed to have some interest in the matter too, and I thought that
maybe I might have thrown you off the scent. It seemed to me that if
you had any idea who it was, we might now talk the matter over and
compare notes. I think you said--at least, I gathered the idea from a
remark of yours," he added hastily, as he remembered