that the
suggestion was his own, and a satirical one--"that it reminded you of
your wife's slipper. Of course, as your wife is dead, that would offer
no clue, and can only be a chance resemblance, unless"-- He stopped.

"Have you got 'em yet?"

"Yes, both." He took them from the pocket of his riding-jacket.

As Collinson received them, his face took upon itself an even graver
expression. "It's mighty cur'ous," he said reflectively, "but looking
at the two of 'em the likeness is more fetchin'. Ye see, my wife had a
STRAIGHT foot, and never wore reg'lar rights and lefts like other
women, but kinder changed about; ye see, these shoes is reg'lar rights
and lefts, but never was worn as sich!"

"There may be other women as peculiar," suggested Key.

"There MUST be," said Collinson quietly.

For an instant Key was touched with the manly security of the reply,
for, remembering Uncle Dick's scandal, it had occurred to him that the
unknown tenant of the robbers' den might be Collinson's wife. He was
glad to be relieved on that point, and went on more confidently:--

"So, you see, this woman was undoubtedly in that house on the night of
the fire. She escaped, and in a mighty hurry too, for she had not time
to change her slippers for shoes; she escaped on horseback, for that is
how she lost them. Now what was she doing there with those rascals,
for the face I saw looked as innocent as a saint's."

"Seemed to ye sort o' contrairy, jist as I reckoned my wife's foot
would have looked in a slipper that you said was GIV to ye," suggested
Collinson pointedly, but with no implication of reproach in his voice.

"Yes," said Key impatiently.

"I've read yarns afore now about them Eyetalian brigands stealin'
women," said Collinson reflectively, "but that ain't California
road-agent style. Great Scott! if one even so much as spoke to a
woman, they'd have been wiped outer the State long ago. No! the woman
as WAS there came there to STAY!"

As Key's face did not seem to express either assent or satisfaction at
this last statement, Collinson, after a glance at it, went on with a
somewhat gentler gravity: "I see wot's troublin' YOU, Mr. Key; you've
bin thinkin' that mebbee that poor woman might hev bin the better for a
bit o' that fortin' that you discovered under the very spot where them
slippers of hers had often trod. You're thinkin' that mebbee it might
hev turned her and those men from their evil ways."

Mr. Key had b