waiting then, in which Fairchild did not move.
Finally a light showed in an upstairs room of the house, and Fairchild,
masking his own footprints in those made by Rodaine, crept to the
porch. Swiftly, silently, protected by the pad of snow on the soles of
his shoes, he made the doorway and softly tried the lock. It gave
beneath his pressure, and he glided within the dark hallway, musty and
dusty in its odor, forbidding, evil and dark. A mountain rat, already
disturbed by the entrance of Rodaine, scampered across his feet, and
Fairchild shrunk into a corner, hiding himself as best he could in case
the noise should cause an investigation from above. But it did not.
Now Fairchild could hear voices, and in a moment more they became
louder, as a door opened.

"It don't make any difference! I ain't going to stand for it! I tell
you to do something and you go and make a mess of it! Why did n't you
wait until they were both there?"

"I--I thought they were, Roady!" The woman's voice was whining,
pleading. "Ain't you going to kiss me?"

"No, I ain't going to kiss you. You went and made a mess of things."

"You kissed me the night our boy was born. Remember that, Roady?
Don't you remember how you kissed me then?"

"That was a long time ago, and you were a different woman then. You 'd
do what I 'd tell you."

"But I do now, Roady. Honest, I do. I 'll do anything you tell me
to--if you 'll just be good to me. Why don't you hold me in your arms
any more--?"

A scuffling sound came from above. Fairchild knew that she had made an
effort to clasp him to her, and that he had thrust her away. The
voices came closer.

"You know what you got us into, don't you? They made a strike there
to-day--same value as in the Silver Queen. If it had n't been for
you--"

"But they get out someway--they always get out." The voice was high
and weird now. "They 're immortal. That's what they are--they 're
immortal. They have the gift--they can get out--"

"Bosh! Course they get out when you wait until after they 're gone.
Why, one of 'em was downtown at the assayer's, so I understand, when
you went in there."

"But the other--he 's immortal. He got out--"

"You're crazy!"

"Yes, crazy!" She suddenly shrieked at the word. "That's what they
all call me--Crazy Laura. And you call me Crazy Laura too, when my
back 's turned. But I ain't--hear me--I ain't! I know--they're
immortal, just like the others were immor