tance that the usual hotel was only a
slight affair of boards, cloth, and paper, put up during the season, and
partly dismantled in the fall. "You couldn't be kept warm enough there,"
he added. Nevertheless Miss Alice noticed that both Mr. Ryder and
Stanislaus Joe retired there with their pipes, after having prepared the
ladies' supper, with the assistance of an Indian woman, who apparently
emerged from the earth at the coming of the party, and disappeared as
mysteriously.

The stars came out brightly before they slept; and the next morning
a clear, unwinking sun beamed with almost summer power through the
shutterless window of their cabin, and ironically disclosed the details
of its rude interior. Two or three mangy, half-eaten buffalo-robes,
a bearskin, some suspicious-looking blankets, rifles and saddles,
deal-tables, and barrels, made up its scant inventory. A strip of faded
calico hung before a recess near the chimney, but so blackened by
smoke and age that even feminine curiosity respected its secret. Mrs.
Rightbody was in high spirits, and informed her daughter that she was at
last on the track of her husband's unknown correspondent. "Seventy-Four
and Seventy-Five represent two members of the Vigilance Committee, my
dear, and Mr. Ryder will assist me to find them."

"Mr. Ryder!" ejaculated Miss Alice, in scornful astonishment.

"Alice," said Mrs. Rightbody, with a suspicious assumption of sudden
defence, "you injure yourself, you injure me, by this exclusive
attitude. Mr. Ryder is a friend of your father's, an exceedingly
well-informed gentleman. I have not, of course, imparted to him the
extent of my suspicions. But he can help me to what I must and will
know. You might treat him a little more civilly--or, at least, a little
better than you do his servant, your guide. Mr. Ryder is a gentleman,
and not a paid courier."

Miss Alice was suddenly attentive. When she spoke again, she asked,
"Why do you not find out something about this Silsbie--who died--or was
hung--or something of that kind?"

"Child!" said Mrs. Rightbody, "don't you see there was no Silsbie, or,
if there was, he was simply the confidant of that--woman?"

A knock at the door, announcing the presence of Mr. Ryder and Stanislaus
Joe with the horses, checked Mrs. Rightbody's speech. As the animals
were being packed, Mrs. Rightbody for a moment withdrew in confidential
conversation with Mr. Ryder, and, to the young lady's still greater
annoyance