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er hardest； Budthe hunting for it and dreaming about it and not finding it。 What say we go up to the claim for an hour or so？ Take the kid along。 It won't hurt him if he's bundled up good。 It ain't cold to…day； anyhow。〃
That night they discussed soberly the prospects of the claim and their responsibilities in the matter of Lovin Child's windfall。 They would quietly investigate the history of old Nelson； who had died a pauper in the eyes of the community； with all his gleanings of gold hidden away。 They agreed that Lovin Child should not start off with one grain of gold that rightfully belonged to some one elsebut they agreed the more cheerfully because neither man believed they would find any close relatives； a wife or children they decided upon as rightful heirs。 Brothers； sisters； cousins； and aunts did not count。 They were presumably able to look after themselves just as old Nelson had done。 Their ethics were simple enough； surely。
Barring； then； the discovery of rightful heirs； their plan was to take the gold to Sacramento in the spring； and deposit it there in a savings bank for one Lovins Markham Moore。 They would let the interest 〃ride〃 with the principal； and they would though neither openly confessed it to the otherfrom time to time add a little from their own earnings。 Bud especially looked forward to that as a compromise with his duty to his own child。 He intended to save every cent he could； and to start a savings account in the same bank； for his own baby； Robert Edward Moorenamed for Bud。 He could not start off with as large a sum as Lovins would have； and for that Bud was honestly sorry。 But Robert Edward Moore would have Bud's share in the claims； which would do a little toward evening things up。
Having settled these things to the satisfaction of their desires and their consciences； they went to bed well pleased with the day。
CHAPTER TWENTY…ONE。 MARIE'S SIDE OF IT
We all realize keenly； one time or another； the abject poverty of language。 To attempt putting some emotions into words is like trying to play Ave Maria on a toy piano。 There are heights and depths utterly beyond the limitation of instrument and speech alike。
Marie's agonized experience in Alpineand afterwardwas of that kind。 She went there under the lure of her loneliness； her heart…hunger for Bud。 Drunk or sober； loving her still or turning away in anger； she had to see him； had to hear him speak； had to tell him a little of what she felt of penitence and longing； for that is what she believed she had to do。 Once she had started； she could not turn back。 Come what might； she would hunt until she found him。 She had to； or go crazy； she told herself over and over。 She could not imagine any circumstance that would turn her back from that quest。
Yet she did turn backand with scarce a thought of Bud。 She could not imagine the thing happening that did happen； which is the way life has of keeping us all on the anxious seat most of the time。 She could notat least she did notdream that Lovin Child； at once her comfort and her strongest argument for a new chance at happiness； would in ten minutes or so wipe out all thought of Bud and leave only a dumb； dreadful agony that hounded her day and night。
She had reached Alpine early in the forenoon； and had gone to the one little hotel； to rest and gather up her courage for the search which she felt was only beginning。 She had been too careful of her money to spend any for a sleeper； foregoing even a berth in the tourist car。 She could make Lovin Child comfortable with a full seat in the day coach for his little bed； and for herself it did not matter。 She could not sleep anyway。 So she sat up all night and thought； and worried over the future which was foolish； since the future held nothing at all that she pictured in it。
She was tired when she reached the hotel； carrying Lovin Child and her suit case tooporters being unheard of in small villages； and the one hotel being too sure of its patronage to bother about getting guests from depot to hall bedroom。 A deaf old fellow with white whiskers and poor eyesight fumbled two or three keys on a nail； chose one and led the way down a little dark hall to a little； stuffy room with another door opening directly on the sidewalk。 Marie had not registered on her arrival； because there was no ink in the inkwell； and the pen had only half a point； but she was rather relieved to find that she was not obliged to write her name downfor Bud； perhaps； to see before she had a chance to see him。
Lovin Child was in his most romping； rambunctious mood； and Marie's head ached so badly that she was not quite so watchful of his movements as usual。 She gave him a cracker and left him alone to investigate the tiny room while she laid down for just a minute on the bed； grateful because the sun shone in warmly through the window and she did not feel the absence of a fire。 She had no intention whatever of going to sleepshe did not believe that she could sleep if she had wanted to。 Fall asleep she did； however； and she must have slept for at least half an hour； perhaps longer。
When she sat up with that startled sensation that follows unexpected； undesired slumber； the door was open； and Lovin Child was gone。 She had not believed that he could open the door； but she discovered that its latch had a very precarious hold upon the worn facing； and that a slight twist of the knob was all it needed to swing the door open。 She rushed out； of course； to look for him； though； unaware of how long she had slept； she was not greatly disturbed。 Marie had run after Lovin Child too often to be alarmed at a little thing like that。
I don't know when fear first took hold of her； or when fear was swept away by the keen agony of loss。 She went the whole length of the one little street； and looked in all the open doorways； and traversed the one short alley that led behind the hotel。 Facing the street was the railroad； with the station farther up at the edge of the timber。 Across the railroad was the little； rushing river； swollen now with rains that had been snow on the higher slopes of the mountain behind the town。
Marie did not go near the river at first。 Some instinct of dread made her shun even the possibility that Lovin Child had headed that way。 But a man told her； when she broke down her diffidence and inquired； that he had seen a little tot in a red suit and cap going off that way。 He had not thought anything of it。 He was a stranger himself； he said； and he supposed the kid belonged there； maybe。
Marie flew to the river； the man running beside her； and three or four others coming out of buildings to see what was the matter。 She did not find Lovin Child； but she did find half of the cracker she had given him。 It was lying so close to a deep； swirly place under the bank that Marie gave a scream when she saw it； and the man caught her by the arm for fear she meant to jump in。
Thereafter； the whole of Alpine turned out and searched the river bank as far down as they could get into the box canyon through which it roared to the sage…covered hills beyond。 No one doubted that Lovin Child had been swept away in that tearing； rock…churned current。 No one had any hope of finding his body； though they searched just as diligently as if they were certain。
Marie walked the bank all that day； calling and crying and fighting off despair。 She walked the floor of her little room all night； the door locked against sympathy that seemed to her nothing but a prying curiosity over her torment； fighting back the hysterical cries that kept struggling for outlet
The next day she was too exhausted to do anything more than climb up the steps of the train when it stopped there。 Towns and ranches on the river below had been warned by wire and telephone and a dozen officious citizens of Alpine assured her over and over that she would be notified at once if anything was discovered； meaning； of course； the body of her child。 She did not talk。 Beyond telling the station agent her name； and that she was going to stay in Sacramento until she heard something； she shrank behind her silence and would reveal nothing of her errand there in Alpine； nothing whatever concerning herself。 Mrs。 Marie Moore； General Delivery； Sacramento； was all that Alpine learned of her。
It is not surprising then； that the subject was talked out long before Bud or Cash came down into the town more than two months later。 It is not surprising； either； that no one thought to look up…stream for the baby； or that they failed to consider any possible fate for him save drowning。 That nibbled piece of cracker on the very edge of the river threw them all off in their reasoning。 They took it for granted that the baby had fallen into the river at the place where they found the cracker。 If he had done so； he would have been swept away instantly。 No one could look at the river and doubt thattherefore no one did doubt it。 That a squaw should find him sitting down where he had fallen； two hundred yards above the town and in the edge of the thick timber； never entered their minds at all。 That she should pick him up with the intention at first of stopping his crying； and should yield to the temptingness of him just as Bud bad yielded； would h