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'Riggs'there！ It's a secretyou mustn't tell it； but I could not bear to
hear YOU say a lie。〃
〃Good…night； Miss Riggs；〃 said Key sadly。
〃No； nor that either；〃 she said softly。 〃Say Alice。〃
〃Good…night； Alice。〃
She moved on before him。 She reached the gate。 For a moment her
figure； in its austere； formless garments； seemed to him to even stoop and
bend forward in the humility of age and self… renunciation； and she
vanished within as into a living tomb。
Forgetting all precaution； he pressed eagerly forward； and stopped
before the gate。 There was no sound from within； there had evidently
been no challenge nor interruption。 She was safe。
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CHAPTERVII。
The reappearance of Chivers in the mill with Collinson； and the brief
announcement that the prisoner had consented to a satisfactory
compromise； were received at first with a half contemptuous smile by the
party； but for the commands of their leaders； and possibly a conviction
that Collinson's fatuous cooperation with Chivers would be safer than his
wrath； which might not expend itself only on Chivers； but imperil the
safety of all； it is probable that they would have informed the unfortunate
prisoner of his real relations to his captor。 In these circumstances；
Chivers's half satirical suggestion that Collinson should be added to the
sentries outside； and guard his own property； was surlily assented to by
Riggs； and complacently accepted by the others。 Chivers offered to post
him himself；not without an interchange of meaning glances with Riggs；
Collinson's own gun was returned to him； and the strangely assorted pair
left the mill amicably together。
But however humanly confident Chivers was in his companion's
faithfulness； he was not without a rascal's precaution； and determined to
select a position for Collinson where he could do the least damage in any
aberration of trust。 At the top of the grade； above the mill； was the only
trail by which a party in force could approach it。 This was to Chivers
obviously too strategic a position to intrust to his prisoner； and the sentry
who guarded its approach； five hundred yards away； was left unchanged。
But there was another 〃blind〃 trail； or cut…off； to the left； through the
thickest undergrowth of the woods； known only to his party。 To place
Collinson there was to insure him perfect immunity from the approach of
an enemy； as well as from any confidential advances of his fellow sentry。
This done； he drew a cigar from his pocket； and handing it to Collinson；
lighted another for himself； and leaning back comfortably against a large
boulder； glanced complacently at his companion。
〃You may smoke until I go； Mr。 Collinson； and even afterwards； if you
keep the bowl of your pipe behind a rock； so as to be out of sight of your
fellow sentry； whose advances； by the way； if I were you； I should not
encourage。 Your position here； you see； is a rather peculiar one。 You
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IN A HOLLOW OF THE HILLS
were saying； I think； that a lingering affection for your wife impelled you
to keep this place for her； although you were convinced of her death？〃
Collinson's unaffected delight in Chivers's kindliness had made his
eyes shine in the moonlight with a doglike wistfulness。 〃I reckon I did
say that； Mr。 Chivers；〃 he said apologetically； 〃though it ain't goin' to
interfere with you usin' the shanty jest now。〃
〃I wasn't alluding to that； Collinson；〃 returned Chivers； with a large
rhetorical wave of the hand； and an equal enjoyment in his companion's
evident admiration of him； 〃but it struck me that your remark； nevertheless；
implied some doubt of your wife's death； and I don't know but that your
doubts are right。〃
〃Wot's that？〃 said Collinson； with a dull glow in his face。
Chivers blew the smoke of his cigar lazily in the still air。 〃Listen；〃 he
said。 〃Since your miraculous conversion a few moments ago； I have
made some friendly inquiries about you； and I find that you lost all trace
of your wife in Texas in '52； where a number of her fellow emigrants died
of yellow fever。 Is that so？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Collinson quickly。
〃Well； it so happens that a friend of mine；〃 continued Chivers slowly；
〃was in a train which followed that one； and picked up and brought on
some of the survivors。〃
〃That was the train wot brought the news；〃 said Collinson； relapsing
into his old patience。 〃That's how I knowed she hadn't come。〃
〃Did you ever hear the names of any of its passengers？〃 said Chivers；
with a keen glance at his companion。
〃Nary one！ I only got to know it was a small train of only two
wagons； and it sorter melted into Californy through a southern pass； and
kinder petered out； and no one ever heard of it agin； and that was all。〃
〃That was NOT all； Collinson；〃 said Chivers lazily。 〃I saw the train
arrive at South Pass。 I was awaiting a friend and his wife。 There was a
lady with them； one of the survivors。 I didn't hear her name； but I think
my friend's wife called her 'Sadie。' I remember her as a rather pretty
womantall； fair； with a straight nose and a full chin； and small slim feet。
I saw her only a moment； for she was on her way to Los Angeles； and was；
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I believe； going to join her husband somewhere in the Sierras。〃
The rascal had been enjoying with intense satisfaction the return of the
dull glow in Collinson's face； that even seemed to animate the whole
length of his angular frame as it turned eagerly towards him。 So he went
on； experiencing a devilish zest in this description of his mistress to her
husband； apart from the pleasure of noting the slow awakening of this
apathetic giant； with a sensation akin to having warmed him into life。 Yet
his triumph was of short duration。 The fire dropped suddenly out of
Collinson's eyes； the glow from his face； and the dull look of unwearied
patience returned。
〃That's all very kind and purty of yer； Mr。 Chivers；〃 he said gravely；
〃you've got all my wife's pints thar to a dot； and it seems to fit her jest like
a shoe I picked up t'other day。 But it wasn't my Sadie； for ef she's living
or had lived； she'd bin just yere！〃
The same fear and recognition of some unknown reserve in this
trustful man came over Chivers as before。 In his angry resentment of it
he would have liked to blurt out the infidelity of the wife before her
husband； but he knew Collinson would not believe him； and he had
another purpose now。 His full lips twisted into a suave smile。
〃While I would not give you false hopes； Mr。 Collinson；〃 he said； with
a bland smile； 〃my interest in you compels me to say that you may be over
confident and wrong。 There are a thousand things that may have
prevented your wife from coming to you；illness； possibly the result of
her exposure； poverty； misapprehension of your place of meeting； and；
above all； perhaps some false report of your own death。 Has it ever
occurred to you that it is as possible for her to have been deceived in that
way as for you？〃
〃Wot yer say？〃 said Collinson； with a vague suspicion。
〃What I mean。 You think yourself justified in believing your wife
dead； because she did not seek you here； may she not feel herself equally
justified in believing the same of you； because you had not sought her
elsewhere？〃 〃But it was writ that she was comin' yere； andI boarded
every train that come in that fall；〃 said Collinson；