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hand protruding from the flaccid sleeve； mingled with it in some
absurd way and half hidden by the grass； lay what might have been a
pair of cast…off trousers but for two rigid boots that pointed in
opposite angles to the sky。 It was a dead man。 So palpably dead
that life seemed to have taken flight from his very clothes。 So
impotent； feeble； and degraded by them that the naked subject of a
dissecting table would have been less insulting to humanity。 The
head had fallen back； and was partly hidden in a gopher burrow； but
the white； upturned face and closed eyes had less of helpless death
in them than those wretched enwrappings。 Indeed； one limp hand
that lay across the swollen abdomen lent itself to the grotesquely
hideous suggestion of a gentleman sleeping off the excesses of a
hearty dinner。
〃Ain't he horrid？〃 continued the girl； 〃but what killed him？〃
Struggling between a certain fascination at the girl's cold…blooded
curiosity and horror of the murdered man； Cass hesitatingly lifted
the helpless head。 A bluish hole above the right temple； and a few
brown paint…like spots on the forehead； shirt cellar； and matted
hair proved the only record。
〃Turn him over again；〃 said the girl； impatiently； as Cass was
about to relinquish his burden。 〃May be you'll find another
wound。〃
But Cass was dimly remembering certain formalities that in older
civilizations attend the discovery of dead bodies； and postponed a
present inquest。
〃Perhaps you'd better ride on； Miss； afore you get summoned as a
witness。 I'll give warning at Red Chief's Crossing； and send the
coroner down here。〃
〃Let me go with you；〃 she said； earnestly； 〃it would be such fun。
I don't mind being a witness。 Or；〃 she added； without heeding
Cass's look of astonishment； 〃I'll wait here till you come back。〃
〃But you see； Miss； it wouldn't seem right〃 began Cass。
〃But I found him first；〃 interrupted the girl； with a pout。
Staggered by this preemptive right； sacred to all miners； Cass
stopped。
〃Who is the coroner？〃 she asked。
〃Joe Hornsby。〃
〃The tall； lame man； who was half eaten by a grizzly？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； look now！ I'll ride on and bring him back in half an hour。
There！〃
〃But； Miss！〃
〃Oh； don't mind ME。 I never saw anything of this kind before； and
I want to see it ALL。〃
〃Do you know Hornsby？〃 asked Cass； unconsciously a trifle irritated。
〃No； but I'll bring him。〃 She wheeled her horse into the road。
In the presence of this living energy Cass quite forgot the
helpless dead。 〃Have you been long in these parts； Miss？〃 he
asked。
〃About two weeks；〃 she answered； shortly。 〃Good…by； just now。
Look around for the pistol or anything else you can find； although
I have been over the whole ground twice already。〃
A little puff of dust as the horse sprang into the road； a muffled
shuffle； struggle； then the regular beat of hoofs； and she was
gone。
After five minutes had passed； Cass regretted that he had not
accompanied her； waiting in such a spot was an irksome task。 Not
that there was anything in the scene itself to awaken gloomy
imaginings； the bright； truthful Californian sunshine scoffed at
any illusion of creeping shadows or waving branches。 Once； in the
rising wind； the empty hat rolled overbut only in a ludicrous；
drunken way。 A search for any further sign or token had proved
futile； and Cass grew impatient。 He began to hate himself for
having stayed； he would have fled but for shame。 Nor was his good
humor restored when at the close of a weary half hour two galloping
figures emerged from the dusty horizonHornsby and the young girl。
His vague annoyance increased as he fancied that both seemed to
ignore him； the coroner barely acknowledging his presence with a
nod。 Assisted by the young girl； whose energy and enthusiasm
evidently delighted him； Hornsby raised the body for a more careful
examination。 The dead man's pockets were carefully searched。 A
few coins； a silver pencil； knife； and tobacco…box were all they
found。 It gave no clew to his identity。 Suddenly the young girl；
who had； with unabashed curiosity； knelt beside the exploring
official hands of the Red Chief； uttered a cry of gratification。
〃Here's something！ It dropped from the bosom of his shirt on the
ground。 Look！〃
She was holding in the air； between her thumb and forefinger； a
folded bit of well…worn newspaper。 Her eyes sparkled。
〃Shall I open it？〃 she asked。
〃Yes。〃
〃It's a little ring〃 she said； 〃looks like an engagement ring。
Something is written on it。 Look！ 'May to Cass。'〃
Cass darted forward。 〃It's mine；〃 he stammered； 〃mine！ I dropped
it。 It's nothingnothing；〃 he went on； after a pause； embarrassed
and blushing； as the girl and her companion both stared at him〃a
mere trifle。 I'll take it。〃
But the coroner opposed his outstretched hand。 〃Not much；〃 he
said； significantly。
〃But it's MINE；〃 continued Cass； indignation taking the place of
shame at his discovered secret。 〃I found it six months ago in the
road。 Ipicked it up。〃
〃With your name already written on it！ How handy！〃 said the
coroner； grimly。
〃It's an old story〃 said Cass； blushing again under the half…
mischievous； half…searching eyes of the girl。 〃All Blazing Star
knows I found it。〃
〃Then ye'll have no difficulty in provin' it；〃 said Hornsby；
coolly。 〃Just now； however； WE'VE found it； and we propose to keep
it for the inquest。〃
Cass shrugged his shoulders。 Further altercation would have only
heightened his ludicrous situation in the girl's eyes。 He turned
away； leaving his treasure in the coroner's hands。
The inquest； a day or two later； was prompt and final。 No clew to
the dead man's identity； no evidence sufficiently strong to prove
murder or suicide； no trace of any kind； inculpating any party；
known or unknown； were found。 But much publicity and interest were
given to the proceedings by the presence of the principal witness；
a handsome girl。 〃To the pluck； persistency； and intellect of Miss
Porter；〃 said the 〃Red Chief Recorder；〃 〃Tuolumne County owes the
recovery of the body。〃
No one who was present at the inquest failed to be charmed with the
appearance and conduct of this beautiful young lady。
〃Miss Porter has but lately arrived in this district； in which； it
is hoped； she will become an honored resident； and continue to set
an example to all lackadaisical and sentimental members of the so…
called 'sterner sex。'〃 After this universally recognized allusion
to Cass Beard； the 〃Recorder〃 returned to its record： 〃Some
interest was excited by what appeared to be a clew to the mystery
in the discovery of a small gold engagement ring on the body。
Evidence was afterward offered to show it was the property of a Mr。
Cass Beard of Blazing Star； who appeared upon the scene AFTER the
discovery of the corpse by Miss Porter。 He alleged he had dropped
it in lifting the unfortunate remains of the deceased。 Much
amusement was created in court by the sentimental confusion of the
claimant； and a certain partisan spirit shown by his fellow…miners
of Blazing Star。 It appearing； however； by the admission of this
sighing Strephon of the Foot hills； that he had himself FOUND this
pledge of affection lying in the highway six months previous； the
coroner wisely placed it in the safe…keeping of the county court
until the appearance of the rightful owner。〃
Thus on the 13th of September； 186…； the treasure found at Blazing
Star passed out of the hands of its finder。
。 。 。 。 。 。
Autumn brought an abrupt explanation of the mystery。 Kanaka Joe
had been arrested for horse stealing； but had with noble candor
confessed to the finer offense of manslaughter。 That swift and
sure justice which overtook the horse stealer in these altitudes
was stayed a moment and hesitated； for the victim was clearly the
mysterious unknown。 Curiosity got the better of an extempore judge
and jury。
〃It was a fair fight；〃 said the accused； not without some human
vanity； feeling that the camp hung upon his words； 〃and was settled
by the man az was peartest and liveliest with his weapon。 We had a
sort of unpleasantness over at Lagrange the night afore； along of
our both hevin' a monotony of four aces。 We had a clinch and a
stamp around； and when we was separated it was only a question of
shootin' on sight。 He left Lagrange at sun up the next morning；
and I struck across a bit o' buckeye and underbrush and came upon
him； accidental like； on the Red Chief Road。 I drawed when I
sighted him； and called out。 He slipped from his mare and covered
himself with her flanks； reaching for his holster； but she rared
and backed down on him across the road and into the grass； where I
got in another shot and fetched him。〃