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consolations which he felt it his duty； from time to time； to
offer。 It was arranged that he should leave her at the 〃Red Chief〃
Hotel； while he continued on to Blazing Star； returning at noon to
bring her with him when he could do it without exposing her to
recognition。 The gray dawn came soon enough； and the coach drew up
at 〃Red Chief〃 while the lights in the bar…room and dining…room of
the hotel were still struggling with the far flushing east。 Cass
alighted； placed Miss Mortimer in the hands of the landlady； and
returned to the vehicle。 It was still musty； close； and frowzy；
with half…awakened passengers。 There was a vacated seat on the
top； which Cass climbed up to； and abstractedly threw himself
beside a figure muffled in shawls and rugs。 There was a slight
movement among the multitudinous enwrappings； and then the figure
turned to him and said； dryly； 〃Good morning！〃 It was Miss Porter！
〃Have you been long here？〃 he stammered。
〃All night。〃
He would have given worlds to leave her at that moment。 He would
have jumped from the starting coach to save himself any explanation
of the embarrassment he was furiously conscious of showing；
without； as he believed； any adequate cause。 And yet； like all
inexperienced； sensitive men； he dashed blindly into that
explanation； worse； he even told his secret at once； then and
there； and then sat abashed and conscience stricken； with an added
sense of its utter futility。
〃And this；〃 summed up the young girl； with a slight shrug of her
pretty shoulders； 〃is YOUR MAY？〃
Cass would have recommenced his story。
〃No； don't； pray！ It isn't interesting； nor original。 Do YOU
believe it？〃
〃I do；〃 said Cass； indignantly。
〃How lucky！ Then let me go to sleep。〃
Cass； still furious； but uneasy； did not again address her。 When
the coach stopped at Blazing Star she asked him； indifferently：
〃When does this sentimental pilgrimage begin？〃
〃I return for her at one o'clock；〃 replied Cass； stiffly。
He kept his word。 He appeased his eager companions with a promise
of future fortune； and exhibited the present and tangible reward。
By a circuitous route known only to himself； he led Miss Mortimer
to the road before the cabin。 There was a pink flush of excitement
on her somewhat faded cheek。
〃And it was here？〃 she asked； eagerly。
〃I found it here。〃
〃And the body？〃
〃That was afterward。 Over in that direction； beyond the clump of
buckeyes； on the Red Chief turnpike。〃
〃And any one coming from the road we left just now and going to
tothat place； would have to cross just here？ Tell me；〃 she said；
with a strange laugh； laying her cold nervous hand on his；
〃wouldn't they？〃
〃They would。〃
〃Let us go to that place。〃
Cass stepped out briskly to avoid observation and gain the woods
beyond the highway。 〃You have crossed here before；〃 she said。
〃There seems to be a trail。〃
〃I may have made it： it's a short cut to the buckeyes。〃
〃You never found anything else on the trail？〃
〃You remember； I told you before； the ring was all I found。〃
〃Ah； true！〃 she smiled sweetly； 〃it was THAT which made it seem so
odd to you。 I forgot。〃
In half an hour they reached the buckeyes。 During the walk she had
taken rapid recognizance of everything in her path。 When they
crossed the road and Cass had pointed out the scene of the murder；
she looked anxiously around。 〃You are sure we are not seen？〃
〃Quite。〃
〃You will not think me foolish if I ask you to wait here while I go
in there〃she pointed to the ominous thicket near them〃alone？〃
She was quite white。
Cass's heart； which had grown somewhat cold since his interview
with Miss Porter； melted at once。
〃Go； I will stay here。〃
He waited five minutes。 She did not return。
What if the poor creature had determined upon suicide on the spot
where her faithless lover had fallen？ He was reassured in another
moment by the rustle of skirts in the undergrowth。
〃I was becoming quite alarmed；〃 he said； aloud。
〃You have reason to be；〃 returned a hurried voice。 He started。 It
was Miss Porter； who stepped swiftly out of the cover。 〃Look；〃 she
said； 〃look at that man down the road。 He has been tracking you
two ever since you left the cabin。 Do you know who he is？〃
〃No！〃
〃Then listen。 It is three…fingered Dick； one of the escaped road
agents。 I know him！〃
〃Let us go and warn her；〃 said Cass； eagerly。
Miss Porter laid her hand upon his shoulder。
〃I don't think she'll thank you；〃 she said； dryly。 〃Perhaps you'd
better see what she's doing； first。〃
Utterly bewildered； yet with a strong sense of the masterfulness of
his companion； he followed her。 She crept like a cat through the
thicket。 Suddenly she paused。 〃Look！〃 she whispered； viciously；
〃look at the tender vigils of your heart…broken May！〃
Cass saw the woman who had left him a moment before on her knees on
the grass； with long thin fingers digging like a ghoul in the
earth。 He had scarce time to notice her eager face and eyes； cast
now and then back toward the spot where she had left him； before
there was a crash in the bushes； and a man；the stranger of the
road；leaped to her side。 〃Run；〃 he said； 〃run for it now。
You're watched！〃
〃Oh！ that man； Beard！〃 she said； contemptuously。
〃No； another in a wagon。 Quick。 Fool； you know the place now；
you can come later； run！〃 And half…dragging； half…lifting her； he
bore her through the bushes。 Scarcely had they closed behind the
pair than Miss Porter ran to the spot vacated by the woman。
〃Look！〃 she cried； triumphantly； 〃look！〃
Cass looked； and sank on his knees beside her。
〃It WAS worth a thousand dollars； wasn't it？〃 she repeated；
maliciously； 〃wasn't it？ But you ought to return it！ REALLY you
ought。〃
Cass could scarcely articulate。 〃But how did YOU know it？〃 he
finally gasped。
〃Oh； I suspected something； there was a woman； and you know you're
SUCH a fool！〃
Cass rose； stiffly。
〃Don't be a greater fool now； but go and bring my horse and wagon
from the hill； and don't say anything to the driver。〃
〃Then you did not come alone？〃
〃No； it would have been bold and improper。〃
〃Please！〃
〃And to think it WAS the ring； after all； that pointed to this；〃
she said。
〃The ring that YOU returned to me。〃
〃What did you say？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃Don't； please； the wagon is coming。〃
。 。 。 。 。 。
In the next morning's edition of the 〃Red Chief Chronicle〃 appeared
the following startling intelligence：
EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERY
FINDING OF THE STOLEN TREASURE OF WELLS； FARGO & CO。 OVER 800；000
RECOVERED
Our readers will remember the notorious robbery of Wells； Fargo &
Co。's treasure from the Sacramento and Red Chief Pioneer Coach on
the night of September 1。 Although most of the gang were arrested；
it is known that two escaped； who； it was presumed； cached the
treasure； amounting to nearly 500；000 in gold； drafts； and
jewelry； as no trace of the property was found。 Yesterday our
esteemed fellow citizen； Mr。 Cass Beard； long and favorably known
in this county； succeeded in exhuming the treasure in a copse of
hazel near the Red Chief turnpike；adjacent to the spot where an
unknown body was lately discovered。 This body is now strongly
suspected to be that of one Henry Cass； a disreputable character；
who has since been ascertained to have been one of the road agents
who escaped。 The matter is now under legal investigation。 The
successful result of the search is due to a systematic plan evolved
from the genius of Mr。 Beard； who has devoted over a year to this
labor。 It was first suggested to him by the finding of a ring； now
definitely identified as part of the treasure which was supposed to
have been dropped from Wells； Fargo & Co's boxes by the robbers in
their midnight flight through Blazing Star。
In the same journal appeared the no less important intelligence；
which explains； while it completes this veracious chronicle：
〃It is rumored that a marriage is shortly to take place between the
hero of the late treasure discovery and a young lady of Red Chief；
whose devoted aid and assistance to this important work is well
known to this community。〃
End