f that she ain't yonder," said Bill Gregg. "Here's two days
gone, and not a sign of her yet. It sure means that she ain't in that
house, unless she's sick in bed." And he grew pale at the thought.

"Partner," said Ronicky Doone, "if they are trying to keep her away
from us they sure have the sense to keep her under cover for as long
as two days. Ain't that right? It looks pretty bad for us, but I'm
staying here for one solid week, anyway. It's just about our last
chance, Bill. We've done our hunting pretty near as well as we could.
If we don't land her this trip, I'm about ready to give up."

Bill Gregg sadly agreed that this was their last chance and they must
play it to the limit. One week was decided on as a fair test. If, at
the end of that time, Caroline Smith did not come out of the house
across the street they could conclude that she did not stay there. And
then there would be nothing for it but to take the first train back
West.

The third day passed and the fourth, dreary, dreary days of
unfaltering vigilance on the part of the two watchers. And on the
fifth morning even Ronicky Doone sat with his head in his hands at
the window, peering through the slit between the drawn curtains which
sheltered him from being observed at his spying. When he called out
softly, the sound brought Gregg, with one long leap out of the chair
where he was sleeping, to the window. There could be no shadow of a
doubt about it. There stood Caroline Smith in the door of the house!

She closed the door behind her and, walking to the top of the steps,
paused there and looked up and down the street.

Bill Gregg groaned, snatched his hat and plunged through the door, and
Ronicky heard the brief thunder of his feet down the first flight of
stairs, then the heavy thumps, as he raced around the landing. He was
able to trace him down all the three flights of steps to the bottom.

And so swift was that descent that, when the girl, idling down the
steps across the street, came onto the sidewalk, Bill Gregg rushed out
from the other side and ran toward her.

They made a strange picture as they came to a halt at the same
instant, the girl shrinking back in apparent fear of the man, and Bill
Gregg stopping by that same show of fear, as though by a blow in the
face. There was such a contrast between the two figures that Ronicky
Doone might have laughed, had he not been shaking his head with
sympathy for Bill Gregg.

For never had the miner s