nson, who had just dismounted from
a mule. The blood rushed to Key's pale face.

"Prospectin' agin?" said the proprietor of the mill, with his weary
smile.

"No," said Key quickly, "only straightening my pack." The blood
deepened in his cheek at his instinctive lie. Had he carefully thought
it out before, he would have welcomed Collinson, and told him all. But
now a quick, uneasy suspicion flashed upon him. Perhaps his late host
had lied, and knew of the existence of the hidden house. Perhaps--he
had spoken of some "silvery rock" the night before--he even knew
something of the lode itself. He turned upon him with an aggressive
face. But Collinson's next words dissipated the thought.

"I'm glad I found ye, anyhow," he said. "Ye see, arter you left, I saw
ye turn off the trail and make for the burning woods instead o' goin'
round. I sez to myself, 'That fellow is making straight for Skinner's.
He's sorter worried about me and that empty pork bar'l,'--I hadn't
oughter spoke that away afore you boys, anyhow,--'and he's takin' risks
to help me.' So I reckoned I'd throw my leg over Jenny here, and look
arter ye--and go over to Skinner's myself--and vote."

"Certainly," said Key with cheerful alacrity, and the one thought of
getting Collinson away; "we'll go together, and we'll see that that
pork barrel is filled!" He glowed quite honestly with this sudden idea
of remembering Collinson through his good fortune. "Let's get on
quickly, for we may find the fire between us on the outer trail." He
hastily mounted his horse.

"Then you didn't take this as a short cut," said Collinson, with dull
perseverance in his idea. "Why not? It looks all clear ahead."

"Yes," said Key hurriedly, "but it's been only a leap of the fire, it's
still raging round the bend. We must go back to the cross-trail." His
face was still flushing with his very equivocating, and his anxiety to
get his companion away. Only a few steps further might bring Collinson
before the ruins and the "Notice," and that discovery must not be made
by him until Key's plans were perfected. A sudden aversion to the man
he had a moment before wished to reward began to take possession of
him. "Come on," he added almost roughly.

But to his surprise, Collinson yielded with his usual grim patience,
and even a slight look of sympathy with his friend's annoyance. "I
reckon you're right, and mebbee you're in a hurry to get to Skinner's
all along o' MY busin