The morning times., 1895-08-25

seemed to solve the difficulty, although it
| involved q risk OF losing the clue entirely.
| There were two routes to San Luis, one was
by stage and direct, though slower; the
other by steamboat and rail, via San Fran
cisco. IL he took the boat there was less
danger OF her discovering him, even If she
chose the same conveyance; IL she took the
direct stage-and he trusted to a woman's
avoidance of the hurry Of change and !
transhipment for that choice-he would still I
arrive at San Luis, via San Francisco, an
hour before her. He resolved to take the
boat; careful scrutiny from a stateroom
window of the arriving passengers on the
gangplank, satisfied him that she had
preferred the stage. There was still the
chance that in losing sight of her she might
escape him, but the risk seemed small. And
trifling circumstance had almost uncon-
sciously influenced him, after his romantic
and suPerstitious fashion, as TO this final
step.
He had been singUlarly moved when he
heard that San Luis was the lady's proba-
| BILE destination. II did not seem 70 bear
any relation 70 the mountain wilderness and
the wild life she had just quilted; it was ap-'
| parently the most antpathiC, inCOngrUous,
and inconsistent refuge she could have
taken. 1t offered no opportunity for the
| disposal Ofbooty or for orconlmunication wit4n
/ the gang. 1t was less secure than d
| crowded town. An old Spanish mission
and monastery college in a sleepy pastoral
plain-it had even retained its Old World
flavor amid American improvements and
social revolution. He knew il well.
| From the quaint college cloisters where
/ the only reposefuI years or his adventurous
| youth had been spent, to the long Alneda
I or double avenues OF ancient trees which
| connected it with the convent Of Santa
Luisa, and some OF his youthful ''devO-
! tiOns ;" it had been the nursery Of his rO-
/ nance He was amused al what seemed
to be the irony Of fate in now linking
! it with this folly Of his matuTeT manhood.
| and yet be was uneastly conscious of being
more seriously affected by it. And II was
| with a greater anxiety than this adventure
| had ever yet cost him, that he at last
arrived at the San Jose Hotel, and from q
| balcony corner awaited the coming Of the
coach. His heart beat rapidly as it ap-
preached. She was there, but at her
side as she descended from the CCach was
the mysterious horseman OF the Sierra
road. Key could not mistake the we'll
built figure, whatever doubt there had
been about the features, which had been
nlent OF this re-discovery there flashed
across him again the fatefuIness Of the in
, spiration which had decided him not to go
in the coach His presence there would
have no doubt warned the stranger and so
| estopped this convincing denouenlent. It
was quite possible that her cOMpa mon,
/ by relays OF horses and the advantage Of
I bride CutOffS could have easily followed
the Three Pine coach and joined her at
/ Stockton. But for what purpose? The
Iady's trunk, which had not been dis
tJrbed during the first part OF The Journey
and had been forwarded 10 stockton IN
touched before Keys eyes, could not have
contained booty 10 be disposed or IN this
forgotten old town
The register of the hotel bore simply the
name OF Mrs. Chivers,' - Of Stockton, but
no record Of her companion, Who seemed
10 have disappeared as mysteriOusIy ar he
came That she occupied a situng-room
on the same floor as his own-in which she
was apparently secluded during the rest OF
the day-was al be knew. Nobody else.
/ seemed 10 know her Key felt an odd
I agitation. that might have been the re-
[ suit of some vague fear of duplicating her
/ prcmaturely in making any marked inquiry
I or importing his secret by the bribed
/ espionage Of servants. Once when he was
passing her door he heard The sounds OF
laughter-aIbeit innocent and heart free
/ which seemed so inconsistent with the
. gravity Of the situation and his own
. thoughts. that he was strangely shocked
/ But he was stiIl more disturbed by later
/ occurrence In his watClfulneSS OF the
movements Of his neigHhor he had been
{ equally careful OF his own, and had not
only refrained from registering his name,
but had enjOined secrecy upon the landlord,
whom be knew. Yet the next morning
after his arrival, the porter not answering
his bell promptly enough. he so far forgot
himself as TO walk to TIE staircase, which
was near the lady's room. and call to the
emplOye over the balUstrade- As he was
sun leaning over the railing the faint
creak of door and a singular magnetic
Consciousness OF being overlooked caused
him TO turn slowly but only in time To hear
the rustic OF a Withdrawing skirt as the
door was quickly closed In an instant he
felt the full force of his foolish needless ness,
but it was too late Had the mysterious
fugitive recognized him. Perhaps not;
their ewes had not met and his face had
been turned away.
He varied his espionage by subterfuges
which his knowledge of the old town made
easy. He watched the door of the hotel,
himself unseen, from the windows of a bill
Hard saloon opposite, which he had fire.
quented in former days. Yet he was sur
prised thes same afternoon to see her, from
his coign of vantage, re-entering the hotel,
where he was sure he had left her q few
moments ago Had she gone Out by some
other exit-or had she been disguised? But
on entering his room that evening he was
confOunded by an incident that seemed to
him as convincing of her identity as it was
audaCious. Lying on his pillow We're a few
dead leaves of an odorOUS mountain fern
known only to the Sierras- They were
tied together by 4 narrow blue ribbon and
had evidently been intended to attract his
attention. As he took them in his hand the
distinguishing subtle aroma of the little
sylvan hollow in the hills came To him like
a memory and a reveIationl He sum-
noned Northumberland; she knew nothing
of them, or, indeed, of anyone who had en-
tered his room. He walked cautiously into
the hall: the Iady's sitting room door was
open; the room was empty. The occupant,
said the Chambermaid, had left that af-
ternoOn.' He held the proof of her iden-
tity in his hand, but she herself had van
ishedI That she had recognized him there
was now no doubt. Had she OWNED the
real object OF his quest, or had she accepted
it as mere sentimental gallantry at the
moment when she knew it was hopeless and
she herself was perfectly safe from pursuit.
In either event he had been duped- He did