Omaha daily bee., 1895-08-18

yer it is" He slowly drew from his pocket
what Key was fully prepared to see-the mate
Of the slipper Key had in his saddlebag! The
fair fugitive had evidently lest them both.
But Key was better prepared now-perhaps
the sort of dissimulation is progressive-and
quickly alive to the necessity of throwing
Collinson off this unexpected scent. And his
companions own suggestion was right to his
hand-and again-almost provdential! He
laughed, with quick color, which, however,
seemed to help his lie, as he replied half
hysterically, You're right old man; | own
up, it's mine! It's silly know, but then
we're all fools where women are concerned,
and I wouldn't have lost that slipper for
mint Of money"
He held out his hand gayly, but Collinson
retained the slipper while he gravely ex-
amined it.
You wouldn't mind telling me where you
mout hev got that?" he said medtatively.
"Of course should" said Key, with we'll
affected mingling Of mirth and indignation.
What are you thinking of. you old villain?
What do you take me for?"
But Collinson did not laugh. "You wouldn't
mind givin me the size and shape and gen
eral heft of her as wore that shoe?'
Most decidedly should do nothing of the
kind" said Key half impatiently. Enough
that it given to me by very pretty
girl. That's all you will know"
"Given to you?" said Collinson, lifting his
eyes.
Collinson handed him the slipper gravely.
81 only asked you," he said slowly, but with
a certain quiet dignity which Key had never
before seen in his face. because thar was
| suthin' about the size and shape and fittin'
out O. that shoe that kinder reminded me of
of some'un. But that some un-her as mout
hev' stood up in that shoe amt O. that kind
as would ever stand In the shoes OF her as
you know at ALL The rebuke-if such were
intended-lay more in the utter ignoring of
Keys airy gallantry and levity than in any
conscious slur upon the fair fame of his
invented Dulcinea. Yet Key oddly felt
strong inclination to resent the aspersion as
well as Collinson's gratuitous morality, and
with a mean recollection of Uncle Dicks last
evenings scandalous gossip, he said sarcas-
tically, "And, of course, that some one you
| were thinking of was your lawful Wife"
at was" said Colinson gravely
Perhaps it was something in Collinson's
manner or his own preoccupation, but he did
not peruse the subject, and the conversation
| Jagged. They were nearing, too the outer
wood Of the present confagration. and the
smoke, lying low in the unburnt woods or
creeping like an actual eXhalation from the
| soil, blinded them so that at times they lost
the trail completely. At other times. from the
| intense heat, it seemed as if they were being
caught in a closing circle. 1t was remark
able that with his sudden accession to for
| tune Key seemed to lose his usual frank fear
| essness and impatiently questioned his com
| panon's woodcraft. There were intervals
when he regretted his haste to reach Skin
| ner's by this shorter cut, and began to bit
terly attribute it to his desire to serve Col
| llnson. All yes, it would be fine, indeed
| If Just as he were about to clutch the prize
| he should be sacrificed through the Ignorance
and stupidity of this heavy-handed moralst
| at his side But 1t was not until, through the
moralists guidance, they climbed steep ac-
| civity to a second ridge and were compare
| lively safe that he began to feel ashamed of
| his surly silence or surier Interruptions. And
| tolIi oft oh n
| patiencs. or. possibly in a fit Of his usual
| uxorioDs abstraction appeared to take no no.
| tice of 1t.
| sloping table land of weather beaten boll.
ders now effectually separated them from the
| Are in the lower ridge. They presently be-
| gan to descend on the further side of the
| crest, and at last dropped upon a wagon road
| and the first track Of wheels that Key had
| seen for fortnight. Rude as it was II seemed
| to him the highway to fortune. For he knew
that it passed Skinner's. and then Joined the
| great stage road to Marysville, his ultimate
| destination. A few rods further on they
| came In view of SINNERS, lying like dingy
forgotten winter snow drift on the rocky
| shelf.
| 1t contained a postoffice. tavern black
smiths shop, general store" and express
| office, scarcely dozen buildings in all, but
| all differing from Collinsons Mill in some
vague suggestion of vitality. as II the daily
| regular pulse OF civilization still beat albeit
| languidly. in that remote extremity. There
| were expectation and accomplishment twice
day, and as Key and Collnson rode up to
the express ONCE. the express wagon was
standing before the door ready to start to
meet the stage coach at the cross roads three
! miles away. This again seemed a special
providence to Key. He had brief official
communication with Skinner as register and
revealed his claim; he had hasty and con-
| fdential aside with Skinner as general store
| keeper, and such was the unconscious mag
| netism developed by this embyro millionaire
| that Skinner extended necessary credit to
Collnson on Keys word alone That done
he rejoined Collinson in high spirits with the
| news, adding cheerfully: "And dare say II