There lacked only the helpless dead man and the contrasting figure of the alert young woman to restore the picture.

The body was gone, it was true, but as he turned he beheld Miss Porter, at a few paces distant, sitting her horse as energetic and observant as on the first morning they had met.

A superstitious thrill passed over him and awoke his old antagonism.
She nodded to him slightly.

"I came here to refresh my memory," she said, "as Mr.Hornsby thought I might be asked to give my evidence again at Blazing Star." Cass carelessly struck an aimless blow with his pick against the sod and did not reply.
"And you ?" she queried.
"_I_ stumbled upon the place just now while prospecting, or I shouldn't be here." "Then it was _you_ made these holes ?" "No," said Cass, with ill-concealed disgust.

"Nobody but a stranger would go foolin' round such a spot." He stopped, as the rude significance of his speech struck him, and added surlily, "I mean--no one would dig here." The girl laughed and showed a set of very white teeth in her square jaw.