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His face grew anxious as he gazed。 At last he rose； and re…entered
the cabin。 His eyes fell upon the faint chalk…mark； and； taking
his soft felt hat from his head； with a few practical sweeps of the
brim he brushed away the ominous record of their late estrangement。
Going to the bed whereon Rand lay stretched； open…eyed； he would
have laid his hand upon his arm lightly； but the brother's fingers
sought and clasped his own。 〃Get up；〃 he said quietly； 〃there's a
strange fire in the Canyon head that I can't make out。〃
Rand slowly clambered from his shelf； and hand in hand the brothers
stood upon the ledge。 〃It's a right smart chance beyond the Ferry；
and a piece beyond the Mill； too；〃 said Rand； shading his eyes with
his hand； from force of habit。 〃It's in the woods where〃 He
would have added where he met Mornie； but it was a point of honor
with the twins； after reconciliation； not to allude to any topic of
their recent disagreement。
Ruth dropped his brother's hand。 〃It doesn't smell like the
woods；〃 he said slowly。
〃Smell！〃 repeated Rand incredulously。 〃Why； it's twenty miles in a
bee…line yonder。 Smell； indeed！〃
Ruth was silent； but presently fell to listening again with his
former abstraction。 〃You don't hear anything； do you？〃 he asked
after a pause。
〃It's blowin' in the pines on the river；〃 said Rand shortly。
〃You don't hear anything else？〃
〃No。〃
〃Nothing likelikelike〃
Rand； who had been listening with an intensity that distorted the
left side of his face； interrupted him impatiently。
〃Like what？〃
〃Like a woman sobbin'？〃
〃Ruth；〃 said Rand； suddenly looking up in his brother's face；
〃what's gone of you？〃
Ruth laughed。 〃The fire's out；〃 he said； abruptly re…entering the
cabin。 〃I'm goin' to turn in。〃
Rand； following his brother half reproachfully； saw him divest
himself of his clothing； and roll himself in the blankets of his
bed。
〃Good…night； Randy！〃
Rand hesitated。 He would have liked to ask his brother another
question； but there was clearly nothing to be done but follow his
example。
〃Good…night； Ruthy！〃 he said； and put out the light。 As he did so；
the glow in the eastern horizon faded； too； and darkness seemed to
well up from the depths below； and； flowing in the open door；
wrapped them in deeper slumber。
CHAPTER II。
THE CLOUDS GATHER。
Twelve months had elapsed since the quarrel and reconciliation；
during which interval no reference was made by either of the
brothers to the cause which had provoked it。 Rand was at work in
the shaft； Ruth having that morning undertaken the replenishment of
the larder with game from the wooded skirt of the mountain。 Rand
had taken advantage of his brother's absence to 〃prospect〃 in the
〃drift；〃a proceeding utterly at variance with his previous
condemnation of all such speculative essay； but Rand； despite his
assumption of a superior practical nature； was not above certain
local superstitions。 Having that morning put on his gray flannel
shirt wrong side out；an abstraction recognized among the miners
as the sure forerunner of divination and treasure…discovery；he
could not forego that opportunity of trying his luck； without
hazarding a dangerous example。 He was also conscious of feeling
〃chipper；〃another local expression for buoyancy of spirit； not
common to men who work fifty feet below the surface； without the
stimulus of air and sunshine； and not to be overlooked as an
important factor in fortunate adventure。 Nevertheless； noon came
without the discovery of any treasure。 He had attacked the walls
on either side of the lateral 〃drift〃 skilfully； so as to expose
their quality without destroying their cohesive integrity； but had
found nothing。 Once or twice； returning to the shaft for rest and
air； its grim silence had seemed to him pervaded with some vague
echo of cheerful holiday voices above。 This set him to thinking of
his brother's equally extravagant fancy of the wailing voices in
the air on the night of the fire； and of his attributing it to a
lover's abstraction。
〃I laid it to his being struck after that gal； and yet；〃 Rand
continued to himself； 〃here's me； who haven't been foolin' round no
gal； and dog my skin if I didn't think I heard one singin' up
thar！〃 He put his foot on the lower round of the ladder； paused；
and slowly ascended a dozen steps。 Here he paused again。 All at
once the whole shaft was filled with the musical vibrations of a
woman's song。 Seizing the rope that hung idly from the windlass；
he half climbed； half swung himself； to the surface。
The voice was there； but the sudden transition to the dazzling
level before him at first blinded his eyes； so that he took in only
by degrees the unwonted spectacle of the singer；a pretty girl；
standing on tiptoe on a bowlder not a dozen yards from him； utterly
absorbed in tying a gayly…striped neckerchief； evidently taken from
her own plump throat； to the halliards of a freshly…cut hickory…
pole newly reared as a flag…staff beside her。 The hickory…pole；
the halliards； the fluttering scarf； the young lady herself； were
all glaring innovations on the familiar landscape； but Rand； with
his hand still on the rope； silently and demurely enjoyed it。
For the better understanding of the general reader； who does not
live on an isolated mountain； it may be observed that the young
lady's position on the rock exhibited some study of POSE； and a
certain exaggeration of attitude； that betrayed the habit of an
audience； also that her voice had an artificial accent that was not
wholly unconscious； even in this lofty solitude。 Yet the very next
moment； when she turned； and caught Rand's eye fixed upon her； she
started naturally； colored slightly； uttered that feminine
adjuration； 〃Good Lord！ gracious！ goodness me！〃 which is seldom
used in reference to its effect upon the hearer； and skipped
instantly from the bowlder to the ground。 Here； however； she
alighted in a POSE； brought the right heel of her neatly…fitting
left boot closely into the hollowed side of her right instep； at
the same moment deftly caught her flying skirt； whipped it around
her ankles； and； slightly raising it behind； permitted the chaste
display of an inch or two of frilled white petticoat。 The most
irreverent critic of the sex will； I think； admit that it has some
movements that are automatic。
〃Hope I didn't disturb ye；〃 said Rand； pointing to the flag…staff。
The young lady slightly turned her head。 〃No；〃 she said； 〃but I
didn't know anybody was here； of course。 Our PARTY〃she
emphasized the word； and accompanied it with a look toward the
further extremity of the plateau； to show she was not alone〃our
party climbed this ridge； and put up this pole as a sign to show
they did it。〃 The ridiculous self…complacency of this record in
the face of a man who was evidently a dweller on the mountain
apparently struck her for the first time。 〃We didn't know；〃 she
stammered； looking at the shaft from which Rand had emerged； 〃that
that〃 She stopped； and； glancing again towards the distant
range where her friends had disappeared； began to edge away。
〃They can't be far off；〃 interpos