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〃While I would not give you false hopes； Mr。 Collinson；〃 he said； with
a bland smile； 〃my interest in you compels me to say that you may be over
confident and wrong。 There are a thousand things that may have
prevented your wife from coming to you；illness； possibly the result of
her exposure； poverty； misapprehension of your place of meeting； and；
above all； perhaps some false report of your own death。 Has it ever
occurred to you that it is as possible for her to have been deceived in that
way as for you？〃
〃Wot yer say？〃 said Collinson； with a vague suspicion。
〃What I mean。 You think yourself justified in believing your wife
dead； because she did not seek you here； may she not feel herself equally
justified in believing the same of you； because you had not sought her
elsewhere？〃 〃But it was writ that she was comin' yere； andI boarded
every train that come in that fall；〃 said Collinson； with a new irritation；
unlike his usual calm。
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〃Except one； my dear Collinson；except one；〃 returned Chivers；
holding up a fat forefinger smilingly。 〃And that may be the clue。 Now；
listen！ There is still a chance of following it； if you will。 The name of my
friends were Mr。 and Mrs。 Barker。 I regret；〃 he added； with a perfunctory
cough； 〃that poor Barker is dead。 He was not such an exemplary
husband as you are； my dear Collinson； and I fear was not all that Mrs。
Barker could have wished； enough that he succumbed from various
excesses； and did not leave me Mrs。 Barker's present address。 But she
has a young friend； a ward； living at the convent of Santa Luisa； whose
name is Miss Rivers； who can put you in communication with her。 Now；
one thing more： I can understand your feelings； and that you would wish at
once to satisfy your mind。 It is not； perhaps； to my interest nor the
interest of my party to advise you； but；〃 he continued； glancing around
him； 〃you have an admirably secluded position here； on the edge of the
trail； and if you are missing from your post to…morrow morning； I shall
respect your feelings； trust to your honor to keep this secret； andconsider
it useless to pursue you！〃
There was neither shame nor pity in his heart； as the deceived man
turned towards him with tremulous eagerness； and grasped his hand in
silent gratitude。 But the old rage and fear returned； as Collinson said
gravely：
〃You kinder put a new life inter me； Mr。 Chivers； and I wish I had yer
gift o' speech to tell ye so。 But I've passed my word to the Capting thar
and to the rest o' you folks that I'd stand guard out yere； and I don't go
back o' my word。 I mout； and I moutn't find my Sadie； but she wouldn't
think the less o' me； arter these years o' waitin'； ef I stayed here another
night； to guard the house I keep in trust for her； and the strangers I've took
in on her account。〃
〃As you like； then；〃 said Chivers； contracting his lips； 〃but keep your
own counsel to…night。 There may be those who would like to deter you
from your search。 And now I will leave you alone in this delightful
moonlight。 I quite envy you your unrestricted communion with Nature。
Adios； amigo； adios！〃
He leaped lightly on a large rock that overhung the edge of the grade；
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and waved his hand。
〃I wouldn't do that； Mr。 Chivers；〃 said Collinson； with a concerned
face； 〃them rocks are mighty ticklish； and that one in partiklar。 A tech
sometimes sends 'em scooting。〃
Mr。 Chivers leaped quickly to the ground； turned； waved his hand
again； and disappeared down the grade。
But Collinson was no longer alone。 Hitherto his characteristic
reveries had been of the past；reminiscences in which there was only
recollection； no imagination； and very little hope。 Under the spell of
Chivers's words his fancy seemed to expand； he began to think of his wife
as she might be now；perhaps ill； despairing； wandering hopelessly； even
ragged and footsore； orbelieving HIM deadrelapsing into the resigned
patience that had been his own； but always a new Sadie； whom he had
never seen or known before。 A faint dread； the lightest of misgivings
（perhaps coming from his very ignorance）； for the first time touched his
steadfast heart； and sent a chill through it。 He shouldered his weapon；
and walked briskly towards the edge of the thick…set woods。 There were
the fragrant essences of the laurel and sprucebaked in the long…day
sunshine that had encompassed their recessesstill coming warm to his
face； there were the strange shiftings of temperature throughout the
openings； that alternately warmed and chilled him as he walked。 It
seemed so odd that he should now have to seek her instead of her coming
to him； it would never be the same meeting to him； away from the house
that he had built for her！ He strolled back； and looked down upon it；
nestling on the ledge。 The white moonlight that lay upon it dulled the
glitter of lights in its windows； but the sounds of laughter and singing
came to even his unfastidious ears with a sense of vague discord。 He
walked back again； and began to pace before the thick…set wood。
Suddenly he stopped and listened。
To any other ears but those accustomed to mountain solitude it would
have seemed nothing。 But； familiar as he was with all the infinite
disturbances of the woodland； and even the simulation of intrusion caused
by a falling branch or lapsing pine…cone； he was arrested now by a
recurring sound； unlike any other。 It was an occasional muffled beat
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