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perished utterly in this catastrophe； as it would seemit was God's will to
spare her that knowledge。 I tell you this； to warn you in anything you say
before her。 She MUST believe； as I shall try to make her believe； that he
has gone back to the Stateswhere she will perhaps； hereafter； believe that
he died。 Better that she should know nothingand keep her thought of
him unchanged。〃 〃I seeI seeI see； Mr。 Key；〃 murmured the injured
man。 〃Thet's wot I've been sayin' to myself lyin' here all night。 Thet's
wot I bin sayin' o' my wife Sadie；her that I actooally got to think kem
back to me last night。 You see I'd heerd from one o' those fellars that a
woman like unto her had been picked up in Texas and brought on yere；
and that mebbe she was somewhar in Californy。 I was that foolishand
that ontrue to her； all the while knowin'； as I once told you； Mr。 Key； that
ef she'd been alive she'd bin yerethat I believed it true for a minit！ And
that was why； afore this happened； I had a dream； right out yer； and
dreamed she kem to me； all white and troubled； through the woods。 At
first I thought it war my Sadie； but when I see she warn't like her old self；
and her voice was strange and her laugh was strangethen I knowed it
wasn't her； and I was dreamin'。 You're right； Mr。 Key； in wot you got off
just nowwot was it？ Better to know nothin'and keep the old thoughts
unchanged。〃
〃Have you any pain？〃 asked Key after a pause。
〃No； I kinder feel easier now。〃
Key looked at his changing face。 〃Tell me；〃 he said gently； 〃if it does
not tax your strength； all that has happened here； all you know。 It is for
HER sake。〃
Thus adjured； with his eyes fixed on Key； Collinson narrated his story
from the irruption of the outlaws to the final catastrophe。 Even then he
palliated their outrage with his characteristic patience； keeping still his
strange fascination for Chivers； and his blind belief in his miserable wife。
The story was at times broken by lapses of faintness； by a singular return
of his old abstraction and forgetfulness in the midst of a sentence； and at
last by a fit of coughing that left a few crimson bubbles on the corners of
his month。 Key lifted his eyes anxiously； there was some grave internal
injury； which the dying man's resolute patience had suppressed。 Yet； at
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IN A HOLLOW OF THE HILLS
the sound of Alice's returning step； Collinson's eyes brightened； apparently
as much at her coming as from the effect of the powerful stimulant Key
had taken from his medicine case。
〃I thank ye； Mr。 Key；〃 he said faintly； 〃for I've got an idea I ain't got
no great time before me； and I've got suthin' to say to you； afore
witnesses〃his eyes sought Alice's in half apology 〃afore witnesses； you
understand。 Would you mind standin' out thar； afore me； in the light； so I
kin see you both； and you； miss； rememberin'； ez a witness； suthin' I got to
tell to him？ You might take his hand； miss； to make it more regular and
lawlike。〃
The two did as he bade them； standing side by side； painfully
humoring what seemed to them to be wanderings of a dying man。
〃Thar was a young fellow；〃 said Collinson in a steady voice； 〃ez kem
to my shanty a night ago on his way to thethevalley。 He was a
sprightly young fellow； gay and chipper…like； and he sez to me；
confidential…like； 'Collinson；' sez he； 'I'm off to the States this very night
on business of importance； mebbe I'll be away a long timefor years！
You know；' sez he； 'Mr。 Key； in the Hollow！ Go to him；' sez he； 'and tell
him ez how I hadn't time to get to see him； tell him；' sez he； 'that
RIVERS'you've got the name； Mr。 Key？you've got the name； miss？
'that RIVERS wants him to say this to his little sister from her lovin'
brother。 And tell him；' sez he； this yer RIVERS； 'to look arter her； being
alone。' You remember that； Mr。 Key？ you remember it； miss？ You see；
I remembered it； too； being； so to speak； alone myself〃he paused； and
added in a faint whisper〃till now。〃
Then he was silent。 That innocent lie was the first and last upon his
honest lips； for as they stood there； hand in hand； they saw his plain； hard
face take upon itself； at first； the gray； ashen hues of the rocks around him；
and then and thereafter something of the infinite tranquillity and peace of
that wilderness in which he had lived and died； and of which he was a
part。
Contemporaneous history was less kindly。 The 〃Bald Top Sentinel〃
congratulated its readers that the late seismic disturbance was
accompanied with very little loss of life； if any。 〃It is reported that the
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IN A HOLLOW OF THE HILLS
proprietor of a low shebeen for emigrants in an obscure hollow had
succumbed from injuries； but；〃 added the editor； with a fine touch of
Western humor； 〃whether this was the result of his being forcibly mixed
up with his own tanglefoot whiskey or not； we are unable to determine
from the evidence before us。〃 For all that； a small stone shaft was added
later to the rocks near the site of the old mill； inscribed to the memory of
this obscure proprietor；〃 with the singular legend： 〃Have ye faith like to
him？〃 And those who knew only of the material catastrophe looking
around upon the scene of desolation it commemorated； thought grimly that
it must be faith indeed； andwere wiser than they knew。
〃You smiled； Don Preble；〃 said the Lady Superior to Key a few weeks
later； 〃when I told to you that many caballeros thought it most discreet to
intrust their future brides to the maternal guardianship and training of the
Holy Church； yet； of a truth； I meant not YOU。 And yeteh！ well； we
shall see。〃
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