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IN A HOLLOW OF THE HILLS
another thick glass vessel part of a smoking fluid； he then crumbled some
of the calcined fragments into the glass； and watched the ebullition that
followed with mechanical gravity。 When it had almost ceased he drained
off the contents into another glass； which he set down； and then proceeded
to pour some water from his drinking…flask into the ordinary tin cup which
formed part of his culinary traveling…kit。 Into this he put three or four
pinches of salt from his provision store。 Then dipping his fingers into the
salt and water； he allowed a drop to fall into the glass。 A white cloud
instantly gathered in the colorless fluid； and then fell in a fine film to the
bottom of the glass。 Key's eyes concentrated suddenly； the listless look
left his face。 His fingers trembled lightly as he again let the salt water
fall into the solution； with exactly the same result！ Again and again he
repeated it； until the bottom of the glass was quite gray with the fallen
precipitate。 And his own face grew as gray。
His hand trembled no longer as he carefully poured off the solution so
as not to disturb the precipitate at the bottom。 Then he drew out his knife；
scooped a little of the gray sediment upon its point； and emptying his tin
cup； turned it upside down upon his knee； placed the sediment upon it； and
began to spread it over the dull surface of its bottom with his knife。 He
had intended to rub it briskly with his knife blade。 But in the very action
of spreading it； the first stroke of his knife left upon the sediment and the
cup the luminous streak of burnished silver！
He stood up and drew a long breath to still the beatings of his heart。
Then he rapidly re…climbed the rock； and passed over the ruins again； this
time plunging hurriedly through； and kicking aside the charred heaps
without a thought of what they had contained。 Key was not an unfeeling
man； he was not an unrefined one： he was a gentleman by instinct； and had
an intuitive sympathy for others； but in that instant his whole mind was
concentrated upon the calcined outcrop！ And his first impulse was to see
if it bore any evidence of previous examination； prospecting； or working
by its suddenly evicted neighbors and owners。 There was none： they had
evidently not known it。 Nor was there any reason to suppose that they
would ever return to their hidden home； now devastated and laid bare to
the open sunlight and open trail。 They were already far away； their guilty
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IN A HOLLOW OF THE HILLS
personal secret would keep them from revisiting it。 An immense feeling
of relief came over the soul of this moral romancer； a momentary
recognition of the Most High in this perfect poetical retribution。 He ran
back quickly to his saddle…bags； drew out one or two carefully written；
formal notices of preemption and claim； which he and his former
companions had carried in their brief partnership； erased their signatures
and left only his own name； with another grateful sense of Divine
interference； as he thought of them speeding far away in the distance； and
returned to the ruins。 With unconscious irony； he selected a charred post
from the embers； stuck it in the ground a few feet from the debris of
outcrop； and finally affixed his 〃Notice。〃 Then； with a conscientiousness
born possibly of his new religious convictions； he dislodged with his
pickaxe enough of the brittle outcrop to constitute that presumption of
〃actual work〃 upon the claim which was legally required for its
maintenance； and returned to his horse。 In replacing his things in his
saddle…bags he came upon the slipper； and for an instant so complete was
his preoccupation in his later discovery； that he was about to throw it away
as useless impedimenta； until it occurred to him； albeit vaguely； that it
might be of service to him in its connection with that discovery； in the way
of refuting possible false claimants。 He was not aware of any faithlessness
to his momentary romance； any more than he was conscious of any
disloyalty to his old companions； in his gratification that his good fortune
had come to him alone。 This singular selection was a common experience
of prospecting。 And there was something about the magnitude of his
discovery that seemed to point to an individual achievement。 He had
made a rough calculation of the richness of the lode from the quantity of
precipitate in his rude experiment； he had estimated its length； breadth；
and thickness from his slight knowledge of geology and the theories then
ripe； and the yield would be colossal！ Of course； he would require
capital to work it； he would have to 〃let in〃 others to his scheme and his
prosperity； but the control of it would always be HIS OWN。
Then he suddenly started as he had never in his life before started at
the foot of man！ For there was a footfall in the charred brush； and not
twenty yards from him stood Collinson； who had just dismounted from a
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IN A HOLLOW OF THE HILLS
mule。 The blood rushed to Key's pale face。
〃Prospectin' agin？〃 said the proprietor of the mill； with his weary
smile。
〃No；〃 said Key quickly； 〃only straightening my pack。〃 The blood
deepened in his cheek at his instinctive lie。 Had he carefully thought it
out before； he would have welcomed Collinson； and told him all。 But
now a quick； uneasy suspicion flashed upon him。 Perhaps his late host had
lied； and knew of the existence of the hidden house。 Perhapshe had
spoken of some 〃silvery rock〃 the night beforehe even knew something
of the lode itself。 He turned upon him with an aggressive face。 But
Collinson's next words dissipated the thought。
〃I'm glad I found ye； anyhow；〃 he said。 〃Ye see； arter you left； I saw
ye turn off the trail an