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had passed。 He had already reached that stage of superstition when
the most trivial occurrence seemed to point in some way to an
elucidation of the mystery of his treasure。 His eyes had
mechanically fallen to the ground again； as if he half expected to
find in some other waif a hint or corroboration of his imaginings。
Thus abstracted； the figure of a young girl on horseback； in the
road directly before the bushes he emerged from； appeared to have
sprung directly from the ground。
〃Oh； come here； please do； quick！〃
Cass stared； and then moved hesitatingly toward her。
〃I heard some one coming through the bushes； and I waited；〃 she
went on。 〃Come quick。 It's something too awful for anything。〃
In spite of this appalling introduction； Cass could not but notice
that the voice； although hurried and excited； was by no means
agitated or frightened； that the eyes which looked into his
sparkled with a certain kind of pleased curiosity。
〃It was just here；〃 she went on vivaciously； 〃just here that I went
into the bush and cut a switch for my mare；and；〃leading him
along at a brisk trot by her side；〃just here； look； see！ this is
what I found。〃
It was scarcely thirty feet from the road。 The only object that
met Cass's eye was a man's stiff； tall hat； lying emptily and
vacantly in the grass。 It was new； shiny； and of modish shape。
But it was so incongruous； so perkily smart； and yet so feeble
and helpless lying there； so ghastly ludicrous in its very
appropriateness and incapacity to adjust itself to the surrounding
landscape； that it affected him with something more than a sense of
its grotesqueness； and he could only stare at it blankly。
〃But you're not looking the right way；〃 the girl went on sharply；
〃look there！〃
Cass followed the direction of her whip。 At last； what might have
seemed a coat thrown carelessly on the ground met his eye； but
presently he became aware of a white； rigid； aimlessly…clinched
hand protruding from the flaccid sleeve； mingled with it in some
absurd way and half hidden by the grass； lay what might have been a
pair of cast…off trousers but for two rigid boots that pointed in
opposite angles to the sky。 It was a dead man。 So palpably dead
that life seemed to have taken flight from his very clothes。 So
impotent； feeble； and degraded by them that the naked subject of a
dissecting table would have been less insulting to humanity。 The
head had fallen back； and was partly hidden in a gopher burrow； but
the white； upturned face and closed eyes had less of helpless death
in them than those wretched enwrappings。 Indeed； one limp hand
that lay across the swollen abdomen lent itself to the grotesquely
hideous suggestion of a gentleman sleeping off the excesses of a
hearty dinner。
〃Ain't he horrid？〃 continued the girl； 〃but what killed him？〃
Struggling between a certain fascination at the girl's cold…blooded
curiosity and horror of the murdered man； Cass hesitatingly lifted
the helpless head。 A bluish hole above the right temple； and a few
brown paint…like spots on the forehead； shirt cellar； and matted
hair proved the only record。
〃Turn him over again；〃 said the girl； impatiently； as Cass was
about to relinquish his burden。 〃May be you'll find another
wound。〃
But Cass was dimly remembering certain formalities that in older
civilizations attend the discovery of dead bodies； and postponed a
present inquest。
〃Perhaps you'd better ride on； Miss； afore you get summoned as a
witness。 I'll give warning at Red Chief's Crossing； and send the
coroner down here。〃
〃Let me go with you；〃 she said； earnestly； 〃it would be such fun。
I don't mind being a witness。 Or；〃 she added； without heeding
Cass's look of astonishment； 〃I'll wait here till you come back。〃
〃But you see； Miss； it wouldn't seem right〃 began Cass。
〃But I found him first；〃 interrupted the girl； with a pout。
Staggered by this preemptive right； sacred to all miners； Cass
stopped。
〃Who is the coroner？〃 she asked。
〃Joe Hornsby。〃
〃The tall； lame man； who was half eaten by a grizzly？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； look now！ I'll ride on and bring him back in half an hour。
There！〃
〃But； Miss！〃
〃Oh； don't mind ME。 I never saw anything of this kind before； and
I want to see it ALL。〃
〃Do you know Hornsby？〃 asked Cass； unconsciously a trifle irritated。
〃No； but I'll bring him。〃 She wheeled her horse into the road。
In the presence of this living energy Cass quite forgot the
helpless dead。 〃Have you been long in these parts； Miss？〃 he
asked。
〃About two weeks；〃 she answered； shortly。 〃Good…by； just now。
Look around for the pistol or anything else you can find； although
I have been over the whole ground twice already。〃
A little puff of dust as the horse sprang into the road； a muffled
shuffle； struggle； then the regular beat of hoofs； and she was
gone。
After five minutes had passed； Cass regretted that he had not
accompanied her； waiting in such a spot was an irksome task。 Not
that there was anything in the scene itself to awaken gloomy
imaginings； the bright； truthful Californian sunshine scoffed at
any illusion of creeping shadows or waving branches。 Once； in the
rising wind； the empty hat rolled overbut only in a ludicrous；
drunken way。 A search for any further sign or token had proved
futile； and Cass grew impatient。 He began to hate himself for
having stayed； he would have fled but for shame。 Nor was his good
humor restored when at the close of a weary half hour two galloping
figures emerged from the dusty horizonHornsby and the young girl。
His vague annoyance increased as he fancied that both seemed to
ignore him； the coroner barely acknowledging his presence with a
nod。 Assisted by the young girl； whose energy and enthusiasm
evidently delighted him； Hornsby raised the body for a more careful
examination。 The dead man's pockets were carefully searched。 A
few coins； a silver pencil； knife； and tobacco…box were all they
found。 It gave no clew to his identity。 Suddenly the young girl；
who had； with unabashed curiosity； knelt beside the exploring
official hands of the Red Chief； uttered a cry of gratification。
〃Here's something！ It dropped from the bosom of his shirt on the
ground。 Look！〃
She was holding in the air； between her thumb and forefinger； a
folded bit of well…worn newspaper。 Her eyes sparkled。
〃Shall I open it？〃 she asked。
〃Yes。〃
〃It's a little ring〃 she said； 〃looks like an engagement ring。
Something is written on it。 Look！ 'May to Cass。'〃
Cass darted forward。 〃It's mine；〃 he stammered； 〃mine！ I dropped
it。 It's nothingnothing；〃 he went on； after a pause； embarrassed
and blushing； as the girl and her companion both stared at him〃a
mere trifle。 I'll take it。〃
But the coroner opposed his outstretched hand。 〃Not much；〃 he
said； significantly。
〃But