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"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.
Hornsby thought I might be asked to give my evidence again at Blazing Star." Cass carelessly struck an aimless blow with his pick against the sod and did not reply. "And you?" she queried. "I stumbled upon the place just now while prospecting, or I shouldn't be here." "Then it was you made these holes?" "No," said Cass, with ill-concealed disgust.
It was his habit usually to ride with the driver, but the presence of Hornsby and Miss Porter on the box seat changed his intention. Yet he had the satisfaction of seeing that neither had noticed him, and as there was no other passenger inside, he stretched himself on the cushion of the back seat and gave way to moody reflections.
"All Blazing Star knows I found it." "Then ye'll have no difficulty in provin' it," said Hornsby, coolly. "Just now, however, we've found it, and we propose to keep it for the inquest." Cass shrugged his shoulders. Further altercation would have only heightened his ludicrous situation in the girl's eyes. He turned away, leaving his treasure in the coroner's hands.
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.
Miss Porter fluttered to the ground. She was followed by Hornsby. "Just a minit, Miss," he expostulated, half shamedly, half brusquely, "ye don't onderstand me. I only" But Miss Porter had jumped into the coach. Hornsby placed his hand on the handle of the door. Miss Porter grasped it firmly from the inside. There was a slight struggle. All of which was part of a dream to the boyish Cass.
She spoke sharply and aggressively, and so evidently in answer to Cass's unspoken indictment against her, that he was not surprised when she became more direct. "You know you were shocked when I went to fetch that Hornsby, the coroner, after we found the dead body." "Hornsby wasn't shocked," said Cass, a little viciously. "What do you mean?" she said, abruptly.
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."
But Slavin broke in and laid a tremulous hand on his superior's shoulder. "No! no! Sorr! . . . hush! for th' love av Christ! . . . Ye must not " the soft Hibernian brogue sank to a gentle hush "niver fear . . . for thim that's died doin' their juty! . . . 'Tis th' Peace, Sorr th' Peace everlastin' . . . for Hornsby an' Wade. They were good men. . . ."
Miss Porter fluttered to the ground. She was followed by Hornsby. "Just a minit, Miss," he expostulated, half shamedly, half brusquely, "ye don't onderstand me. I only " But Miss Porter had jumped into the coach. Hornsby placed his hand on the handle of the door. Miss Porter grasped it firmly from the inside. There was a slight struggle. All of which was part of a dream to the boyish Cass.
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