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Silsbee's body had been found, superstitiously shunned by every one, and when at last turned over to the authorities at an outpost garrison, seeming to drop the last link from the dragging chain of the past.
He had made up his mind to be abused, but he was reckless now that she was safe. The men glanced at each other. "Then," said the spokesman quietly, "you didn't strike out for us on account of your sister?" "She ain't my sister," said Clarence quickly. "She's a little girl. She's Mrs. Silsbee's little girl. We were in the wagon and got down. It's my fault. I helped her down."
He saw the look of irritation on Silsbee's dusty, bearded face, that followed his hurried glance into the empty wagon. He heard the query, "What's gone o' them limbs now?" handed from wagon to wagon. He heard a few oaths; Mrs. Silsbee's high rasping voice, abuse of himself, the hurried and discontented detachment of a search party, Silsbee and one of the hired men, and vociferation and blame.
Silsbee's wagon," said the boy, with white lips, pointing to it. "Where is she?" "She's missing," said Peyton, "and one other the rest are dead." "She must be there," said the boy, struggling, and pointing to the wagon; "let me go." "Clarence," said Peyton sternly, accenting his grasp upon the boy's arm, "be a man! Look around you. Try and tell us who these are."
Silsbee's train," said Clarence, pointing to the darkened west. "Lost? how long?" "About three hours. I thought they'd come back for us," said Clarence apologetically to this big, kindly man. "And you kalkilated to wait here for 'em?" "Yes, yes I did till I saw you." "Then why in thunder didn't you light out straight for us, instead of hanging round here and drawing us out?"
"I don't know who's been here before, or what they have said," said Clarence desperately, yet even in that desperation retaining the dogged loyalty to his old playmate, which was part of his nature. "I don't know, and I don't care there! I'm Clarence Brant of Kentucky; I started in Silsbee's train from St. Jo, and I'm going to the mines, and you can't stop me!"
You can get real handsome ones now for ten dollars. Silsbee's got an elegant set in his window. Of course folks that can afford them would rather have them. But I s'pose Flora would think considerable of that old set because it belonged to her aunt Nancy. There's one or two other things I was thinkin' of, but it don't matter about those to-day. It's a beautiful day, ain't it?"
Silsbee, the man who was to bring me here and might have found my cousin for me, was killed by Indians." "Hold up, sonny. Let me help ye," said the first speaker, rising to his feet. "YOU didn't get killed by Injins because you got lost out of a train with Silsbee's infant darter.
And Silsbee, being dead, didn't come for the letter; and as you didn't ask for it when you came, and didn't even mention Silsbee's name, that same letter was sent back to your cousin through me, because the bank thought we knew his whereabouts. It came to the gulch by an express rider, whilst you were prospectin' on the hillside.
Silsbee's dress!" he cried, and leapt into the wagon. At first the men stared at each other, but an instant later a dozen hands were helping him, nervously digging and clearing away the rubbish. Then one man uttered a sudden cry, and fell back with frantic but furious eyes uplifted against the pitiless, smiling sky above him. "Great God! look here!" It was the yellowish, waxen face of Mrs.
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