in a hollow of the hills(山涧)-第4章
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tiny flutter of invisible wings in the rafters； the 〃peep〃 and 〃squeak〃 of
baby life below the floor。 And then he fell into a deeper sleep； and
awoke only when it was broad day。
The sun was shining upon the empty bunks； his companions were
already up and gone。 They had separated as they had come together；
with the light…hearted irresponsibility of animals； without regret； and
scarcely reminiscence； bearing； with cheerful philosophy and the
hopefulness of a future unfettered by their past； the final disappointment of
their quest。 If they ever met again； they would laugh and remember； if
they did not； they would forget without a sigh。 He hurriedly dressed
himself； and went outside to dip his face and hands in the bucket that
stood beside the door； but the clear air； the dazzling sunshine； and the
unexpected prospect half intoxicated him。
The abandoned mill stretched beside him in all the pathos of its
premature decay。 The ribs of the water…wheel appeared amid a tangle of
shrubs and driftwood； and were twined with long grasses and straggling
vines； mounds of sawdust and heaps of 〃brush〃 had taken upon
themselves a velvety moss where the trickling slime of the vanished river
lost itself in sluggish pools； discolored with the dyes of redwood。 But on
the other side of the rocky ledge dropped the whole length of the valley；
alternately bathed in sunshine or hidden in drifts of white and clinging
smoke。 The upper end of the long canyon； and the crests of the ridge
above him； were lost in this fleecy cloud； which at times seemed to
overflow the summits and fall in slow leaps like lazy cataracts down the
mountain…side。 Only the range before the ledge was clear； there the
green pines seemed to swell onward and upward in long mounting billows；
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until at last they broke against the sky。
In the keen stimulus of the hour and the air Key felt the mountaineer's
longing for action； and scarcely noticed that Collinson had pathetically
brought out his pork barrel to scrape together a few remnants for his last
meal。 It was not until he had finished his coffee； and Collinson had
brought up his horse； that a slight sense of shame at his own and his
comrades' selfishness embarrassed his parting with his patient host。 He
himself was going to Skinner's to plead for him； he knew that Parker had
left the draft；he had seen it lying in the bar；but a new sense of delicacy
kept him from alluding to it now。 It was better to leave Collinson with
his own peculiar ideas of the responsibilities of hospitality unchanged。
Key shook his hand warmly； and galloped up the rocky slope。 But when
he had finally reached the higher level； and fancied he could even now see
the dust raised by his departing comrades on their two diverging paths；
although he knew that they had already gone their different ways；
perhaps never to meet again；his thoughts and his eyes reverted only to
the ruined mill below him and its lonely occupant。
He could see him quite distinctly in that clear air； still standing before
his door。 And then he appeared to make a parting gesture with his hand；
and something like snow fluttered in the air above his head。 It was only
the torn fragments of Parker's draft； which this homely gentleman of the
Sierras； standing beside his empty pork barrel； had scattered to the four
winds。
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CHAPTERII。
Key's attention was presently directed to something more important
to his present purpose。 The keen wind which he had faced in mounting
the grade had changed； and was now blowing at his back。 His experience
of forest fires had already taught him that this was too often only the cold
air rushing in to fill the vacuum made by the conflagration； and it needed
not his sensation of an acrid smarting in his eyes； and an unaccountable
dryness in the air which he was now facing； to convince him that the fire
was approaching him。 It had evidently traveled faster than he had
expected； or had diverged from its course。 He was disappointed； not
because it would oblige him to take another route to Skinner's； as
Collinson had suggested； but for a very different reason。 Ever since his
vision of the preceding night； he had resolved to revisit the hollow and
discover the mystery。 He had kept his purpose a secret；partly because
he wished to avoid the jesting remarks of his companions； but particularly
because he wished to go alone； from a very singular impression that
although they had witnessed the incident he had really seen more than they
did。 To this was also added the haunting fear he had felt during the night
that this mysterious habitation and its occupants were in the track of the
conflagration。 He had not dared to dwell upon it openly on account of
Uncle Dick's evident responsibility for the origin of the fire； he appeased
his conscience with the reflection that the inmates of the dwelling no
doubt had ample warning in time to escape。 But still； he and his
companions ought to have stopped to help them； and thenbut here he
paused； conscious of another reason he could scarcely voice then； or even
now。 Preble Key had not passed the age of romance； but like other
romancists he thought he had evaded it by treating it practically。
Meantime he had reached the fork where the trail diverged to the right；
and he must take that direction if he wished to make a detour of the
burning woods to reach Skinner's。 His momentary indecision
communicated itself to his horse； who halted。 Recalled to himself； he
looked down mechanically； when his attention was attracted by an
unfamiliar object lying in the dust of the trail。 It was a small slipperso
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small that at first he thought it must have belonged to some child。 He
dismounted and picked it up。 It was worn and shaped to the foot。 It
could not have lain there long； for it was not filled nor discolored by the
wind…blown dust of the trail； as all other adjacent objects were。 If it had
been dropped by a passing traveler； that traveler must have passed
Collinson's； going or coming； within the last twelve hours。 It was
scarcely possible that the shoe could have dropped from the foot without
the wearer's knowing it； and it must have been dropped in an urgent flight；
or it would have been recovered。 Thus practically Key treated his
romance。 And having done so； he instantly wheeled his horse and
plunged into the road in the direction of the fire。
But he was surprised after twenty minutes' riding to find that the
course of the fire had evidently changed。 It was growing clearer before
him； the dry heat seemed to come more from the right； in the direction of
the detour he should have taken to Skinner's。 This seemed almost
providential； and in keeping with his practical treatment of his romance； as
was also the fact that in all probability the fire had not yet visited the little
hollow which he intended to explore。 He knew he was nearing it now；
the locality had been strongly impressed upon him even in the darkness of
the previous evening。 He had passed the rocky ledge； his horse's hoofs
no longer rang out clearly； slowly and perceptibly they grew deadened in
the springy mosses； and were finally lost in the netted grasses and tangled
vines that indicated the vicinity of the densely wooded hollow。 Here
were already some of the wider spaced vanguards of that wood； but here；
too； a peculiar circumstance struck him。 He was already descending the
slight declivity； but the distance； instead of deepening in leafy shadow；
was actually growing lighter。 Here were the outskirting sentinels of the
wood but the wood itself was gone！ He spurred his horse through the
tall arch between the opened columns； and pulled up in amazement。
The wood； indeed； was gone； and the whole hollow filled with the
already black and dead stumps of the utterly consumed forest！ More than
that； from the indications before him； the catastrophe must have almost
immediately followed his retreat from the hollow on the preceding night。
It was evident that the fire had leaped the intervening shoulder of the spur
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in one of the unaccountable； but by no means rare； phenomena of this kind
of disaster。 The circling heights around were yet untouched； only the
hollow； and the ledge of rock against which they had blundered with their
horses when they were seeking the mysterious window in last evening's
darkness； were calcined and destroyed。 He dismounted and climbed the
ledge； still warm from the spent fire。 A large mass of grayish outcrop had
evidently been the focus of the furnace blast of heat which must have
raged for hours in this spot。 He was skirting its crumbling debris when
he started suddenly at a discovery which made everything else fade into
utter insignificance。 Before him； in a slight
