“’Lias, he waited years an’ years, but the Injun never come back. ’Lias got too old to go huntin’ that place, but he told his boy Tom ’bout it ’fore he died, an’ Tom he hunted till he died, but he never did git to it. An’ Tom’s boys, Will an’ Abner, they hunted too—till Will got kilt. A piece o’ rawck fell offen the ledge an’ mashed him all up. Then Abner, he got scairt an’ never looked no more—he says old Ninety-Nine’s cuss is onto the place an’ no white man will ever git that silver. Sence then ’most every man into the Traps has looked, but nobody found it.”
Her drawl was gone and her tongue flying fast in the joy of retelling a well-worn tale. Now she suddenly moved off the bridge and came slipping down the slope toward him. He arose.
“But ther’s somethin’ that everybody don’t know,” she added mysteriously. “An’ that’s this—the place wher’ the sun hits the wall fust into the mornin’, that’s wher’ Ninety-Nine’s Mine is! Mebbe ye can find it, mister—don’t tell nobody—but if ye find it ’member I told ye. Will ye gimme some o’ the silver if ye find it? I—I wanter git outen this place!”
In the black eyes upturned to his were appeal, revolt, wistfulness—and, as they continued to look at him, something else. Unabashed, unmistakable, they gave him the message that she found him very good to look on; that he had but to reach for her and take her. He stepped back a little.
“I’ll do that—if I find it,” he assured her, repressing a smile. “If ever I stumble into Ninety-Nine’s Mine I’ll give you a full share of whatever is in it. Now I think I’ll move——”
He paused. She had started and thrown a scared glance behind. From up on the hill sounded shouts and the thud of running feet. School was out.
“Oh, my Gawd—git in under the bridge quick!” she gasped. “I dasn’t be seen with ye—quick—let ’em git by!”
She tugged at his arm, then jumped for cover under the bridge. He hesitated, scorning to hide. But she beckoned imploringly.
“Ye’ll git me into misery!” she quavered. “Don’t let ’em see ye—they’ll stop an’——”
He yielded to her importunity. Seizing his gun, he bounded under the planks.