Wander came on at last to the house, making his way deliberately and scorning, it would seem, all chance of attack. But Honora's ears fairly reverberated with the pistol shot which did not come; the explosion which was now so long delayed. She ran to open the door for him and to drag him into the friendly kitchen, where, in the absence of any domestic help, she had spread their evening meal.
There was a look in his face which she had not seen there before--a look of quietude, of finality.
"Well?" she asked.
He flung his hat on a settle and sat down to loosen his leggings.
"They've gone," he said, "bag and baggage."
"The miners?"
"Yes, left this afternoon--confiscated some trains and made the crews haul them out of town. They shook their fists at the mines and the works as if they had been the haunt of the devil. I couldn't bring myself to skulk. I rode Nell right down to the station and sat there till the last carload pulled out with the men and women standing together on the platform to curse me."
"Karl! How could you? It's a marvel you weren't shot."
"Too easy a mark, I reckon."
"And Elena?"