"Have you seen anything of Nellie?" he asked in a husky whisper.

"No; what's the matter?" asked the startled miners.

"She has gone! she has left me!" gasped the father dropping into the only remaining chair, the picture of despair and unutterable woe.

"Why do you think that?" asked the parson, sympathetically.

"Lieutenant Russell has gone too! They have fled together!"

CHAPTER XV

COMRADES IN SORROW

Wade Ruggles and Parson Brush sprang to their feet and confronted the white-faced Captain Dawson, who stared at them and breathed fast. For a full minute they gazed into one another's faces, dazed, motionless and speechless. The partners stood, each with pipe in hand, the faint smoke curling upward from the bowls, their slouched hats still on their frowsy heads, the revolvers at their cartridge belts spanning their waists, their trousers tucked in the tops of their boots, and with their heavy flannel shirts serving for coats and vests.

Captain Dawson was similarly attired. He had dashed out of his own cabin and into that of his friends, his long locks flying, and even the strands of his heavy beard rigidly apart, as if from the consternation that had taken possession of his very soul.

In those seconds of tomb-like stillness, an ember on the earthen hearth fell apart and a twist of flame threw a yellow illumination through the small room, grim and bare of everything suggesting luxury.

It was the parson who first found voice, but when he spoke the tones, even to himself, sounded like those of another person.

"Captain, it is possible that there is some mistake about this."

"Would to G.o.d there might be!"

"Let us hope there is."

"Mistake!" he repeated in a husky, rasping voice; "can there be any mistake about _that_?"

He threw out his single arm as he spoke, as if he would drive his fist through their chests. But he held a crumpled bit of paper in the face of the parson, who silently took it from him, crinkled it apart and turning his side so that the firelight fell on the sheet, began reading the few words written in pencil and in the pretty delicate hand which he knew so well.

"Read it out loud, parson," said Ruggles, speaking for the first time.

Felix Brush did so in a voice of surprising evenness:

"MY DEAREST FATHER:--I have decided to go with Lieutenant Russell.

We love each other and I have promised to become his wife. Do not think I love you any less for that can never be. I cannot remain here. You will hear from us soon and then I pray that you will come to your own

NELLIE."

"Have you been to his shanty?" asked Ruggles, who hardly comprehended the meaning of his own words.

"Why would he go there?" angrily demanded the parson.

"Mebbe the villain changed his mind."

"But, if he had, _she_ would not be there."

"Yes; I went to his cabin," bitterly answered Captain Dawson; "he has not been in the place for hours; all is dark and deserted; if I found him, I would have killed him."

The three were laboring under fearful emotion, but with surprising power forced themselves to seem comparatively calm.

"Captain, tell us about it," said the parson, carefully folding the bit of paper upon itself and shoving it into his pocket, un.o.bserved by the others.

Despite his apparent calmness it took a few moments for the father to gain sufficient self-control to speak clearly. Seated in the chair, he looked into the embers of the fire on the hearth, compressed his lips and breathed hard. His two friends had also seated themselves, for it seemed to them it was easier to master their agitation thus than while upon their feet.

"What have I to tell, but my everlasting woe and shame? The lieutenant and I have been working for several days by ourselves on a new lead. I had noticed nothing unusual in his manner nor indeed in that of my child. At lunch time to-day he complained to me of not feeling like work, and told me not to expect him back this afternoon. I would have returned with him, had not the indications of the new lead been so good. And actually he invited me to do no more work until to-morrow, though why he should have done it, when it would have spoiled their whole scheme, is more than I can explain.

"It was part of his plan to deceive you."

"I don't see how it could do that, for there was no need of his inviting me,--but let it go. It came about that I worked later than usual, so that it was dark when I got home. I was surprised to see no light and to find no fire or Nellie. I thought nothing of that, however, for who would have believed it possible that there could be anything wrong? I supposed she was with some of the folks and being tired I sat down in my chair and fell asleep.

"When I awoke, the room was cold, silent and as dark as a wolf's mouth. I felt impatient and decided to give her a scolding for being so neglectful. I groped around until I found a match, intending to start a fire. I had just lit the lamp and set it down on the table, when I caught sight of a folded piece of paper with my name in her handwriting on the outside. It gave me a queer feeling and my hands trembled when I unfolded and read it.

"I don't clearly remember the next few minutes. The room seemed to be spinning around, and I think I had to sit down to keep from falling, but what saved me from collapse was my anger. I have been consumed with indignation once or twice in my life, but was never so furious, so uncontrollable, so utterly savage as I was after reading that note.

If I could have found Russell, I would have throttled him. It may sound strange, but I hardly once thought of Nellie; it was _he_, the villain, whom I yearned to get my hands on."

"Of course," said Ruggles, "that's the way you oughter feel."

"I don't know what possessed me to do so, but I rushed out and made straight for his cabin, as if I would find him there. Of course that too was empty, and then I came here. Fool that I have been!" exclaimed the parent, leaping to his feet and striding up and down the room; "not to see all this, but," he added pathetically, "I believed that Nellie loved me."

The flaming wrath of the two melted into pity for the stricken father.

Parson Brush laid his hand on his shoulder and compelled him to resume his seat. Then he spoke with the tenderness of a woman:

"That child _does_ love you more than she loves her own life, but she is blinded by her infatuation for that smooth-tongued scoundrel. It is the nature of her s.e.x to feel and act thus; but, as I said, it does not mean that her love for you is less--"

"Don't talk of her love for me," fiercely interrupted the parent; "we only judge of a person by his actions."

"But you and I have made mistakes--"

"Nothing like this; why did she not ask me? why did _he_ not tell me that he wished to marry her?--that is if he does," added the father, as if determined to make his own cup as bitter as possible.

"He did not ask you, because he knew you would refuse; for from the first time he entered this community, he was determined to have her."

"How do you know that?"

"Because Ruggles and I read him; we did what no one else did,--we measured the man. Am I right, Wade?"

The miner nodded his head.

"Every word is as true as gospel; we noticed his sly looks at her, that first night you and him entered the Heavenly Bower and she was there. We couldn't make any mistake about it."

"And you didn't warn me! You two are as bad as he, because you kept the secret when you ought to have put me on my guard, so that I might have strangled him at the first advance he made."