They say the valley near Long Canyon's chock full o' rock and slumgullion that's slipped down." "What do you mean by the big shake ?" asked Key in surprise.
"Great Scott! you didn't hear of it?
Didn't hear of the 'arthquake that shook us up all along Galloper's the other night?
Well," he added disgustedly, "that's jist the conceit of them folks in the bay, that can't allow that ANYTHIN' happens in the mountains!" The urgent telegrams of his foreman now flashed across Key's preoccupied mind.

Possibly Skinner saw his concern, "I reckon your mine is all right, Mr.Key.

One of your men was over yere last night, and didn't say nothin'." But this did not satisfy Key; and in a few minutes he had mounted his horse and was speeding towards the Hollow, with a remorseful consciousness of having neglected his colleagues' interests.

For himself, in the utter prepossession of his passion for Alice, he cared nothing.

As he dashed down the slope to the Hollow, he thought only of the two momentous days that she had passed there, and the fate that had brought them so nearly together.