All that he had heard seemed only to link him more fatefully and indissolubly with the young girl.

He was already impatient of even this slight delay in his quest.

In his perplexity his thoughts had reverted to Collinson's: the mill was a good point to begin his search from; its good-natured, stupid proprietor might be his guide, his ally, and even his confidant.
When his horse was baited, he was again in the saddle.

"If yer going Collinson's way, yer might ask him if he's lost a horse," said the foreman.

"The morning after the shake, some of the boys picked up a mustang, with a make-up lady's saddle on." Key started! While it was impossible that it could have been ridden by Alice, it might have been by the woman who had preceded her.
"Did you make any search ?" he inquired eagerly; "there may have been an accident." "I reckon it wasn't no accident," returned the foreman coolly, "for the riata was loose and trailing, as if it had been staked out, and broken away." Without another word, Key put spurs to his horse and galloped away, leaving his companion staring after him.