Presently he arose, stretched out his hand, shook mine warmly, said, "I reckon I'll meander along," took another long breath, this time secretly, as if conscious of my eyes, and then slouched sideways out of the house into the darkness again, where he seemed suddenly to attain his full height, and so looming, disappeared.

I shut the door, went to bed, and slept soundly.
So soundly that when I awoke the sun was streaming on my bed from the open door.

On the table before me my breakfast was already laid.

When I had dressed and eaten it, struck by the silence, I went to the door and looked out.

'Dolphus was holding Chu Chu by the reata a few paces from the cabin.
"Where's Caroline ?" I asked.
He pointed to the woods and said: "Over yon: keeping tally." "Did she leave any message ?" "Said I was to git your mule for you." "Anything else ?" "Yes; said you was to go." I went, but not until I had scrawled a few words of thanks on a leaf of my notebook, which I wrapped about my last Spanish dollar, addressed it to "Miss Johnson," and laid it upon the table.
***** It was more than a year later that in the bar-room of the Mariposa Hotel a hand was laid upon my sleeve.