saying, Dunn, that I went down myself, all on the square, thinking I
might get a show to talk to her, just as YOU might have done, you know,
if you had my chance. I didn't come across her anywhere. But two men
that I met thought they recognized her in a disguise going into the
woods. Not suspecting anything, I went after her; saw her at a distance
in the middle of the woods in another dress that I can swear to, and was
just coming up to her when she vanished--went like a squirrel up a tree,
or down like a gopher in the ground, but vanished."

"Is that all?" said Dunn's voice. "And just because you were a d--d
fool, or had taken a little too much whisky, you thought--"

"Steady. That's just what I said to myself," interrupted Brace coolly,
"particularly when I saw her that same afternoon in another dress,
saying 'Good-by' to the Burnhams, as fresh as a rose and as cold as
those snow-peaks. Only one thing--she had a ring on her finger she never
wore before, and didn't expect me to see."

"What if she did? She might have bought it. I reckon she hasn't to
consult you," broke in Dunn's voice sternly.

"She didn't buy it," continued Brace quietly. "Low gave that Jew trader
a bearskin in exchange for it, and presented it to her. I found that
out two days afterwards. I found out that out of the whole afternoon she
spent less than an hour with the Burnhams. I found out that she bought
a duster like the disguise the two men saw her in. I found the yellow
dress she wore that day hanging up in Low's cabin--the place where I saw
her go--THE RENDEZVOUS WHERE SHE MEETS HIM. Oh, you're listenin', are
you? Stop! SIT DOWN!