Thepeoplecouldnotunderstandthis。Theboy’smiserieswentsteadilyon，weekafterweek。Itisquitelikelythatthepeoplewouldhaveunderstoodiftheyhadknownhowhewasemployinghissparetime。Hesleptinanout—cabinnearFlint’s;andthere，nights，henursedhisbruisesandhishumiliations，andstudiedandstudiedoverasingleproblem——howhecouldmurderFlintBucknerandnotbefoundout。Itwastheonlyjoyhehadinlife;thesehoursweretheonlyonesinthetwenty—fourwhichhelookedforwardtowitheagernessandspentinhappiness。
　　Hethoughtofpoison。No——thatwouldnotserve;theinquestwouldrevealwhereitwasprocuredandwhohadprocuredit。HethoughtofashotinthebackinalonelyplacewhenFlintwouldbehomewardboundatmidnight——hisunvaryinghourforthetrip。No——somebodymightbenear，andcatchhim。Hethoughtofstabbinghiminhissleep。No——hemightstrikeaninefficientblow，andFlintwouldseizehim。Heexaminedahundreddifferentways——noneofthemwouldanswer;forineventheveryobscurestandsecretestofthemtherewasalwaysthefataldefectofarisk，achance，apossibilitythathemightbefoundout。Hewouldhavenoneofthat。
　　Buthewaspatient，endlesslypatient。Therewasnohurry，hesaidtohimself。HewouldneverleaveFlinttillhelefthimacorpse;therewasnohurry——hewouldfindtheway。Itwassomewhere，andhewouldendureshameandpainandmiseryuntilhefoundit。Yes，somewheretherewasawaywhichwouldleavenotatrace，noteventhefaintestcluetothemurderer——therewasnohurry——hewouldfindthatway，andthen——oh，then，itwouldjustbegoodtobealive！Meantimehewoulddiligentlykeepuphisreputationformeekness;andalso，asalwaystheretofore，hewouldallownoonetohearhimsayaresentfuloroffensivethingabouthisoppressor。
　　Twodaysbeforethebefore—mentionedOctobermorningFlinthadboughtsomethings，andheandFetlockhadbroughtthemhometoFlint’scabin:afreshboxofcandles，whichtheyputinthecorner;atincanofblasting—powder，whichtheyplaceduponthecandle—box;akegofblasting—powder，whichtheyplacedunderFlint’sbunk;ahugecoiloffuse，whichtheyhungonapeg。FetlockreasonedthatFlint’sminingoperationshadoutgrownthepick，andthatblastingwasabouttobeginnow。Hehadseenblastingdone，andhehadanotionoftheprocess，buthehadneverhelpedinit。Hisconjecturewasright——blasting—timehadcome。Inthemorningthepaircarriedfuse，drills，andthepowder—cantotheshaft;itwasnoweightfeetdeep，andtogetintoitandoutofitashortladderwasused。Theydescended，andbycommandFetlockheldthedrill——withoutanyinstructionsastotherightwaytoholdit——andFlintproceededtostrike。Thesledgecamedown;thedrillsprangoutofFetlock’shand，almostasamatterofcourse。
　　"Youmangysonofanigger，isthatanywaytoholdadrill？Pickitup！
　　Standitup！There——holdfast。D——you！I’llteachyou！"
　　Attheendofanhourthedrillingwasfinished。
　　"Now，then，chargeit。"
　　Theboystartedtopourinthepowder。
　　"Idiot！"
　　Aheavybatonthejawlaidtheladout。
　　"Getup！Youcan’tliesnivelingthere。Now，then，stickinthefusefirst。Nowputinthepowder。Holdon，holdon！Areyougoingtofilltheholeallup？Ofallthesap—headedmilksopsI——Putinsomedirt！
　　Putinsomegravel！Tampitdown！Holdon，holdon！Oh，greatScott！
　　getoutoftheway！"Hesnatchedtheironandtampedthechargehimself，meantimecursingandblaspheminglikeafiend。Thenhefiredthefuse，climbedoutoftheshaft，andranfiftyyardsaway，Fetlockfollowing。
　　Theystoodwaitingafewminutes，thenagreatvolumeofsmokeandrocksbursthighintotheairwithathunderousexplosion;afteralittletherewasashowerofdescendingstones;thenallwassereneagain。
　　"IwishtoGodyou’dbeeninit！"remarkedthemaster。
　　Theywentdowntheshaft，cleaneditout，drilledanotherhole，andputinanothercharge。
　　"Lookhere！Howmuchfuseareyouproposingtowaste？Don’tyouknowhowtotimeafuse？"
　　"No，sir。"
　　"Youdon’t！Well，ifyoudon’tbeatanythingIeversaw！"
　　Heclimbedoutoftheshaftandspokedown:
　　"Well，idiot，areyougoingtobeallday？Cutthefuseandlightit！"
　　Thetremblingcreaturebegan:
　　"Ifyouplease，sir，I——"
　　"Youtalkbacktome？Cutitandlightit！"
　　Theboycutandlit。
　　"Ger—reatScott！aone—minutefuse！Iwishyouwerein——"
　　Inhisragehesnatchedtheladderoutoftheshaftandran。Theboywasaghast。
　　"Oh，myGod！Help。Help！Oh，saveme！"heimplored。"Oh，whatcanI
　　do！WhatcanIdo！"
　　Hebackedagainstthewallastightlyashecould;thesputteringfusefrightenedthevoiceoutofhim;hisbreathstoodstill;hestoodgazingandimpotent;intwoseconds，threeseconds，fourhewouldbeflyingtowardtheskytorntofragments。Thenhehadaninspiration。Hesprangatthefuse;severedtheinchofitthatwasleftaboveground，andwassaved。
　　Hesankdownlimpandhalflifelesswithfright，hisstrengthgone;buthemutteredwithadeepjoy:
　　"Hehaslearntme！Iknewtherewasaway，ifIwouldwait。"
　　AfteramatteroffiveminutesBucknerstoletotheshaft，lookingworriedanduneasy，andpeereddownintoit。Hetookinthesituation;
　　hesawwhathadhappened。Heloweredtheladder，andtheboydraggedhimselfweaklyupit。Hewasverywhite。HisappearanceaddedsomethingtoBuckner’suncomfortablestate，andhesaid，withashowofregretandsympathywhichsatuponhimawkwardlyfromlackofpractice:
　　"Itwasanaccident，youknow。Don’tsayanythingaboutittoanybody;
　　Iwasexcited，anddidn’tnoticewhatIwasdoing。You’renotlookingwell;you’veworkedenoughforto—day;godowntomycabinandeatwhatyouwant，andrest。It’sjustanaccident，youknow，onaccountofmybeingexcited。"
　　"Itscaredme，"saidthelad，ashestartedaway;"butIlearntsomething，soIdon’tmindit。"
　　"Damnedeasytoplease！"mutteredBuckner，followinghimwithhiseye。
　　Iwonderifhe’lltell？Mightn’the？……Iwishithadkilledhim。"
　　Theboytooknoadvantageofhisholidayinthematterofresting;heemployeditinwork，eagerandfeverishandhappywork。AthickgrowthofchaparralextendeddownthemountainsidecleartoFlint’scabin;themostofFetlock’slaborwasdoneinthedarkintricaciesofthatstubborngrowth;therestofitwasdoneinhisownshanty。Atlastallwascomplete，andhesaid:
　　"Ifhe’sgotanysuspicionsthatI’mgoingtotellonhim，hewon’tkeepthemlong，to—morrow。HewillseethatIamthesamemilksopasIalwayswas——alldayandthenext。Andthedayafterto—morrownightthere’llbeanendofhim;nobodywilleverguesswhofinishedhimupnorhowitwasdone。Hedroppedmetheideahisownself，andthat’sodd。"
　　V
　　Thenextdaycameandwent。
　　Itisnowalmostmidnight，andinfiveminutesthenewmorningwillbegin。Thesceneisinthetavernbilliard—room。Roughmeninroughclothing，slouch—hats，breechesstuffedintoboot—tops，somewithvests，nonewithcoats，aregroupedabouttheboiler—ironstove，whichhasruddycheeksandisdistributingagratefulwarmth;thebilliard—ballsareclacking;thereisnoothersound——thatis，within;thewindisfitfullymoaningwithout。Themenlookbored;alsoexpectant。Ahulkingbroad—
　　shoulderedminer，ofmiddleage，withgrizzledwhiskers，andanunfriendlyeyesetinanunsociableface，rises，slipsacoiloffuseuponhisarm，gathersupsomeotherpersonalproperties，anddepartswithoutwordorgreetingtoanybody。ItisFlintBuckner。Asthedoorclosesbehindhimabuzzoftalkbreaksout。
　　"Theregularestmanthateverwas，"saidJakeParker，theblacksmith:
　　"youcantellwhenit’stwelvejustbyhimleaving，withoutlookingatyourWaterbury。"
　　"Andit’stheonlyvirtuehe’sgot，asfurasIknow，"saidPeterHawes，miner。
　　"He’sjustablightonthissociety，"saidWells—Fargo’sman，Ferguson。
　　"IfIwasrunningthisshopI’dmakehimsaysomething，sometimeorother，orvamostheranch。"Thiswithasuggestiveglanceatthebarkeeper，whodidnotchoosetoseeit，sincethemanunderdiscussionwasagoodcustomer，andwenthomeprettywellsetup，everynight，withrefreshmentsfurnishedfromthebar。
　　"Say，"saidHamSandwich，miner，"doesanyofyouboyseverrecollectofhimaskingyoutotakeadrink？"
　　"Him？FlintBuckner？Oh，Laura！"
　　Thissarcasticrejoindercameinaspontaneousgeneraloutburstinoneformofwordsoranotherfromthecrowd。Afterabriefsilence，PatRiley，miner，said:
　　"He’sthe15—puzzle，thatcuss。Andhisboy’sanotherone。Ican’tmakethemout。"
　　"Noranybodyelse，"saidHamSandwich;"andiftheyare15—puzzleshowareyougoingtorankupthatotherone？WhenitcomestoA1right—downsolidmysteriousness，helaysoverbothofthem。Easy——don’the？"
　　"Youbet！"
　　Everybodysaidit。Everymanbutone。Hewasthenew—comer——Peterson。
　　Heorderedthedrinksallround，andaskedwhoNo。3mightbe。Allansweredatonce，"ArchyStillman！"
　　"Isheamystery？"askedPeterson。
　　"Isheamystery？IsArchyStillmanamystery？"saidWells—Fargo’sman，Ferguson。"Why，thefourthdimension’sfoolishnesstohim。"
　　ForFergusonwaslearned。
　　Petersonwantedtohearallabouthim;everybodywantedtotellhim;
　　everybodybegan。ButBillyStevens，thebarkeeper，calledthehousetoorder，andsaidoneatatimewasbest。Hedistributedthedrinks，andappointedFergusontolead。Fergusonsaid:
　　"Well，he’saboy。Andthatisjustaboutallweknowabouthim。Youcanpumphimtillyouaretired;itain’tanyuse;youwon’tgetanything。Atleastabouthisintentions，orlineofbusiness，orwherehe’sfrom，andsuchthingsasthat。Andasforgettingatthenatureandget—upofhismainbigchiefmystery，why，he’lljustchangethesubject，that’sall。Youcanguesstillyou’reblackintheface——it’syourprivilege——butsupposeyoudo，wheredoyouarriveat？Nowhere，asnearasIcanmakeout。"
　　"Whatishisbigchiefone？"
　　"Sight，maybe。Hearing，maybe。Instinct，maybe。Magic，maybe。Takeyourchoice——grownups，twenty—five;childrenandservants，halfprice。
　　NowI’lltellyouwhathecando。Youcanstarthere，andjustdisappear;youcangoandhidewhereveryouwantto，Idon’tcarewhereitis，norhowfar——andhe’llgostraightandputhisfingeronyou。"
　　"Youdon’tmeanit！"
　　"Ijustdo，though。Weather’snothingtohim——elementalconditionsisnothingtohim——hedon’teventakenoticeofthem。"
　　"Oh，come！Dark？Rain？Snow？Hey？"
　　"It’sallthesametohim。Hedon’tgiveadamn。"
　　"Oh，say——includingfog，per’aps？"
　　"Fog！he’sgotaneye’tcanplunkthroughitlikeabullet。"
　　"Now，boys，honorbright，what’shegivingme？"
　　"It’safact！"theyallshouted。"Goon，Wells—Fargo。"
　　"Well，sir，youcanleavehimhere，chattingwiththeboys，andyoucanslipoutandgotoanycabininthiscampandopenabook——yes，sir，adozenofthem——andtakethepageinyourmemory，andhe’llstartoutandgostraighttothatcabinandopeneveryoneofthembooksattherightpage，andcallitoff，andnevermakeamistake。"
　　"Hemustbethedevil！"
　　"Morethanonehasthoughtit。NowI’lltellyouaperfectlywonderfulthingthathedone。Theothernighthe——"
　　Therewasasuddengreatmurmurofsoundsoutside，thedoorflewopen，andanexcitedcrowdburstin，withthecamp’sonewhitewomanintheleadandcrying:
　　"Mychild！mychild！she’slostandgone！FortheloveofGodhelpmetofindArchyStillman;we’vehuntedeverywhere！"
　　Saidthebarkeeper:
　　"Sitdown，sitdown，Mrs。Hogan，anddon’tworry。Heaskedforabedthreehoursago，tuckeredouttrampingthetrailsthewayhe’salwaysdoing，andwentup—stairs。HamSandwich，runupandrousthimout;he’sinNo。14。"
　　Theyouthwassoondown—stairsandready。HeaskedMrs。Hoganforparticulars。
　　"Blessyou，dear，thereain’tany;Iwishtherewas。Iputhertosleepatsevenintheevening，andwhenIwentinthereanhouragotogotobedmyself，shewasgone。Irushedforyourcabin，dear，andyouwasn’tthere，andI’vehuntedforyoueversince，ateverycabindownthegulch，andnowI’vecomeupagain，andI’mthatdistractedandscaredandheart—
　　broke;but，thankstoGod，I’vefoundyouatlast，dearheart，andyou’llfindmychild。Comeon！comequick！"
　　"Moverightalong;I’mwithyou，madam。Gotoyourcabinfirst。"
　　Thewholecompanystreamedouttojointhehunt。Allthesouthernhalfofthevillagewasup，ahundredmenstrong，andwaitingoutside，avaguedarkmasssprinkledwithtwinklinglanterns。Themassfellintocolumnsbythreesandfourstoaccommodateitselftothenarrowroad，andstrodebrisklyalongsouthwardinthewakeoftheleaders。InafewminutestheHogancabinwasreached。
　　"There’sthebunk，"saidMrs。Hogan;"there’swhereshewas;it’swhereIlaidheratseveno’clock;butwheresheisnow，Godonlyknows。"
　　"Handmealantern，"saidArchy。Hesetitonthehardearthfloorandkneltbyit，pretendingtoexaminethegroundclosely。"Here’shertrack，"hesaid，touchingthegroundhereandthereandyonderwithhisfinger。"Doyousee？"
　　Severalofthecompanydroppedupontheirkneesanddidtheirbesttosee。Oneortwothoughttheydiscernedsomethinglikeatrack;theothersshooktheirheadsandconfessedthatthesmoothhardsurfacehadnomarksuponitwhichtheireyesweresharpenoughtodiscover。Onesaid，"Maybeachild’sfootcouldmakeamarkonit，butIdon’tseehow。"
　　YoungStillmansteppedoutside，heldthelighttotheground，turnedleftward，andmovedthreesteps，closelyexamining;thensaid，"I’vegotthedirection——comealong;takethelantern，somebody。"
　　Hestrodeoffswiftlysouthward，thefilesfollowing，swayingandbendinginandoutwiththedeepcurvesofthegorge。Thusamile，andthemouthofthegorgewasreached;beforethemstretchedthesagebrushplain，dim，vast，andvague。Stillmancalledahalt，saying，"Wemustn’tstartwrong，now;wemusttakethedirectionagain。"
　　Hetookalanternandexaminedthegroundforamatteroftwentyyards;
　　thensaid，"Comeon;it’sallright，"andgaveupthelantern。Inandoutamongthesage—busheshemarched，aquarterofamile，bearinggraduallytotheright;thentookanewdirectionandmadeanothergreatsemicircle;thenchangedagainandmovedduewestnearlyhalfamile——andstopped。
　　"Shegaveitup，here，poorlittlechap。Holdthelantern。Youcanseewhereshesat。"
　　Butthiswasinaslickalkaliflatwhichwassurfacedlikesteel，andnopersoninthepartywasquitehardyenoughtoclaimaneyesightthatcoulddetectthetrackofacushiononaveneerlikethat。Thebereavedmotherfelluponherkneesandkissedthespot，lamenting。
　　"Butwhereisshe，then？"someonesaid。"Shedidn’tstayhere。Wecanseethatmuch，anyway。"
　　Stillmanmovedaboutinacirclearoundtheplace，withthelantern，pretendingtohuntfortracks。
　　"Well！"hesaidpresently，inanannoyedtone，"Idon’tunderstandit。"
　　Heexaminedagain。"Nouse。Shewashere——that’scertain;sheneverwalkedawayfromhere——andthat’scertain。It’sapuzzle;Ican’tmakeitout。"
　　Themotherlostheartthen。
　　"Oh，myGod！oh，blessedVirgin！someflyingbeasthasgother。I’llneverseeheragain！"
　　"Ah，don’tgiveup，"saidArchy。"We’llfindher——don’tgiveup。"
　　"Godblessyouforthewords，ArchyStillman！"andsheseizedhishandandkisseditfervently。