Flip and Found at Blazing Star | Page 6

not
accompanied her; waiting in such a spot was an irksome task. Not that
there was anything in the scene itself to awaken gloomy imaginings;
the bright, truthful Californian sunshine scoffed at any illusion of
creeping shadows or waving branches. Once, in the rising wind, the
empty hat rolled over--but only in a ludicrous, drunken way. A search
for any further sign or token had proved futile, and Cass grew impatient.
He began to hate himself for having stayed; he would have fled but for
shame. Nor was his good humor restored when at the close of a weary
half hour two galloping figures emerged from the dusty
horizon--Hornsby and the young girl.
His vague annoyance increased as he fancied that both seemed to
ignore him, the coroner barely acknowledging his presence with a nod.
Assisted by the young girl, whose energy and enthusiasm evidently
delighted him, Hornsby raised the body for a more careful examination.
The dead man's pockets were carefully searched. A few coins, a silver
pencil, knife, and tobacco-box were all they found. It gave no clew to
his identity. Suddenly the young girl, who had, with unabashed

curiosity, knelt beside the exploring official hands of the Red Chief,
uttered a cry of gratification.
"Here's something! It dropped from the bosom of his shirt on the
ground. Look!"
She was holding in the air, between her thumb and forefinger, a folded
bit of well-worn newspaper. Her eyes sparkled.
"Shall I open it?" she asked.
"Yes."
"It's a little ring" she said; "looks like an engagement ring. Something
is written on it. Look! 'May to Cass.'"
Cass darted forward. "It's mine," he stammered, "mine! I dropped it. It's
nothing--nothing," he went on, after a pause, embarrassed and blushing,
as the girl and her companion both stared at him--"a mere trifle. I'll take
it."
But the coroner opposed his outstretched hand. "Not much," he said,
significantly.
"But it's MINE," continued Cass, indignation taking the place of shame
at his discovered secret. "I found it six months ago in the road.
I--picked it up."
"With your name already written on it! How handy!" said the coroner,
grimly.
"It's an old story" said Cass, blushing again under the half- mischievous,
half-searching eyes of the girl. "All Blazing Star knows I found it."
"Then ye'll have no difficulty in provin' it," said Hornsby, coolly. "Just
now, however, WE'VE found it, and we propose to keep it for the
inquest."
Cass shrugged his shoulders. Further altercation would have only

heightened his ludicrous situation in the girl's eyes. He turned away,
leaving his treasure in the coroner's hands.
The inquest, a day or two later, was prompt and final. No clew to the
dead man's identity; no evidence sufficiently strong to prove murder or
suicide; no trace of any kind, inculpating any party, known or unknown,
were found. But much publicity and interest were given to the
proceedings by the presence of the principal witness, a handsome girl.
"To the pluck, persistency, and intellect of Miss Porter," said the "Red
Chief Recorder," "Tuolumne County owes the recovery of the body."
No one who was present at the inquest failed to be charmed with the
appearance and conduct of this beautiful young lady.
"Miss Porter has but lately arrived in this district, in which, it is hoped,
she will become an honored resident, and continue to set an example to
all lackadaisical and sentimental members of the so- called 'sterner
sex.'" After this universally recognized allusion to Cass Beard, the
"Recorder" returned to its record: "Some interest was excited by what
appeared to be a clew to the mystery in the discovery of a small gold
engagement ring on the body. Evidence was afterward offered to show
it was the property of a Mr. Cass Beard of Blazing Star, who appeared
upon the scene AFTER the discovery of the corpse by Miss Porter. He
alleged he had dropped it in lifting the unfortunate remains of the
deceased. Much amusement was created in court by the sentimental
confusion of the claimant, and a certain partisan spirit shown by his
fellow-miners of Blazing Star. It appearing, however, by the admission
of this sighing Strephon of the Foot hills, that he had himself FOUND
this pledge of affection lying in the highway six months previous, the
coroner wisely placed it in the safe-keeping of the county court until
the appearance of the rightful owner."
Thus on the 13th of September, 186-, the treasure found at Blazing Star
passed out of the hands of its finder.
. . . . . .
Autumn brought an abrupt explanation of the mystery. Kanaka Joe had

been arrested for horse stealing, but had with noble candor confessed to
the finer offense of manslaughter. That swift and sure justice which
overtook the horse stealer in these