Kay felt a little alarmed; but he concealed his agitation, and continued with apparent unconcern, to smoke his pipe, and to be completely absorbed in the enjoyment of that and his ale. He would have been glad to have retired to his chamber, so that he might have escaped all observation, but he was fearful that he might, by so doing, probably excite suspicion, and he therefore kept his seat and pretended to take no notice of what was passing. The landlord having hastened to the door of the house to meet his guest, and to inquire what was the matter with him was quickly heard returning accompanied by the old man, who was grumbling, and swearing all the way. On entering the bar, the drover gazed round upon the different persons there assembled, but appeared to take little notice of Kay, whose assumed color, no doubt, removed every idea of his being the robber from his mind. ‘He was a most desperate scoundrel, whoever he is,’ said the drover, ‘and I feel the effects of his d—d knuckles on my throat, now. I wish I could only meet with the fellow, and I warrant me he’d not escape from my clutches again, very easily.’ ‘This is a bad job, a terrible bad job,’ said the landlord. ‘Aye, it is indeed a bad job,’ said the drover, ‘two thousand dollars is no small sum to lose as times go.’ -------------- CHAPTER XII The Ride—the Midnight Fright—the Corpse—The Secret Burial. Kay took no part in the conversation which followed, the staple of which consisted of denunciations of the scoundrels who infested the city of San Francisco and its vicinity, perpetrating with impunity the most daring robberies and even more atrocious offences. Kay was slightly known to several of the ‘crowd’ who had been drawn to the bar by rumors respecting the robbery, and as Kay sauntered out of the room one of these persons whispered a few words to the drover, who turned and closely scrutinized the robber’s person. Kay bore his fixed gaze apparently unmoved. But he inwardly determined that the drover should never bear witness against him! A few evenings after this robbery, Inez had taken a long ride, and on her return was overtaken by a sudden and violent storm. She immediately put her horse to the run. Inez was too much accustomed to heavy rains and violent storms of wind to be much alarmed, as she knew her fleet steed would soon bear her home in safety. But scarcely had our heroine proceeded a couple of hundred varas when her horse fell heavily. Fortunately, however, Inez was but little injured. Her horse she soon discovered was unable to rise. Of course no alternative was left her but to proceed homewards on foot.