In silence he cooked the humble dinner, which he placed on the table in front of his equally voiceless companion.  Keno and the pup went at the meal with unpoetic vigor, but Jim could do no eating.  He went to the door from time to time to listen.  Then he once more searched the blankets in the bunks.

“Wal, anyway,” said he, at last, “he took his doll.”

CHAPTER IX

THE GUILTY MISS DOC

That Keno and Tintoretto should sleep was inevitable, after the way they had eaten.  Old Jim then took his lantern and went out alone.  Perhaps his tiny foundling had wandered away by himself, he thought.  Searching and searching, up hill and down, lighting his way through the brush, the miner went on and on, to leave no spot unvisited.  He was out all night, wandering here and climbing there on the hillside, pausing now and again to listen and to look about, almost expectantly, where naught could be seen save the mighty procession of the stars, and naught could be heard save the ringing of the inter-stellar silence as the earth swung steadily onward in her course.

Hour after hour of the darkness went by and found him searching still.  With the coming of the morning he suddenly grasped at a startling thought.

Miss Doc!—­Miss Dennihan!  She must have stolen his foundling!

Her recent climb to his cabin, her protracted stay, her baffled curiosity—­these were ample explanation for the trick she must have played!  How easily she might have watched the place, slipped in the moment the cabin was left unguarded, and carried off the little pilgrim!

Jim knew she would glory in such a revenge.  She probably cared not a whit for the child, but to score against himself, for defeating her purpose when she called, she would doubtless have gone to any possible length.

The miner was enraged, but a second later a great gush of thankfulness and relief surged upward in his heart.  At least, the little man would not have been out all night in the hills!  Then growing sick in turn, he thought this explanation would be too good to be true.  It was madness—­only a hope!  He clung to it tenaciously, however, then gave it up, only to snatch it back again in desperation as he hastened home to his cabin.

“Keno, wake up,” he cried to his lodger, shaking him briskly by the shoulder.  “Keno!  Keno!”

“What’s the matter?  Time for breakfast?” asked Keno, drowsily, risking only half an eye with which to look about.  “Why not call me gently?”

“Get up!” commanded Jim.  “I have thought of where little Skeezucks has gone!”

“Where?” cried Keno, suddenly aroused.  “I’ll go and kill the cuss that took him off!”

“Miss Doc!” replied the miner.  “Miss Doc!”

“Miss Doc?” repeated Keno, weakly, pausing in the act of pulling on his boots.  “By jinks!  Say, I couldn’t kill no woman, Jim.  How do you know?”