"God forgive me," he said; "it was His angel again! I never saw Alkire after that."
"Nobody ever saw him after that," said Dix. "He got out of the hills that night."
"No," replied Abner; "it was not in the night when Alkire started on his journey; it was in the day."
"Abner," said Dix, "you talk like a fool. If Alkire had traveled the road in the day somebody would have seen him."
"Nobody could see him on the road he traveled," replied Abner.
"What road?" said Dix.
"Dix," replied Abner, "you will learn that soon enough."
Abner looked hard at the man.
"You saw Alkire when he started on his journey," he continued; "but did you see who it was that went with him?"
"Nobody went with him," replied Dix; "Alkire rode alone."
"Not alone," said Abner; "there was another."
"I didn't see him," said Dix.
"And yet," continued Abner, "you made Alkire go with him."
I saw cunning enter Dix's face. He was puzzled, but he thought Abner off the scent.
"And I made Alkire go with somebody, did I? Well, who was it? Did you see him?"
"Nobody ever saw him."
54
