2i4 Maxey 



human beings had ever been in that region ; and I 

 eagerly climbed up to examine it. As I came nearer 

 I saw it was a neat and well-made cabin, with a 

 certain refinement about it, quite uncommon at such 

 places. It was quite deserted. At the door lay the 

 bones of some animal, and on examination I became 

 satisfied that they were those of a burro. \Vithin, 

 on a bunk by the side of the cabin, were the remains 

 of a human being long since dead, how long, 

 there was no means of judging, but death had surely 

 not come from starvation, for I found remnants of 

 food in various parts of the cabin. I searched the 

 cabin to find some trace by which to identify its 

 departed owner, and at last was rewarded by discov- 

 ering a mouldy diary. It must have lain there for 

 years, for the paper was yellow and some of the 

 writing was very indistinct. I preserved it, however, 

 and it is still in my possession.' 



What it was that caused me to think of such a 

 thing, I cannot say, but I felt that I had once known 

 the owner of that book. 



' May I see that diary ? ' I inquired. 



At first the man refused; but I became so earnest 



