He then turned over the corpse, and thrusting his hand into the inner
breast-pocket, dragged out a roll of MSS., matted closely together and
stained by the winter's rains. A further search eventuated in finding
a roll of small gold coin, a set of derringer pistols, a rusted
double-edged dirk, and a pair of silver-mounted spectacles. Hastily
covering over the body with leaves and branches cut from the embowering
shrubs, we shudderingly left the spot.
We slowly descended the gorge toward the banks of the American River,
until we arrived in a small but sequestered thicket, where we threw
ourselves upon the ground. Neither had spoken a word since we left the
scene above described. Graham was the first to break the silence which
to me had become oppressive.
"Let us examine the vial and see if the contents are safe."