\"There’snobodyinthere，\"statedtheVirginian。\"Nobodythat’salive，\"
headded。Andhecrossedthecabinandwalkedintothedoor。
Thoughhemadenogesture，Isawastonishmentpassthroughhisbody，ashestoppedstill；andallofuscameafterhim。Therehungthecrucifix，witharoundholethroughthemiddleofit。Oneofthemenwenttoitandtookitdown；andbehindit，sunkinthelog，wasthebullet。Thecabinwasbutasingleroom，andeveryobjectthatitcontainedcouldbeseenataglance；norwastherehiding—roomforanything。Onthefloorlaytheaxefromthewood—pile；butIwillnottellofitsappearance。Sohehadshothercrucifix，herRockofAges，thethingwhichenabledhertobearherlife，andthatliftedherabovelife；andshe——buttherewastheaxetoshowwhatshehaddonethen。Wasthiscabinreallyempty？Ilookedmoreslowlyabout，halfdreadingtofindthatIhadoverlookedsomething。
ButitwasastheVirginianhadsaid；nobodywasthere。
Aswewerewondering，therewasanoiseaboveourheads，andIwasnottheonlyonewhostartedandstared。Itwastheparrot；andwestoodawayinacircle，lookingupathiscage。Crouchingflatonthefloorofthecage，hiswingshuddledtighttohisbody，hewasswinginghisheadfromsidetoside；andwhenhesawthatwewatchedhim，hebeganalowcroakingandmonotonousutterance，whichneverchanged，butremainedrapidandcontinuous。IheardMcLeanwhispertotheVirginian，\"Youbetheknows。\"