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But it was broad daylight, and Hugon, with his forest instincts,

preferred, when he wished to speak to the point, to speak in the dark He

made no pause; only looked with his fierce black eyes at the quiet,

insouciant, fine gentle with folded ar steadily up the creek toward the bend where

the water left the open s fields and took to the forest He never

looked back, but went like a hunter with his prey before him Presently

the shadows of the forest touched him, and Audrey and Haere left

alone

The latter laughed "If his courage is of the quality of his lace--What,

cowering, child, and the tears in your eyes! You were braver when you were

not so tall, in those mountain days Nay, no need to wet your shoe"

He lifted her in his ar

since I carried you across a stream and up a dark hillside!" he said "And

yet to-day it seeht! Now, little maid, the Indian has run

away, and the path to the house is clear"

In his smoke-filled, untidy best room Darden sat at table, his drink

beside hiers, and open before him a book of