ent his head upon his folded arms and sank into a deep
sleep.

Suddenly he awoke. The room was cold and dark! The lamp had burned
itself out and the storm was again howling in its second attack. Chilled
and obsessed by an unnerving sense of danger, Truedale waited for--he
knew not what! Just then something pressed against his leg and he put
his hand down thinking one of the dogs was crouching close, but a
whispered "sh!" set every muscle tense.

"Nella-Rose?"

"Yes--but, oh! be mighty still. They may be here any minute."

"They? Who?"

"All of them. Jed Martin, my father, and the others--the ones who are
friends of--of--"

"Whom, Nella-Rose?"

"Burke Lawson! He's back--and they think--oh! they think they are on his
trail--here! I--I was trying to get away but the streams were swollen
and the big trees were bending and--and I hid behind a rock and--I
heard!

"First it was Jed and father; they said they were going to shoot--they'd
given up catching Burke alive! Then they went up-stream and the--the
others came--the friends, and they 'lowed that Burke was here and they
meant to get here before Jed and--and da some killing on their side.
I--I thought it was fun when they-all meant to take Burke alive, but
now--oh! now can't you see?--they'll shoot and find out afterward! They
may come any minute! I put the light out. Come, we must leave the cabin
empty-looking--like you had gone--and hide!"

The breathless whispering stopped and Truedale collected his senses in
the face of this real danger.

"But you--you must not be here, Nella-Rose!"

Every nerve was alert now. "This is pure madness. Great heavens! what
am I going to do with you?"

The seriousness of the situation overpowered him.

"Sh!" The warning was caused by the restlessness of the dogs outside.
Their quick ears were sensing danger or--the coming of their master!
Either possibility was equally alarming.

"Oh! you do not understand," Nella-Rose was pleading by his knee. "If
they-all see you, they will have you killed that minute. Burke is the
only one in their minds--they don't even know that you live; they're too
full of Burke, and if they see me--why--they'd kill you anyway."

"But what can I do with you?" That thought alone swayed Truedale.

Then Nella-Rose got upon her feet and stood close to him.

"I'm yours! I gave myself to you. You--you wanted me. Are you sorry?"

The simple pride and dignity went straight to Truedale's heart.

"It's b