id trot, reached home panting and
excited, with the story which the reader has just learned.

Mr. Ribsam threw down his pipe, donned his hat and coat, and started out
the door. With his hand on the latch, he paused, and, looking back,
commanded his voice so as to say:

"Katrina, you and Nick needn't wait up for me."

"Oh, father," pleaded the lad, moving toward him: "would you make me
stay at home when Nellie is lost?"

"No, no--I did not think," answered the parent, in a confused way; "I
feel so bad I do not know what I do and say. Katrina, don't feel too
bad; we will come back as soon as we can."

Again the half distracted father placed his hand on the latch, and he
had drawn the door partly open, when his wife, pale and trembling,
called out in a voice of touching pathos:

"Gustav, my heart would break should I try to stay here, when no one but
God knows where my darling Nellie is; but, wherever she may be, no
sorrow or pain or suffering can come to her that her mother will not
share, and may our Heavenly Father let her mother take it all upon her
own shoulders!"

"Come on, Katrina; come on and bring the lantern with you."

CHAPTER VI.

GROPING IN DARKNESS.

When the parents and brother of Nellie Ribsam reached the forks a few
minutes later, they saw nothing of the three parties whom they expected
to meet there.

"They have gone on to the woods to look for Nellie," said the father.

"They cannot be far off," suggested Nick, turning to the left.

All were too anxious to lose a minute, and they started after their
friends on a rapid walk, Nick taking the lead, and now and then dropping
into a loping trot, which he would have increased had he been alone.

A chill seemed to settle over all as they reached the deep shadow of the
woods, which was one of the largest tracts of forest in that section of
the country.

The road which bisected them was fully eight miles in length, as has
already been stated, while the forest was much greater in extent in the
other direction.

Being of such large area, there were necessarily many portions which
rarely if ever were visited by hunters. Years before an occasional deer
had been shot, and a few of the old settlers told of the thrilling bear
hunts they had enjoyed when they were not so very much younger than now.

Those who were capable of judging were certain that if the gloomy depths
were explored these dreaded animals would be met; but if such were the