est of
the rapids. Even if he could have shot straight at so great a range and
had killed the man in the stern, no miracle could have saved his
daughter. She would have been instantly swept to her death against the
crags.

Some measure of self-control returned to him then, and he made his way
fast as he could toward the claim. Sensing the older man's distress, Ray
straightened from his work at the sight of him.

The face before him was drawn and white; but there was no time for
questions. Hard hands seized his arm.

"Ray, do you know of a canoe anywhere--up or down this river?"

"There's one at the landing. None other I know of."

"Think, man! You don't know where we can get one?"

"No. Old Hiram's canoe was the only one. What's the matter?"

"Do you think there's one chance in a million of getting down through
those rapids on a raft?"

Ray's eyes opened wide. "A raft!" he echoed. "Man, are you crazy? Even
at this high water a canoe wouldn't have a chance in ten of making it.
The river's falling every hour--"

"I know it. Do you suppose there's a canoe in town?"

"No! Of course there isn't--one that you could even dream about shooting
those rapids in. Besides, by the time we got there and packed it up--it
would take two days to pack it the best we could do--the river would be
too far down to tackle the trip at all. And it won't come up again till
fall--you know that. Tell me what's the matter. Has Beatrice--"

"Beatrice has gone down, that's all."

"Then she's dead--no hope of anything else. Only an expert could hope to
take her through, and there's nothing to live on Back There. What's the
use of trying to follow--?"

Neilson straightened, his eyes searching Ray's. "She's got food, I
suppose. And she's got an expert paddler to take her there."

Ray's face seemed to darken before his eyes. His hands half closed,
shook in his face, then caught at Neilson's shoulders. "You don't
mean--she's run away?"

"Don't be a fool. Not run away--abducted. The prospector I told you
about--Darby--was the old man's partner. He's paying us back. Heaven
only knows what the girl's fate will be--I don't dare to think of it.
Ray, I wish to God I had died before I ever saw this day!"

Ray stared blankly. "Then he found out--about the murder?" he gasped.

"Yes. Here's his letter. Take time--and read it. There's no use to try
to act before we think--how to act. If I could only see a way--"

Ray read the letter carefully, c