ead was heavier at her heart. In
the hour or more she had searched--she had no way of estimating
time--she had already gone farther than Ben usually went for his fuel.

As yet no tears came; only the raindrops lay on her face and curled her
dark hair in ringlets. But she must not give up yet. It was hard to hold
her shoulders straight; but she must make the long circle once more.

With courage and strength such as she had not dreamed she possessed,
she launched forward again. But fatigue was breaking her now. The tree
roots tripped her faltering feet, the branches clutched at her as she
passed. It was hard to tell what territory she had searched, or how far
she had gone. But when she was halfway around, she suddenly halted,
motionless as an image, at the edge of the stream.

The flickering light revealed a tree, freshly cut, its, naked stump
gleaming and its tall form lying prone. Yet beneath it the shadows were
of strange, unearthly shape, and something showed stark white through
the green foliage. Great branches stretched over it, like bars over a
prison window.

Just one curious deep sob wracked her whole body. The life-heat, the
mystery that is being, seemed to steal away from her. Her strength
wilted; and for an instant she could only stand and gaze with fixed,
unbelieving eyes. But almost at once the unquenchable fires of her
spirit blazed up anew. She saw her task, and with a faith and
steadfastness conformable more to the sun and the earth than to human
frailty, her muscles made instant and incredible response.

Instantly she was beside the form of her comrade and enemy, struggling
with the cruel limbs that pinned him to the earth.

XXXV

Beatrice knew one thing and one alone: that she must not give way to the
devastating terror in her heart. There was mighty work to do, and she
must keep strong. Her only wish was to kneel beside him, to lift the
bleeding head into her arms and let the storm and the darkness smother
her existence; but her stern woods training came to her aid. She began
the stupendous task of freeing him from the imprisoning tree limbs.

The pine knots flickered feebly; and by their light she looked about for
Ben's axe. Her eyes rested on the broken gun first: then she saw the
blade, shining in the rain, protruding from beneath a broken bough. She
drew it out and swung it down.

Some of the lesser limbs she broke off, with a strength in her hands she
did not dream she possessed. T