end for Ben. His features were curiously drawn; and
his eyes had a fixed, magnetic, evil light. Occasionally in his darker
hours Neilson foresaw even more sinister possibilities in this change in
Ray: the abnormal intensity manifest in every look and word, the weird,
evil preoccupation that seemed ever upon him. There was not only the
fate of Ben to consider, but that of Beatrice too, out in these desolate
forests. But surely Ray's degenerate impulses could be mastered. Neilson
need not fear this, at least.

Chan Heminway, also, had developed marvelously in the journey. He also
was more assertive, less the underling he had been. He had developed a
brutality that, though it contained nothing of the exquisite fineness of
cruelty of which Ray's diseased thought might conceive, was nevertheless
the full expression of his depraved nature. He no longer cowered in fear
of Neilson. Rather he looked to Ray as his leader, took him as his
example, tried to imitate him, and at last really began to share in his
mood. In cruelty to the horses he was particularly adept; but he was
also given to strange, savage bursts of insane fury.

"We must be close on them now," Neilson said one morning when they had
left the main gorge of the Yuga far behind them. "If they're not dead
we're bound to find trace of 'em in a few days."

The hope seemed well-founded. It is impossible for even most of the wild
creatures--furtive as twilight shadows--to journey through wood spaces
without leaving trace of their goings and comings: much less clumsy
human beings. Ultimately the searchers would find their tracks in the
soft earth, the ashes of a camp fire, or a charred cooking rack.

"And when we get 'em, we can wait and live on meat until the river goes
up in fall--then float on down to the Indian villages in their canoe,"
Chan answered. "It will carry four of us, all right."

Ray, Chan, Neilson and Neilson's daughter--these made four. What
remained of Ben when Ray was through could be left, silent upon some
hushed hillside, to the mercy of the wild creatures and the elements.

Surely they were in the enemy-country now; and now a fresh fear began to
oppress them. They might expect an attack from their implacable foe at
any moment. It did not make for ease of mind to know that any brush
clump might be their enemy's ambush; that any instant a concealed rifle
might speak death to them in the silence. Ben would have every advantage
of fortress and ambush