I
wonder what is ailin' me."

Her thought turned back to that half-bitter, half-delightful moment when
he had tried to kiss her at the bridge. "Why, even then," she mused,
"thar were somethin' seemed to draw me to him in spite o' myself. Never
felt anythin' like it afore. It war--just as if I war asleep, all over,
an' never wanted to wake up! I wonder if I wish he warn't comin' back,
to-night--not half so much, I reckon, as I wish he warn't never goin'
away!"

She left her resting place upon the stump, and, torn by varying
emotions, found a place upon the trail where she could look off to his
camp. She was standing there, leaning listlessly against a tree, when
the sound of someone coming made her turn her head. She saw Joe Lorey.

"Madge," said he, approaching, "I wants a word with you,"

She did not wish to talk with him. Her mind was far too busy with its
thoughts of Layson, its dismay at the prospect of his departure. "No
time, Joe; it's too late," said she. She started to go by him toward her
little bridge.

But he was not inclined to be put off. The mountaineer's slow mind had
been at work with his great problem and he had quite determined that he
would take some action, definite and unmistakable, without delay. He had
leaned his ever-present rifle up against a stump, had laid the old
game-sack, still burdened with the stolen dynamite, upon the ground,
close to it, and was prepared to talk the matter out, to one end or the
other. He loved her with the fierce love of the primitive man; his
rising wrath against the circumstances amidst which he seemed to be so
powerless had made him sullen and suspicious; mountain life, continual
defiance of the law, unceasing watchfulness for "revenuers," does not
teach a man to be smooth-mannered, half-way in his methods. He made a
move as if to catch her arm; she darted by him, running straight toward
the old game-sack.

That burden in the game-sack had been a constant horror to him ever
since he had first stolen it down at the railroad workings. The mighty
evidence of the power of the explosive which had been shown to him when
it had torn and mangled its poor victim there, had filled him with a
terror of it, although it had also filled him with determination to make
use of that great power if necessary. But now, as he saw her running,
light-footed, lovely, toward the bag which held it, running in exactly
the right way to stumble on it if a mis-step chanced, his heart spr