es for an hour's delay."

"And you think the prisoners were taken along? Yet Kirby would not
want to transport them up the river."

"As to that," she insisted, "he could not help himself. He needed to
get away quickly, and there were no other means available. He could
only hope to connect later with some craft south-bound on which to
return. There are keel-boats and barges always floating down stream
from the mines. He dare not remain here; that was why they were in
such haste; why, they did not even wait to bury the bodies."

"You may be right," I admitted, impressed, yet not wholly convinced.
"But what can we do?"

She looked at me reproachfully.

"You should not ask that of a girl."

The words stung me.

"No; this is my task. I was thoughtlessly cruel. Neither can we
remain here, only long enough to bury those bodies. It would be
inhuman not to do that. Sam, there is an old spade leaning against the
cabin wall--go over and get it."

"Ah ain't goin' fer ter tetch no daid man, sah."

"I'll attend to that; all you need do is dig. Over there at the edge
of the wood will answer, and we shall have to place all three in one
grave--we can do no more."

He started on his mission reluctantly enough, glancing constantly
backward over his shoulder to insure himself of our presence, and
carefully avoiding any approach to the open door.

"Am I to simply remain here?" the girl asked, as I took the first step
to follow him. "Can I not be of some help?"

"I think not; I can get along very nicely. It is not a pleasant sight
inside. Here is the best place for you, as it might not be safe for
you to go any further away. We do not know positively where those men
have gone. They might be hiding somewhere in the woods. You can turn
away and face the forest, so as to see nothing. We shall not be long."

"And--and," she faltered, "what will be done after that?"

"I will endeavor to think out some plan. I confess I do not yet know
what will be best. To remain here is, of course, impossible, while to
return down the river means certain capture. Perhaps you may be able
to suggest something."

Unpleasant as our task was, it proved to be less difficult of
accomplishment than I had anticipated. There were blankets in the
cabin bunks, and in these I wrapped the bodies. They were too heavy,
however, for me to transport alone, and it required some threatening to
induce Sam to give me the assistance necessary t