Father is out yonder. But no, he
will never, never consent."

"Then you will come with me, love," he said, taking her hands.

"No, no; I dare not," sobbed Ruth. "Father would overtake us. He
swears to shoot you on sight! Go, George! Escape while you can! Oh, if
he should find you here!"

"But, darling love, we need not fear. We can escape easily. I know the
forest path. But--" Then he thought how weak her pace.

"We might cross here before he could come up!" cried Winthrop, looking
toward where the Squire's boat was now a distant blotch.

"No, no," wailed Ruth, yet yielding to his embrace. "This is the last
time I shall see you forever and forever. Go, dear,--good-bye, my
love, my love."

But he clasped her in his strong arms, kissing, imploring, cheering
her,--and how should true love choose hopeless renunciation?

* * * * *

Tempting, defying, regaining his lost ground, drifting down again,
trying hard to tire out and subdue his heart-pangs, Bedell dallied
with death more closely than ever. He had let his skiff drift far down
toward the Falls. Often he could see the wide smooth curve where the
green volume first lapses vastly on a lazy slope, to shoulder up below
as a huge calm billow, before pitching into the madness of waves whose
confusion of tossing and tortured crests hurries to the abyss. The
afternoon grew toward evening before he pulled steadily home, crawling
away from the roarers against the cruel green, watching the ominous
cloud with some such grim humor as if under observation by an
overpowering but baffled enemy.

Approaching his landing, a shout drew Bedell's glance ashore to a
group of men excitedly gesticulating. They seemed motioning him to
watch the American shore. Turning, he saw a boat in midstream, where
no craft then on the river, except his own skiff, could be safe,
unless manned by several good men. Only two oars were flashing.
Bedell could make out two figures indistinctly. It was clear they were
doomed,--though still a full mile above the point whence he had come,
they were much farther out than he when near the rapids. Yet one life
might be saved! Instantly Bedell's bow turned outward, and cheers
flung to him from ashore.

At that moment he looked to his own landing-place, and saw that his
larger boat was gone. Turning again, he angrily recognized it, but
kept right on--he must try to rescue even a thief. He wondered Ruth
had not prevented the the