ibility for you to escape."

"Your words are words of doom. How am I to interpret your enigmatical
conduct? But now I thought you a friend, come to give me timely warning to
guard against threatened danger, when, all at once, you declare my
situation a hopeless one! If you _are_ my friend, why not warn me sooner,
and in time?"

This was said in a firm manner, and gave the stranger to understand he had
no common, timid nature to deal with. The truth was, the thought had
flashed across Ellen's mind that this man was some way connected with
Durant, perhaps employed by him, and she began to conclude it might be a
trick to frighten her, after all. If so, or if not, she determined to meet
boldly what he had to say. The man perceived the change, and replied:

"My seemingly enigmatical conduct is easily explained. It is true I have a
long time been known to the fact that most determined designs of mischief
were entertained against you, and that your enemy was ceaselessly at work
to perfect his plans; but just as I was preparing to come to inform you of
this state of affairs, I was so unfortunate as to be desperately wounded in
battle with the Indians. I have but just recovered; the fresh scar you can
see on my temple."

And brushing away the hair, he exposed a hardly healed, terrible gash. This
appeared to satisfy his listener.

"I have, therefore, done the best I could, and you must charge the rest to
fate--a fate whose inexorable decree I almost rebeled against bowing to.
But I am here, my warning is given, and I can only regret that it comes so
late."

These words and the exhibition of the scar restored Ellen's confidence in
the stranger, and, with it, her fears returned. He perceived this, and
proceeded:

"Though your case is a desperate one, there is still some hope; there is a
_possibility_ of your deliverance from impending peril."

"Then let me know how I am to act."

"I fear to do so."

"Why fear?"

"It may prove a desperate alternative."

"Nothing can be so dreadful as falling into the hands of my enemy."

"Perhaps not; still you may be unable to choose between the evils."

"Let me know them, and I will try."

"As I said, it may be a desperate alternative, and I must ask of you
beforehand to pardon me for being compelled to give you only the choice
between what may prove one of two equally direful evils. Your only hope of
relief from present evil _is in me_."

This was an unexpected announcement; i