se of justice forced him to admit that Charley was justified.
"Well, will you do this?" he said. "When you've got the old man off
your hands, go to her place yourself, and then come to me and tell me
if she's all right."

"I'll do it if she wants me to," Charley said.

"Here's your flashlight," said Evan. "I'll keep the gun a little
while, in case Corinna calls for my help."

Charley pocketed the light in silence and led the old man forth from
under the tree. Simeon Deaves that night was like a pet dog on a
leader, passed impatiently from hand to hand.

Evan, fancying that the thick branches hindered him from hearing, crept
out and lay down on the grass. The woods were not so thick in this
place. This had evidently been part of the grounds surrounding the old
house in its palmy days, and the spruce was a relic of those times. He
heard an automobile approach in the highway, and stop at the end of the
woods track. This would be the man returning from having telephoned.
All sounds of the search through the woods had ceased. Evidently they
had decided that the better way was to watch all outlets.

No sound from any quarter betrayed the whereabouts of Corinna and the
old negress. They were swallowed up as completely as if they had taken
to their burrows like rabbits. Evan's heart was with her, wherever she
was. He had not the same anxious solicitude for her that one would
have for an ordinary woman hunted in the dark woods, for he was well
assured that Corinna was not a prey to imaginary terrors. She would be
no less at home in the woods at night than he was. Still no sound came
from her. He was not at all sure that she would summon him if hard
pressed, but they could not take her without his hearing it.

In the end the greying sky in the East bade him consider his own
retreat if he wished to avoid capture. He had committed no crime, of
course, but he was very sensible of the awkwardness of trying to
explain his own share in the night's doings, should he be taken. He
had good hopes that Corinna had escaped by now. He started to make his
way westward.

He made a wide detour around the house and struck into the rough track
on the other side, travelling softly, and keeping his ears open. He
had heard no searchers on this side. After a half mile or so he saw
light through the trees ahead. He saw a road bounding the woods on
this side, and open fields beyond.

He struck into the woods again, and took