ll her with my own hand, for I was
convinced the fellow actually possessed a legal right, which I could not
hope to overthrow. However it had been accomplished, through what
villainy, made no odds--she was his wife, and could only be released
through process of law. He could claim her, hold her in spite of me, in
spite of herself. No influence I might bring to bear would save her now
from this contamination. It would all be useless, a thing for laughter.
Her signature--of which Kirby had boasted--and the certificate signed by
the dead Gaskins, would offset any possible efforts I might put forth.
There remained no hope except through flight; outdistancing our pursuers;
finding a route to safety through the wilderness which they would never
suspect.

Where could such a route be found? In which direction was it safest for
us to turn? Surely not southward down the river seeking refuge at Fort
Madison, nor in the opposite direction toward Fort Armstrong. I thought
of both of these, but only to dismiss them from consideration. Had it
not been for this marriage, either might have answered, but now they
would prove no protection. Those men whom we were seeking to escape
would remember these points at once, and suspect our fleeing to either
one or the other. There was no power there able to protect her from the
lawful authority of a husband; nor could she deny that authority, if he
held in his hands the proof. No, I must find an unknown path, an
untraveled trail. Our only hope lay in baffling pursuit, in getting far
beyond Kirby's grip. For the moment I felt reasonably safe where we
were--but only for the moment. We could rest on this isolated island,
barely lifting itself above the swamp, and plan our future, but within
the limits of another day, probably, those fellows would discover signs
of our passage, faint as they were, and follow us. I dragged the map out
from its silk wrapping and spread it forth on the ground between my
knees. It was the latest government survey, given me when I first
departed for the North, and I already knew every line and stream by
heart. I bent over it in uncertainty, studying each feature, gradually
determining the better course, weighing this consideration and that.

I became so interested in the problem as to entirely forget her presence,
but, when I finally lifted my head, our eyes met, and I instantly read in
the depths of hers the dawning of recognition. They were no longer