kettle
lay on its side in a heap of ashes which looked as though they had
recently been alight. Thode stirred them with his foot, then bent
hastily; they were still warm, and from their midst protruded a gleam
of something white.

Kneeling, he set the lamp carefully upon the ground beside him and
pulled the scrap of paper from its hiding-place. It was partially
burned, but some freak of air-current or flame had left its destruction
incomplete, and he saw that a rude plan or map had been drawn upon it.

He had only time to note that an irregular oval was traced in its
center, with a crooked, wavering cross at one end. Then as he bent
closer to the light a twig snapped treacherously behind him and a
crushing blow upon his head blotted out consciousness.

CHAPTER VII

ALIEN KIN

Mr. Mason North's elation at the culmination of his protracted search
gave way to vague but undeniable misgiving before the end of the return
journey. Miss Murdaugh was utterly unlike anything he could have
preconceived. His trained legal mind, unburdened with imagination, had
nevertheless presented possibilities, during the two years of his
previous investigation, from which his fastidious soul shrank. What
could a creature brought up by a wandering card-sharp in mining-camps
and frontier towns offer for rescue and redemption?

His fears had vanished at first sight of her, however, Here was a girl,
untutored and unconventional, to be sure, but singularly free from any
corruption and with distinct social possibilities.

He patronized her in bland condescension at their journey's start and
found her gratifyingly amenable, but they had scarcely crossed the
border, before he found to his stupefaction that he was confronted by a
will as serenely implacable as his own.

Willa listened to his didactic suggestions with an open mind and a
direct unwavering gaze which he found mildly disconcerting, but she
acted upon them only after due and independent consideration and those
that did not meet with her approval she rejected in a quiet finality of
manner which, while it left their surface cordiality undisturbed,
nevertheless brooked no further argument.

His idea of engaging a maid or chaperon for the trip she had vetoed
promptly.

"I've always looked out for myself, and I reckon I can now, so long as
you're around to see that the train don't get uncoupled while you're in
the smoker or I'm in the observation car," she informed him.