k to ye _now_."

Thayor nodded and, turning to the others, said:

"Mr. Dinsmore and I have a little matter to talk over."

At last the two had met face to face--this man who, try as he would
to banish him from his mind, always rose before him: in the dead of
night; before his fire in his own room at home, his wife out at some
social function or asleep on the floor below him; in his walks through
the woods when he would stop and listen, hoping he might again see the
same, worn, shambling figure he had watched from across the brook the
day he shot the buck. Why, he could not tell. Perhaps it was because
of their mutual loneliness. Perhaps it was because of a woman.
Whatever the cause there was something which seemed to link them
together.

With a quick gesture he turned to Holcomb. "Will you keep up the fire,
Billy? I want all of you to get some sleep."

"What does it mean, Sam?" asked Alice nervously.

"News, I hope," replied Thayor. "Go to sleep, dear; you need it."

The hide-out stood gazing nervously at the ground. "Do you feel
better?" she asked, approaching him. "You are to sleep next to your
father, I believe."

"Yes, marm," he stammered awkwardly; "I'm warm. Thank ye for the
supper--I ain't hongry no more."

She nodded good night and went back to her blanket next to Margaret.
Bending over the girl she lifted the mass of fair hair and kissed her
on the forehead. Then she drew her own blanket about her.

Thayor and the hide-out seated themselves on a log lying on the other
side of the fire, out of hearing.

"Mr. Thayor," began Dinsmore, after a moment's silence, "they've
treated ye like a dog."

Thayor met the owl-like eyes grimly, a bitter smile playing about his
unshaven chin, but he did not confirm the statement.

"But there's one that'll never trouble ye no more," exclaimed
Dinsmore, looking queerly at the man beside him.

"Who?" asked Thayor.

"Bergstein, damn him!" returned Dinsmore slowly; "I seen him."

"But he left the camp days ago--the morning I discharged him."

"He's started on consid'ble of a trip _now_," replied the hide-out. "I
see what was left of him."

"Dead!" exclaimed Thayor.

"Burned blacker 'n a singed hog. They ain't much left of him, and what
they is ain't pleasant to look at. He ain't got but one arm left and
that's clutchin' a holt of a empty ker'sene can."

Thayor gave a short gasp.

"And it was that cheat, Bergstein!" he cried in amazement.

"More devil than