tching him pace the floor in deep
thought. There might be a chance that she could escape by the window.
But when she started up he ordered her back roughly and she soon saw
that this was impossible.

At last he stopped walking up and down and stared at her, his eyes
narrowed to mere slits, his brows drawn ominously together. It seemed
that he had reached a decision.

"You behave yourself an' do what I tell ye an' ye won't be hurt," he
growled.

"Wh-what are you goin' to do?" she gasped.

"Nothin' much. Ye're just goin' with me--that's all."

"W-where?"

"That's my business. Oh, ye needn't be scared of any love makin'. I'm
not on that lay this trip."

He went to the drawer of Peter's bureau and took out some
handkerchiefs.

"But ye'd better be scared if ye don't do what I tell ye. Here. Stand
up!"

Beth shrank away from, him, but he caught her by the wrists and held
her.

"Ye're not to make a noise, d'ye hear? I can't take the chance."

And while she still struggled desperately, he fastened her wrists
together behind her. Then he thrust one of Peter's handkerchiefs in her
mouth and securely gagged her. He wasn't any too gentle with her but
even in her terror she found herself thanking God that it was only
abduction that he planned.

Hawk Kennedy went to the window and peered out up the path, then he
opened the door and looked around. After a moment he came in quickly.

"Come," he muttered, "it's time we were off."

He caught her by the arm and helped her to her feet, pushing her out of
the door and into the underbrush at the corner of the cabin. Her feet
lagged, her knees were weak, but the grasp on her shoulder warned her of
cruelties she had not dreamed of and so she stumbled on--on into the
depths of the forest, Hawk Kennedy's hard hand urging her on to greater
speed.

CHAPTER XIX

YAKIMOV REVEALS HIMSELF

It was with some misgivings that Peter left his cabin, leaving Hawk
Kennedy there to sleep off the effects of his potations, but the
situation at the lumber camp was so hazardous that his presence was
urgently required. Hawk had awakened early, very early, and very
thirsty, but Peter had told him that there was no more whisky and
threatened to throw over the whole affair if he didn't sober up and
behave himself. And so, having exacted a promise from Hawk Kennedy to
leave the Cabin when he had had his sleep out, Peter had gotten the
"flivver" from McGuire's garage (as was his custom)