nsformation in his prisoner, only
glanced at him and bending over began a search of the pockets of the
dead man, when Shad's voice cut the silence----

"You--you say----," he stammered chokingly, "you say B-Beth has been
abducted, Mister--Beth Cameron?"

Peter straightened, his eyes searching the lumberman's face.

"Yes. To-day--this morning," he answered crisply. "What of it? Do you
know anything----?"

"Hawk Kennedy took her?" the man faltered. "Are you sure?"

Peter sprang up, his eyes blazing with eagerness.

"What do you know of Hawk Kennedy?" he cried. And then, as Shad seemed
suddenly to have been stricken dumb, Peter seized him by the shoulder
and shook him. "Speak! Do you know Hawk Kennedy?"

"Yes," said Shad in a bewildered way. "I do--but Beth----"

"He's taken her away--don't you understand?"

"W-Why?"

"God knows," said Peter wildly. "It's part of a plot--against
McGuire--to get money. Do you know where he is? Do you know where he's
gone with her? Speak, man! Or must I----?"

"I know him. I've seen him----," muttered Shad with a hang-dog air.

"To-day?"

"No."

Peter gasped in disappointment, but still questioned quickly.

"Where did you see him?"

"Down near the camp. He came back again yesterday. He'd been away----"

"Yes, yes, I know. What did he say?"

"Oh, he was very peart--swaggered around like he owned the place and
talked about a lot of money he was goin' to have. An' how he was----"

"Do you know where he took Beth Cameron?" broke in Peter again.

"No. I don't--My God--_him!_"

"Yes, _him_. You know what it means. He'd kill her if he dared."

"Would he? My God! Mister. You can't let----"

"No. No." And then, sharply, "Speak up, Wells, and I'll set you free. Do
you know where he could have taken her?"

"I'm not sure, but maybe----"

"Where----?"

"He stayed down at the Forks----"

"Yes. But he wouldn't have dared to take her there----"

"No. That's so. Maybe----"

"Where?"

"Some other place----"

"Of course. Was there any other place that he knew about?"

"Yes, there was. But when he first came he rode down on a horse from
Hammonton."

"Yes, yes. Go on. And later----"

"He used to come around the camp for food. It was when you first came on
the job. But he bought it and paid for it."

"I don't care about that. Where was he hiding?"

"Back in the woods. He used to sleep in the old tool house down by the
cedar swamp."

Peter was now on edge with exci