which Rina had disappeared.

Garth was anxious on the same score. He fingered the trigger of his gun.
"In with you!" he said.

Mabyn jumped to obey.

Garth, sitting in the bow with his weapon in his arms, faced Mabyn; and
forced him to wield the paddle. Mabyn, seeing that he did mean to put
him on the island, realized there had been no occasion for his brutish
terror; but instead of feeling any shame for the self-betrayal, he
characteristically added it to his score against Garth. His gray eyes
contracted in an agony of impotent hate. At that moment unspeakable
atrocities committed on Garth's body would not have satisfied Mabyn's
lust to destroy his flesh. Any move on his part would have overturned
the crazy dugout, but, shivering at the sight of the water, he was
unable to take that way.

Garth, wary of the furtive gleam in the man's eye, sprang to his feet
the instant they touched the island, and leaped out, careful never to
turn his back. He forced Mabyn to retire a dozen paces, while he took
the place he vacated in the stern; and then he ordered him to push off.

At the prospect of being left alone, Mabyn's flesh failed him again. He
clung to the bow of the canoe, and gabbled anew for mercy. Garth,
wearying of it all, suddenly sent a shot over his head. His weapon,
silent and smokeless, had an effect of horrible deadliness. Mabyn, with
a moan of fear, pushed the canoe off, and sank back on the grass of the
islet.

Exchanging his gun for the paddle, Garth hastened back to the mouth of
the creek, pausing only to wave his hat reassuringly at Natalie, whom he
could see reclining on her grassy couch. An essential part of his plan
was yet to be effected; and he knew not how soon Rina might return.
Hastily ransacking the cabin, he gathered together all their meagre
rations; flour, sugar, beans, tea and pork; and he likewise commandeered
everything that might be turned to use for a weapon; an axe, a chisel,
and all knives. Three trips up and down the hill conveyed it to the
dugout. Reembarking, he had no sooner brought it all to his own camp
than Natalie's sharp eyes discovered Rina returning on the distant hill.

Garth carried Natalie into the tent again; and nerved himself to await
the inevitable scene. Meanwhile he could see Rina alight at the door,
search the cabin hastily, and dart about outside, like a distracted ant
returning to find her dwelling rifled. She followed the tracks down to
the water's edge, dragg