inutes later, and so had Cam Gentry. But where was he
after that? Much as we had needed him, we had had no time to hunt for
him. Places had to be filled by those at hand in the dreadful necessity
before us. We could count on O'mie, of course. He was no coward, nor
laggard; but where could he have kept himself?

"What has happened, Philip?" the priest asked.

Briefly I told him, ending with the story of the threatening terror of
an Indian invasion.

"They will not come, Philip. Do not fear. That danger is cut off. The
Kiowas, who were on their way to Springvale, have all turned back and
they are far away. I know."

His assurance was balm to my soul. And my nerves, on the rack for these
three days, with the culmination of the last six hours seemed suddenly
to snap within me.

"Go home and rest now," said Father Le Claire. "I will take the word
along the line. Come down to the tavern at nine o'clock."

Aunt Candace had hot coffee and biscuit and maple syrup from old
Vermont, with ham and eggs, all ready for me. The blessed comfort of a
home, safe from harm once more, filled me with a sense of rest. Not
until it was lifted did I realize how heavy was the burden I had carried
through those May nights and days.

Long before nine o'clock, the tavern yard was full of excited people,
all eagerly talking of the events of the last few hours. We had hardly
taken our bearings yet, but we had an assurance that the perils of the
night no longer threatened us. The strange men who had filled the town
the evening before had all disappeared, but in the company here were
many whom we knew to be enemies in the dark. Yet they mingled boldly
with the others, assuming a loyalty for their own purposes. In the
crowd, too, was Jean Pahusca, impenetrable of countenance, indifferent
to the occasion as a thing that could not concern him. His red blanket
was gone and his leather trousers and dark flannel shirt displayed his
superb muscular form. There was no knife in his belt now, and he carried
no other weapon. With his soft dark hair and the ruddy color showing in
his cheeks, he was dangerously handsome to a romantic eye. Among all its
enemies, he had been loyal to Springvale. My better self rebuked my
distrust, and my heart softened toward him. His plan with the raiders to
seize Marjie must have been his crude notion of saving her from a worse
peril. When he knew she was safe he had dropped out of sight in the
darkness.

The boys who had