some more. Oh, I think so hard!... And, Jim, there's another thing. Red
Pearce was more than suspicious about your absence from the cabin at
certain hours. What he hinted to Kells about a woman in the case! I'm
afraid he suspects or knows."

"He had me cold, too," replied Cleve, thoughtfully. "But he swore he
knew nothing."

"Jim, trust a woman's instinct. Pearce lied. That gun at his side made
him a liar. He knew you'd kill him if he betrayed himself by a word. Oh,
look out for him!"

Cleve did not reply. It struck Joan that he was not listening, at least
to her. His head was turned, rigid and alert. He had his ear to the soft
wind. Suddenly Joan heard a faint rustle-then another. They appeared
to come from the corner of the cabin. Silently Cleve sank down into the
shadow and vanished. Low, stealthy footsteps followed, but Joan was not
sure whether or not Cleve made them. They did not seem to come from the
direction he usually took. Besides, when he was careful he never made
the slightest noise. Joan strained her ears, only to catch the faint
sounds of the night. She lay back upon her bed, worried and anxious
again, and soon the dread returned. There were to be no waking or
sleeping hours free from this portent of calamity.

Next morning Joan awaited Kells, as was her custom, but he did not
appear. This was the third time in a week that he had forgotten or
avoided her or had been prevented from seeing her. Joan was glad,
yet the fact was not reassuring. The issue for Kells was growing from
trouble to disaster.

Early in the afternoon she heard Kells returning from camp. He had men
with him. They conversed in low, earnest tones. Joan was about to spy up
on them when Kells's step approached her door. He rapped and spoke:

"Put on Dandy Dale's suit and mask, and come out here," he said.

The tone of his voice as much as the content of his words startled Joan
so that she did not at once reply.

"Do you hear?" he called, sharply.

"Yes," replied Joan.

Then he went back to his men, and the low, earnest conversation was
renewed.

Reluctantly Joan took down Dandy Dale's things from the pegs, and with
a recurring shame she divested herself of part of her clothes and donned
the suit and boots and mask and gun. Her spirit rose, however, at the
thought that this would be a disguise calculated to aid her in the
escape with Cleve. But why had Kells ordered the change? Was he
in danger and did he mean to flee from Al