she would kill them if need be, but in the face of Eugene's
defiant persistence on one side, and Suzanne's on the other, her courage
was failing. She was frightened by the daring of this man. "I will keep
my word," she observed distractedly. "Honestly she isn't here. She's in
Quebec, I tell you. Wait a month. I will bring her back then. We will
arrange things together. Why can't you be generous?"

"I could be," said Eugene, who was considering all the brilliant
prospects which her proposal involved and being moved by them, "but I
can't believe you. You're not telling me the truth. You didn't tell the
truth to Suzanne when you took her from New York. That was a trick, and
this is another. I know she isn't away. She's right up there in the
lodge, wherever it is. You take me to her and then we will talk this
thing out together. By the way, where are you going?"

Mrs. Dale had turned into a bypath or half-formed road closely lined
with small trees and looking as though it might be a woodchoppers' path.

"To the lodge."

"I don't believe it," replied Eugene, who was intensely suspicious.
"This isn't a main road to any such place as that."

"I tell you it is."

Mrs. Dale was nearing the precincts of the lodge and wanted more time to
talk and plead.

"Well," said Eugene, "you can go this way if you want to. I'm going to
get out and walk. You can't throw me off by driving me around in some
general way. I'm going to stay here a week, a month, two months, if
necessary, but I'm not going back without seeing Suzanne. She's here,
and I know it. I'll go up alone and find her. I'm not afraid of your
guards."

He jumped out and Mrs. Dale gave up in despair. "Wait," she pleaded.
"It's over two miles yet. I'll take you there. She isn't home tonight,
anyhow. She's over at the cottage of the caretaker. Oh, why won't you be
reasonable? I'll bring her to New York, I tell you. Are you going to
throw aside all those fine prospects and wreck your life and hers and
mine? Oh, if Mr. Dale were only alive! If I had a man on whom I could
rely! Come, get in, and I'll drive you up there, but promise me you
won't ask to see her tonight. She isn't there, anyway. She's over at the
caretaker's. Oh, dear, if only something would happen to solve this!"

"I thought you said she was in Quebec?"

"I only said that to gain time. I'm so unstrung. It wasn't true, but she
isn't at the lodge, truly. She's away tonight. I can't let you stay
there. Let me