est crazy about her, an'
hike her off ter ther coast, an' put her aboard a private yacht he's got
there, an' that'll be ther last o' her in this community."

"What's goin' ter happen ter ther rest o' them?"

"He's got er nice little deal fixed up fer Ted Strong. He wuz tellin' me
thet if I wanted it, ther job was mine. I reckon I'll take it," and
Woofer laughed heartily.

"You're ter be ther executioner, eh?"

"That's about ther size o' it."

"An' yer hate yer job, eh?" This was greeted with uproarious laughter.

"Like a kid hates candy."

"What's it goin' ter be?"

"A little rope play, I reckon."

"That's yer long suit. Hello, what's this? Here we are at the cabin."

Ted heard the men dismount and enter the cabin, and then their voices
roaring with rage.

"They've escaped, darn 'em!" they heard Woofer shout. "Hey, there, turn
out an' hunt 'em! Ther boss will be wild when he finds this out."

"Hunt fer 'em nothin', in this dark? Yer wouldn't find 'em in a blue
moon. Why, it was all we could do ter find ther cabin."

"Well, they can't git far away. We'll find 'em in ther mornin'."

They retired to the cabin again, and slammed the door.

"Did you hear that?"

Stella's hand was on Ted's arm, and she whispered to him in an awed sort
of voice.

"You awake?" he said. "Yes, I heard it, but don't let it worry you. They
won't get us very soon."

They heard Hallie sobbing quietly.

"What's the matter, dear?" asked Stella. "Don't be frightened."

"Suppose he does," sobbed Hallie.

"Suppose who does what?" asked Stella, throwing her arms around her
friend.

"Suppose Lieutenant Barrows does get me and takes me away on a boat. Oh,
I shall kill myself!"

"Never fear," said Ted. "He won't do that. Why, the whole army would be
up in arms and after him before he got fifty miles."

Hallie took comfort in this, and slept again, while Ted and Stella
remained on guard.

As the night wore on, they both became very sleepy, and they must have
dropped into a doze, for when they awoke at the sound of a loud laugh,
the sun was shining brightly, and they were surrounded by soldiers, and
Woofer was looking down at them with a sneering laugh.

"Jest like ther babes in ther woods," he shouted, and the soldiers
laughed with him.

Ted was on his feet in an instant, feeling for his revolver, but it was
not in its accustomed place, and he suddenly remembered that it had been
taken from him by the soldiers the night befo