she held herself less and less aloof from Imbrie. She, too, was careful
not to overdo it. She made it clear to Imbrie that it would be a good
long time yet before he could expect any positive favours from her. She
did it so well that Stonor, though he had himself told her to act in
that manner, was tormented by the sight. After all, he was human.

Once and once only during the day did Stonor's and Clare's glances meet
unobserved by the others. It happened as the trooper was embarking in
the dug-out preparatory to paddling up a smooth reach. Imbrie and the
woman were both behind Clare, and she gave Stonor a deep look imploring
his forgiveness for the wrong she seemed to do him. It heartened him
amazingly. Bending low as he laid the coiled rope in the bow, his lips
merely shaped the words:

"Keep it up!"

So long and so hard did they work that day that they were able to camp
for the night only a few miles short of the highest point they had yet
reached on the river. The camping-place was a pleasant opening up on top
of the bank, carpeted with pine-needles. The murmur of the pines
reminded Clare and Stonor of nights on the lower river--nights both
happy and terrible, which now seemed years past.

While supper was preparing Clare appeared out of her tent with some long
strips of cotton. She went unhesitatingly to where Stonor sat.

Imbrie sprang up. "Keep away from him!" he snarled.

Clare calmly sat down by Stonor. "I'm going to dress his wound," she
said. "I'd do the same for a dog. I don't want to speak to him. You can
sit beside me while I work."

Imbrie sullenly submitted.

After supper it appeared from Imbrie's evil grin that he was promising
himself a bit of fun with the policeman. But this time he was taking no
chances.

"I'm tired of toting this gun around; tie his hands," he ordered the
woman.

The night was chilly and they had a good fire on the edge of the bank.
It lighted them weirdly as they sat in a semi-circle about it, the four
strangely-assorted figures backed by the brown trunks of the pines, and
roofed by the high branches. Stonor safely tied up, Imbrie put down his
gun and lighted his pipe. He studied the policeman maliciously. He was
not quite satisfied; even in Stonor's submission he felt a spirit that
he had not yet broken.

"You policemen think pretty well of yourselves, don't you?" he said.

Stonor, clearly perceiving the man's intention, was nevertheless
undisturbed. This vermin w