f the forest I spoke to her. I stayed
her not, I brought her not back, Ralph, because I was convinced that an
I did so she would die. I knew of no great danger, and I trusted in the
Lord to show me what to do, step by step, and how to guide her gently
back when she was weary of wandering,--when, worn out, she was willing
to give up the quest for the dead. Art following me, Ralph?"

"Yes," I answered, and took my hand from my eyes. "I was nigh mad,
Jeremy, for my faith was not like hers. I have looked on Death too much
of late, and yesterday all men believed that he had come to dwell in the
forest and had swept clean his house before him. But you escaped, you
both escaped"--

"God's hand was over us," he said reverently. "This is the way of it.
She had been ill, you know, and of late she had taken no thought of food
or sleep. She was so weak, we had to go so slowly, and so winding was
our path, who knew not the country, that the evening found us not far
upon our way, if way we had. We came to a cabin in a clearing, and they
whose home it was gave us shelter for the night. In the morning, when
the father and son would go forth to their work we walked with them.
When they came to the trees they meant to fell we bade them good-by, and
went on alone. We had not gone an hundred paces when, looking back, we
saw three Indians start from the dimness of the forest and set upon and
slay the man and the boy. That murder done they gave chase to me, who
caught up thy wife and ran for both our lives. When I saw that they were
light of foot and would overtake me, I set my burden down, and, drawing
a sword that I had with me, went back to meet them halfway. Ralph, I
slew all three,--may the Lord have mercy on my soul! I knew not what to
think of that attack, the peace with the Indians being so profound, and
I began to fear for thy wife's safety. She knew not the woods, and I
managed to turn our steps back toward Jamestown without her knowledge
that I did so. It was about midday when we saw the gleam of the river
through the trees before us, and heard the sound of firing and of a
great yelling. I made her crouch within a thicket, while I myself went
forward to reconnoitre, and well-nigh stumbled into the midst of an
army. Yelling, painted, maddened, brandishing their weapons toward the
town, human hair dabbled with blood at the belts of many--in the name of
God, Ralph, what is the meaning of it all?"

"It means," I said, "that yesterda