Let me go, please, Sylvie."

He pulled himself away and stood up. At the instant, the door was opened
and shut quickly, stealthily. It was Hugh, breathing hard, gray with
fear.

"They're coming," he said harshly. "Pete, they're after me. Men are
coming across the flat."

CHAPTER VII

"Did they see you?" Pete demanded anxiously.

"I don't think so." Hugh was breathing fast; he had evidently fled
across the snow at top speed.

"Get in, then, quick--out of sight." Pete was already tearing up boards
above that long-waiting place of hiding. Hugh was about to step down
into it when he glanced up and saw Sylvie. She was standing as the
unseeing stand in moments of frightened bewilderment, her hands clasped,
her head turning from side to side. "Look here," whispered Hugh, still
absorbed in his own danger, "don't let them know that Sylvie just
wandered in here. Don't let them start asking her any questions; it's
too dangerous. Let her be--one of the family." He smiled maliciously.
"Let her be your wife, Pete." Then, as though that picture had fired his
love through its hint of jeopardy, he held out both arms suddenly: "Come
here, Sylvie--lead her to me, Pete."

The boy obeyed. But as her uncertain arms trembled about Hugh's
shoulders Pete turned sharply away. He heard the quick, anxious murmur
of their voices:

"Hugh, dearest--are you afraid?" And his: "Trust me, little darling.
Love me." A kiss.

Then a sharp, whispered summons: "Quick, can't you, Pete? Get these
boards down."

When Pete turned, Hugh had dropped into the darkness, and Sylvie stood
flushed and with her hands over her face.

Bella had meantime been collecting the most characteristic of Hugh's
belongings--those that could not be supposed to belong to Pete--and now
thrust them down into the hiding-place. The boards were rearranged, the
rug laid evenly over them. Then the three stood staring at one another,
listening helplessly to the nearing sounds.

"Oh, Pete," Sylvie gasped, "tell me what I must do--or what I ought to
say."

"Tell them," said Bella, "what Hugh told you--that you are Pete's wife.
They'll be looking for a different household from that, and it will help
to put them off."

"But--but Pete won't look old enough."

"Yes, he will. He looks older than you," Bella declared harshly. "You
sit down and keep quiet; that's the best you can do; and for God's sake
don't look so scared. There's a grave outside to show them, and nobody