“They’re people that have always lived up here far back in the woods. They’re outlaws. I had been warned by them, but I couldn’t believe they’d do what they threatened.” “Whom will Colonel Thomas get to help you?” “There are State police in this neighborhood,” said Elizabeth. “Good,” said the stranger. They had reached the level plain, and the machine seemed to leap into a speed greater than that at which they had come down the hill. Elizabeth told, gasping, a few of the details of her trouble. The stranger glanced at her in amazement, no longer doubting her sanity. He leaned over his wheel, watching the road with a trained eye. “I’ll take the constabulary up,” he offered. Chapter IX HERBERT PUTS TWO AND TWO TOGETHER Herbert had been in reality left almost without food for a day. But as he grew weaker, he grew more determined. Several times Sheldon brought him the soiled paper and the stub of pencil and asked him to write. Herbert shook his head. “She ain’t got help for you very fast,” growled Sheldon. Herbert looked up into the sullen face, seeing there again a kind of desperation. On the morning of the second day, when Elizabeth was traveling toward the cabin, the gaunt, angular woman called Jinny came to speak to him. She brought with her a piece of bread. “I’ll sneak you some more,” she promised. “Are you learned?” “Not very,” answered Herbert, as he munched the dry, poor bread. “I mean can you read and write?” “Oh, yes.” “An’ do sums?” “Yes, I can do sums.” “You can’t get along in the world without some learnin’, kin you?” “Not very well,” answered Herbert. The woman pointed to the south. “There’s lots of us, down that-a-way what ain’t got no use for learnin’ an’ we’re dyin’ like flies with our airless lives. We’ve got the tisic an’ the takin’-off an’ we won’t listen to no one. I’m willin’ to learn an’ to have my children learn, an’ sometimes one comes to show us the way, but they get druv off by those that are against ’em. I tell you the mountain people don’ know what’s for their good; they’re blind an’ they won’t see, as the Good Book says. They--” Jinny was not allowed to finish her speech. Her husband approached with Black Smith, and Herbert heard the account of Black Smith’s conversation with Elizabeth. “She says if we let her have the boy, she’ll git us the paper.” “Where is she?” “She’s settin’ on a rock. There ain’t but one way out for her an’ that’s the way she come in an’ John’s watchin’ that. Let her set.” “Do you hev faith in her that she will keep her word?” asked Sheldon. “Yes, I do. She’s had two nights an’ a day now an’ she’s droppin’ from sleep.” But Sheldon looked about uneasily. “You’re sure it ain’t no trap?” “Of course it ain’t no trap.” “Where is the paper?” “I don’t know. She’ll git it when she sees him.”