Suddenly the mood passed and all at once Truedale realized that he was tired--deadly tired. The perspiration stood on his forehead--he ached from the strain of cramped muscles. Then he looked at his watch; it was eleven o'clock! The stillness out of doors bespoke a sullen break in the storm. A determined drip-drip from roof and trees was like the ticking of a huge clock running down, but good for some time. The fire had died out, not a bit of red showed in the ashes, but the room was hot, still. Truedale decided to go to bed without it, and, having come to that conclusion, he bent his head upon his folded arms and sank into a deep sleep. Suddenly he awoke. The room was cold and dark! The lamp had burned itself out and the storm was again howling in its second attack. Chilled and obsessed by an unnerving sense of danger, Truedale waited for--he knew not what! Just then something pressed against his leg and he put his hand down thinking one of the dogs was crouching close, but a whispered "sh!" set every muscle tense. "Nella-Rose?" "Yes--but, oh! be mighty still. They may be here any minute." "They? Who?" "All of them. Jed Martin, my father, and the others--the ones who are friends of--of--" "Whom, Nella-Rose?" "Burke Lawson! He's back--and they think--oh! they think they are on his trail--here! I--I was trying to get away but the streams were swollen and the big trees were bending and--and I hid behind a rock and--I heard! "First it was Jed and father; they said they were going to shoot--they'd given up catching Burke alive! Then they went up-stream and the--the others came--the friends, and they 'lowed that Burke was here and they meant to get here before Jed and--and da some killing on their side. I--I thought it was fun when they-all meant to take Burke alive, but now--oh! now can't you see?--they'll shoot and find out afterward! They may come any minute! I put the light out. Come, we must leave the cabin empty-looking--like you had gone--and hide!" The breathless whispering stopped and Truedale collected his senses in the face of this real danger. "But you--you must not be here, Nella-Rose!" Every nerve was alert now. "This is pure madness. Great heavens! what am I going to do with you?" The seriousness of the situation overpowered him. "Sh!" The warning was caused by the restlessness of the dogs outside. Their quick ears were sensing danger or--the coming of their master! Either possibility was equally alarming. "Oh! you do not understand," Nella-Rose was pleading by his knee. "If they-all see you, they will have you killed that minute. Burke is the only one in their minds--they don't even know that you live; they're too full of Burke, and if they see me--why--they'd kill you anyway." "But what can I do with you?" That thought alone swayed Truedale. Then Nella-Rose got upon her feet and stood close to him. "I'm yours! I gave myself to you. You--you wanted me. Are you sorry?"