Jack colored. “I won’t say that,” he admitted. “I--I thought I was in love once. Good heavens! I didn’t know what love was then.” He laughed bitterly. “But I’ve found out now. Oh! Yes! I’ve found out now.” Father Francisco’s eyes had never left the lad’s face. But at the last words he nodded. “I believe you, my son,” he said. “We men are poor creatures at best. I come to bring you a crumb of news--only a crumb, but still, news. Your wife did not go south. She went down the Maumee with a party of Pottawatomies. I think she must have intended to go back to the Shawnees with whom she had lived so many years.” Jack clambered to his feet. “Down the Maumee?” he echoed. “I’ll start after her at once.” But the priest shook his head. “No!” he said. “You must get well and strong first. If you start now you will kill yourself and you will not find your wife. She is in no danger. Wherever she went, she went of her own accord. She is perfectly safe. If you really want to find her you will control yourself and get well.” Jack set his teeth hard. The advice was good and he knew that he must follow it. But still he protested. “If you knew,” he began,---- “I do know.” The priest spoke gently. “Years ago I myself--But that is long past. Let it lie! You must not start for at least two weeks.” “All right.” Jack spoke reluctantly. “And, thank you, Father!” The priest rose. “No thanks are necessary,” he said. “The church frowns on the separation of husbands and wives, and I only did my duty in telling you as soon as I knew.” Jack lay back on his couch rejoicing. The veil was still before his eyes, but it was no longer black. Light had dawned behind it. It would brighten, brighten, till---- When Rogers heard the news he nodded sagely. “I reckoned so all along,” he asserted. “I reckoned she’d gone back to those Injun friends of hers. But I kinder hated to say so. Most Injun-bred youngsters does when they gets an excuse. Maybe that there letter gave her a jolt and----” Jack sat up. “Williams is down the Maumee,” he gritted. “If I find him----” “Of course! Of course! But of course he’d lie. An’ maybe there’s an easier way. It’ll take a week or two for you to get well enough to start. Whyn’t you let me go to Piqua and find Peter Bondie an’----” “Will you?” Jack was growing more and more excited. “When can you start?” “Right away. I----” “All right. Go! Go! Find Peter and tell him all that has happened. Ask him if he can give me any help, any clue, however small. He had friends near Fort Malden. He got news from these. Find out who they are. They may know something. Find out what it was that Williams read aloud--what it was that made my little comrade leave me. And”--Jack hesitated and flushed painfully--“see Colonel Johnson and find out whether he has heard anything of Miss Estelle, my cousin whom I came here to seek. Good God! When I think how I have failed----” The boy’s voice died away.