A Woman at Bay

strangers who were left seated themselves in various attitudes, filled their pipes-or lit the stubs of hal

em; but Nick knew from the manner in which Handsome had left them that he expected to return, and that there was some other place near by to whic

e loomed suddenly beside the camp fire, as silently and as stealthily as an Indian

e said briefly to Nick

n, and Nick, leaping to his feet, follo

although the moon was shining above them; but never

d the fence that intervened; but when they reached th

hn," he said slowly. "Who

detective. "But I try to carry out the idea. If you have worked your way through the South at all, ma

ifference here, my fri

can turn my hand

e an edu

es

write a g

ult that I can-

hrough the screens

ere. What do you want

ling the main

abou

There isn't another man in our outfit who c

gged his

if you had been twice the man

n't bear you any ill will for it

ay he be,

u know, D

and again m

ome here look

ybe

were you lo

t the other fellow was

long, I guess. But I warn you to

to

He isn't one to

the level now, is t

before you are much older. Didn't you come up here to

level, I didn't think tha

as if he were i

n into the bosom of our family quite as easy as that. But with us there is always room for a good man, and

tell me

at hold by which you threw me over the f

at, and a lot of others as well, if you

that. It's all r

e we going? Are we to stay

qui

pected of me, then;

a while that he is here, too; but it happens that he is to-night. He is to interview you. Otherwise-that is, i

s

ht to do that. I've got to blindfold you after we ge

rig

at you are up against before I take

hing, H

ter with the boss, you'll never come out aga

at; but what do you m

ot what you appear to be, and what you say you ar

and he nodded

ight," he said negligently

as soon as they had penetrated a short distance into the wood, Handsome stopped again, and, dr

, "can you do

ied it,"

about

arned-nev

o the swamp. Get up close to me, and take hold of my sides und

you've got some ed

We're not going into p

Lead the way

but even had he been without the bandage he could hardly have told that, for the deeper they penetrated into the swamp, t

d into the water up to his knees; and once he went in to his waist; but Handsome

through shallow water; they crawled on their hands and knees under embankments and rocks, and at last, at H

rees that hung so close to the water that they were obliged to get flat down inside the scow to avoid them; and the

detective could see the lights of many gleaming fires; and he could also discer

led the way from the scow, and signed for Nick to follow him. "If anybody speaks to you, don'

ply; and then he followed his conduct

were preparing to eat; and still others had finished their meal, and were lying around in various attitudes, smoking. Some were playing c

d lights behind the brush or canvas fronts. Two of them had board fronts, and he judged t

of the men looked up lazily toward them; but beyond one stare, no a

e thick growth of alders, and presently came out upon a second

t what attracte

erly be called; but it was large, and apparently comfortable. The roof extended down in fr

arly up and down, with the precision of a sentinel; and he carried a rifle in the hollow of his arm, which, as soon as Han

d, and Nick did the same; and thereupon the gun was lowered,

and down, as if there had been no interruption; and Nick's guide

nd stepped forward; then he peered long and

advance.

an of the group rose and followed them, closing the door behind her;