Pete Corson dropped from the limb and found his way to the road. He
stood still a long time, then started back to the Limberlost. A tiny
point of light flashed in the region of the case. He stopped with an
oath.

"Another hound trying to steal from a girl," he exclaimed. "But it's
likely he thinks if he gets anything it will be from a woman who can
afford it, as I did."

He went on, but beside the fences, and very cautiously.

"Swamp seems to be alive to-night," he muttered. "That's three of us
out."

He entered a deep place at the northwest corner, sat on the ground and
taking a pencil from his pocket, he tore a leaf from a little notebook,
and laboriously wrote a few lines by the light he carried. Then he went
back to the region of the case and waited. Before his eyes swept the
vision of the slender white creature with tossing hair. He smiled, and
worshipped it, until a distant rooster faintly announced dawn.

Then he unlocked the case again, and replaced the money, laid the note
upon it, and went back to concealment, where he remained until Elnora
came down the trail in the morning, appearing very lovely in her new
dress and hat.




CHAPTER V