and alarmed to see her in such company.

After that curt nod he waited for no explanation, but, like a shadow,
slipped into a thicket, disappearing instantly. No Indian from Cooper's
tales could have more instantly obliterated all trace of himself, could
have more quickly, noiselessly, mysteriously disappeared amongst the
greenery, than did this mountaineer. His movements, made with the
instinctive cunning of the woodsman and with muscles trained not only by
wild life there in the mountains to speed, endurance and exactitude,
but by many an hour of stealthy stalking of the "revenuers" sent to
search out his moonshine still, raid it, take him prisoner, were almost
magically active, cautious, furtive and effective.

For an instant Madge herself, accustomed to the native's skill in
woodcraft, as she was, gazed after him, astonished by the magic of his
disappearance, and, at first, piqued not a little by his scanty
courtesy. Then realizing that the mountaineer was, possibly, quite
justified in feeling grave suspicions of the stranger who was with
her--of any stranger coming thus, without a herald to the mountains--she
turned again to Layson, and, with her hand lightly guiding him by touch
as delicate, almost, as a wind-blown leaf's upon his sleeve, led him to
the nearest mountain path and on, toward a point whence she could
clearly point out to him the way to his own camp.

And, suddenly, her own heart throbbed with worry. Had she not done wrong
in bringing this unknown and, therefore, this mysterious stranger so
close upon the heart of Lorey's secret? She had chosen the path
thoughtlessly. She realized that, now, and much regretted it. The man
had wholly won her confidence, but had it been considerate or fair to
Joe, her lifelong friend, or to the other people of the mountains who