open, and the men were in the room searching for her. Presently she
saw several come out of the house and look around. Waiting to see no
more, she sped along the trail which stretched out before her. Never
had she travelled with such speed, her great fear urging her forward.
Would the slashers follow her? she asked herself. At times she stopped
and listened with the strained attention of a hunted animal. But
nothing could she hear, so encouraged she pressed onward.

At first she did not find the walking difficult, owing partly to her
excitement and the freedom she felt in being away from the house of
dread. She had no trouble in following the trail, for sufficient light
sifted down through the trees to show the beaten track. She wondered
who had travelled that way as she had not heard Norman refer to any one
coming from the great river. She had no idea as to the time of night,
although she hoped that it might be late for then she could look
forward more hopefully to the dawn. That the trail would lead her to
the mast-cutters she had not the slightest doubt, so this gave her
considerable comfort.

She had been travelling about an hour when the snow began to fall.
Among the trees it did not at first impede her progress, but she could
tell by the roaring overhead that a heavy storm was abroad. When
crossing a wild meadow or a small inland lake she experienced some of
the force of the wind, and the snow almost blinded her. She was always
glad when the trail led once more into the shelter of the woods.

At length, however, a sudden weariness came upon her. The walking grew
heavy, and she was finding much difficulty in following the trail.
Occasionally she stepped aside and sank into the deep snow, out of
which she struggled with great effort. Each time it was harder to