"What! Is Seth dead? Who killed him?" This was important news to
Dane.

"Yes, Seth's dead, but who killed him I don't know. It was awful!"

"Where? When?"

"Up stream, just outside the lodge where the Indians had left the
Colonel's daughter."

He paused, but Dane laid a heavy hand upon his shoulder.

"Go on," he ordered, in a voice filled with intense excitement. "Where
is the girl? Is she safe?"

"Blamed if I know. We got them Injuns to carry her off fer Seth. Then
that night jist as he was about to enjoy her company something
happened. Me an' my pardners were waitin' fer him to come back, but he
never came. At last gittin' anxious, we went to see what was the
matter, an' there we found Seth layin' on the ground dead. I tell you
it was awful. I ain't been any good since."

"What became of the girl?" Dane questioned.

"I don't know. She was gone when we got to the lodge. It must have
been the devil that killed Seth an' carried off the girl."

"Nonsense," Dane impatiently chided. "Don't be such a fool as to
believe that."