"I'm glad you came," said Kent warmly. "And--good God, how I would
like to go with you, Bucky! If it wasn't for this thing in my
chest, ballooning up for an explosion--"

"I wouldn't be going," interrupted O'Connor in a low voice. "If
you were on your feet, Kent, there are a number of things that
wouldn't be happening. Something mighty queer has come over Kedsty
since this morning. He isn't the Kedsty you knew yesterday or for
the last ten years. He's nervous, and I miss my guess if he isn't
constantly on the watch for some one. And he's afraid of me. I
know it. He's afraid of me because I saw him go to pieces when he
met that girl. Fort Simpson is simply a frame-up to get me away
for a time. He tried to smooth the edge off the thing by promising
me an inspectorship within the year. That was this afternoon, just
before the storm. Since then--"

O'Connor turned and faced the moonlight for a moment.

"Since then I've been on a still-hunt for the girl and Sandy
McTrigger," he added. "And they've disappeared, Kent. I guess
McTrigger just melted away into the woods. But it's the girl that
puzzles me. I've questioned every scow cheman at the Landing. I've
investigated every place where she might have got food or lodging,
and I bribed Mooie, the old trailer, to search the near-by timber.
The unbelievable part of it isn't her disappearance. It's the fact
that not a soul in Athabasca Landing has seen her! Sounds
incredible, doesn't it? And then, Kent, the big hunch came to me.
Remember how we've always played up to the big hunch? And this one
struck me strong. I think I know where the girl is."