Bad men worked their evil just as savage wolves relayed a deer.

He had shot wolves for that trick.

With men, good or bad, he had not clashed.

Old women and children appealed to him, but he had never had any interest in girls.
The image, then, of this Helen Rayner came strangely to Dale; and he suddenly realized that he had meant somehow to circumvent Beasley, not to befriend old Al Auchincloss, but for the sake of the girl.

Probably she was already on her way West, alone, eager, hopeful of a future home.
How little people guessed what awaited them at a journey's end! Many trails ended abruptly in the forest--and only trained woodsmen could read the tragedy.
"Strange how I cut across country to-day from Spruce Swamp," reflected Dale.