Suddenly she turned into a path dug through the snow that led riverward.

Ahead of her there was only the starlit gloom of night and the distant blackness of the wilderness edge.

Philip's blood ran a little faster.

She had expected that he would follow, knew that he was close behind her, and had turned down into this deserted place that they might not be observed! He made no effort now to overtake her, but kept the same distance between them, whistling carelessly and knowing that she would stop to wait for him.

Ahead of them there loomed up out of the darkness a clump of sapling spruce, and into their shadow the girl disappeared.
A dozen paces more and Philip himself was buried in the thick gloom.