Half a mile beyond he came to the railroad.

Here it was that the fire had burned hottest, for as far as his vision went he could see no sign of life or of forest green alight in the waning sun.
And now there fell upon him, along with the desolation of despair, a something grimmer and more terrible--a thing that was fear.

About him everywhere reached this graveyard of death, leaving no spot untouched.
Was it possible that Nada and the Missioner had not escaped its fury?
The fear settled upon him more heavily as the sun went down and the gloom of evening came, bringing with it an unpleasant chill and a cloying odor of things burned dead.
He did not talk to Peter now.

There was a lamp in the cabin and wood behind the stove, and silently he built a fire and trimmed and lighted the wick when darkness came.

And Peter, as if hiding from the ghosts of yesterday, slunk into a corner and lay there unmoving and still.
And McKay did not get supper nor did he smoke, but after a long time he carried his blankets into Nada's room, and spread them out upon her bed.
Then he put out the light and quietly laid himself down where through the nights of many a month and year Nada had slept in the moon glow.
The moon was there tonight.