"They saw him go--and they sent two men to kill him; and the rest are coming through the rocks!" She turned sobbingly to Joanne.

"They killed Joe," she moaned.
"They killed Joe, and they're coming--for _you!_" The emphasis on that final word struck like a blow in the ears of John Aldous.
"Run for the spruce!" he commanded.

"Joanne, run!" Marie had crumpled down in a moaning heap at Joanne's feet, and sat swaying with her face in her hands.
"They killed him--they murdered my Joe!" she was sobbing.

"And it was my fault--my fault! I trapped him! I sold him! And, oh, my God, I loved him--I loved him!" "Run, Joanne!" commanded Aldous a second time.

"Run for the spruce!" Instead of obeying him, Joanne knelt down beside Marie.
He went to speak again, but there came an interruption--a thing that was like the cold touch of lead in his own heart.