They must have noticed the absence of the doctor and his companions; doubtless they were looking for them along shore; possibly they had started over some of the trails and ere long would strike the one along which the three had fled.
"A wonderful Providence has preserved us thus far," said Jack Everson; "but it is too much to expect we shall emerge unscathed from this hell hole." "I hope nothing will happen to Mary before we rejoin her." "We shall be with her in a minute." Nevertheless, a vague fear disturbed both.

The parent was again leading, and he unconsciously hastened his footsteps.

Only a slight distance beyond they came to the small opening where they had left her standing but a brief while before.

Since the men had passed over the intervening distance to the river it was unlikely that anything had occurred to alarm the young woman, but there was no saying what might happen in those times and in that part of the world.
The real shock came to the parent when he turned in the trail and saw the open space but failed to observe his daughter.

He hurried on without speaking, but Jack, directly behind him, had made the discovery, for a moment he was so breathless and dizzy that he barely saved himself from falling.