Could it be that some of the men, grown desperate in their resentment, had taken this means of mortally injuring him?
Was there any person in the wide world who would harm an innocent child for the sake of hurting a strong man?
Alas, such things had been done, and why should they not be done again?
The words that he overheard between Hugh O'Hara and Tom Hansell proved them capable of dark deeds.

Could it be that some of the hints thrown out by them during that brief interview in the cabin bore any relation to the disappearance of Dollie.
At the moment Harvey turned away from his own house it was his intention to rouse the village and to ask all to join in the hunt for the child, but a feeling of bitter resentment led him to change his purpose.

No; they would rejoice over his sorrow; they would give him no aid, and, if they had had a hand in her taking off, they would do what they could to baffle him in his search.

Slight as was his hope, he would push on alone.
"O'Hara and Hansell know all about it; I will search the neighborhood of the path all the way to their cabin and then compel them to tell what they know; if they refuse----" He shut his lips tight and walked faster than ever.

He strove to fight back the tempestuous emotions that set his blood boiling.