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NIGHT IN THE FOREST

It was some time before Eddring could trust himself to appear before the companions whom he had left at the little bivouac. Night had practically fallen when he finally emerged into the little glade, now well-lighted by the fire. He paused at the edge of the cover and looked at the picture before him. Sick at heart and full of horror as he was from that which he had seen, none the less he felt a swift burst of savagery come upon his own soul. What was the world to him, its strivings, its disappointments, its paltry successes? Almost he wished, for one fierce instant, that he might exchange the world beyond for this world near at hand. A little fire, a little shelter, and the presence of the woman whom he loved—what more could the world give? He gazed hungrily at the figure of the tall young woman, defined well in the bright firelight. Yearning, he coveted the endurance of the picture, saying again and again to himself, “Would this might last for ever, even as it is!”

Madame Delchasse meantime was adding support to her well-founded reputation as artist in matters culinary. When presently Eddring joined them at the fire, he was invited to a repast in which madame had done wonders. It seemed to him that even Miss Lady began to revive under the summons of these unusual surroundings. Once, he noted, she actually laughed.

As they sat on the rude floor of cane-stalks, engaged with their evening meal, there came suddenly from across the forest the sound of a long, hoarse wail, ending in a tremulous crescendo; the cry of the panther, rarely heard in that or any other region. In terror the women sprang to each other, and Eddring felt Miss Lady’s hand close tight upon his arm in her unconscious recognition of the need of a protector.

“What—what was it?” she cried.

“Nothing,” said Eddring; “nothing but a cat.”

“A cat?” cried madame. “Never did I hear the cat with voice so big like that.”

“Wasn’t it a panther?” asked Miss Lady. “Will it get us?”

“Yes, Madame Delchasse,” said Eddring, “it’s a cat about eight feet long—a panther, as Miss Lady says. But it’s a mile away, and it doesn’t want to get any wetter than it is; and it wouldn’t hurt us anyhow. I assure you, you need have not the slightest fear. Water and fire are not exactly in the panther’s line, so you can rest assured that he will not trouble you. He wouldn’t even have screamed that way if his disposition hadn’t been spoiled by all this water.”

Inwardly he noted the fact that Miss Lady did not again remove to a greater distance from him. His heart leaped at her near presence, and again there came the fierce demand of his soul, the wish that this night might last for ever.

Finally, building anew the fire, and showing the two how they might best use their blankets to make themselves comfortable, Eddring withdrew for his vigil at the tree-trunk. Now and again he dozed, wearied by the strain and the physical exertion lately undergone. Madame Delchasse slept heavily.

Upon her couch Miss Lady lay, and watched the flickering of the fire and the heavy masses of the shadows. She could not sleep. There came upon her the feeling of unreality in her surroundings which is experienced by nearly all civilized human beings when thrown into the uncivilized surroundings of nature. It all seemed to her like some rapid and fevered dream. She wondered what had become of Henry Decherd, what had been the cause of his sudden departure from the steamer. She resolved to summon courage on the morrow and to accost this uninvited newcomer upon the scenes of her life. She pondered again upon this strange man; asked herself why he had sought her out, why he had left her so soon and had since then been so frigidly aloof, even though he still carried her with him forward, virtually a prisoner. By all rights a thief, a dishonest man, ought not to be a gentleman; yet strive as she might, she could recall no single instance where the conduct of this man had been anything but that of a gentleman, delicate, kindly, brave, unselfish. Miss Lady could not understand. The shadows hung too black over all—the shadows of the past, of the future. About her there were vague, mysterious sounds, rustlings, coughings, barkings, sometimes sullen splashes in the water not far away. Terrors on all sides oppressed Miss Lady’s soul. She had no hope; she could not understand. Her thoughts were in part upon that silent figure sitting in the darkness beside the tree. And then there came again the voice of the great panther, wailing across the woods. Miss Lady could endure it no longer. She sprang up.

“Sir!” she cried, “Mr. Eddring, come!” And so he came and comforted her once more, his voice grave and quiet, fearless, strong.

“I will build up the fire,” said he, “and then I will sit by another tree, closer to the camp and just back of your house. I shall be between you and the water, and you need not be afraid.”

And then there came about a wonderful thing, which not even Miss Lady herself could understand. She ceased to fear! She found herself wondering at the meaning of the word “depend.” In spite of herself, in spite of all the evidence in her hands to the contrary, she felt herself growing vaguely sure that she could depend upon this man. Gradually the night lost its terrors. The whispers of the leaves grew kindly and not ominous. The fire seemed to her a reviving flame of hope. Presently she slept.

In the night the wild life of the forest went on. The barkings and rustlings and splashings still were heard, and the great cat called again. But all these savage things went by, passing apart, avoiding this spot where the White Man, most savage and most potent of all animals, had made his lair and now guarded his own.

In the night the voice of the wilderness spoke to John Eddring: “Old, old are we!” the trees seemed to whisper: “Only the strong! Only the strong!” This seemed the whisper of the wind in its monotone. He sat upright, rigid, wide-awake, his eyes looking straight before him in his vigil, his heart throbbing boldly, strangely. All the fierceness, all the desire, all the sternness of the wilderness in its aeons ran in his blood. His heart throbbed steadily. Peace came to his soul now as never before; since now he knew that he was of the strong, that he was ready for life and what combat it might bring.

CHAPTER XIV AT THE BIG HOUSE

The fire lay gray in ashes at the dawn, when Eddring awoke, and the gray reek of the cane-brake mist was over everything. The leaves of the trees and of the cane dripped moisture, and the dew stood also in heavy beads upon the roof of the little green-thatched house. A short distance apart Eddring built another fire. Presently the sleepers in the little house awoke, and he saw emerge madame, tucking at her hair, and Miss Lady, in spite of all fresh and rosy in the wondrous possession of youth, as though she were a Dryad born of these surrounding trees. There seemed to sit upon her the primeval vigor of the wilderness. She came to him gaily enough and said good morning as though there had been but recent friendship and not aloofness. She pushed back her hair, and smoothed down her skirt and combed out with her fingers the bunch of bright ribbons at her waist. She and madame, having made ablutions at the island brink, returned, all the fresher and more laughing. Eddring’s heart quickened in his bosom as he saw Miss Lady smile once more.

“Come,” said she, “let’s explore our desert island; yonder’s such a pretty little path,”—and she pointed down the path which Eddring had already investigated.

“No,” he said, “the cane is very wet; you’d better sit close by the fire, so that you will not feel the damp. Now, I will get the breakfast; and I promise you, this is to be our last meal in the forest.”

“Our last?” said madame. “What you mean?”

“In a couple of hours we shall be at the Big House,” said Eddring. “I have looked about, and I know this place perfectly. We are only four or five miles from the station, and the way will be plain.”

“Monsieur,” said madame, “I shall be almost sorry. It is the fine peek-_neek._ Never have I slept so before.”

“I, too, have slept nicely,” said Miss Lady, “and I want to thank you. Shall we be out of the wood so soon?” There was small elation in her own voice, after all. In her soul there was a wild, inexplicable longing that this present hour might endure. Fear was gone, in some way, she knew not how. What there might be ahead, Miss Lady did not know. Here in the forest she felt safe.

The hurried breakfast was soon despatched and Eddring, taking aboard his passengers once more, pushed out into the broad sea which lay through all the heavy forest. The nearest road to the station was under water, and, as it offered few obstructions, Eddring for the most part followed its curves for the remainder of his boat journey. At length, as he had said, he brought up within sight of the telegraph poles along the railway. He passed by boat even beyond the little station-house, and landed at the edge of what had been the Big House lawn.

On every side there was ruin and desolation. The rude fence of the railway track had caught and held a certain amount of wreckage. Most of the field cabins were above the water, but others were half out of sight, deep in the flood. Fences were well-nigh obliterated. Half of the Big House plantation was under water. Above all this scene of ruin, high, strong and grim, the Big House itself stood, now silent and apparently deserted. Toward it the voyagers hurried. It was not until they knocked at the door that they met signs of life.

In response to repeated summons there appeared at the door the gaunt figure of Colonel Calvin Blount himself, shirt-sleeved, unshaven, pale, his left arm tightly bandaged to his side, his hawk-like eye alone showing the wonted fire of his disposition. Each man threw an arm over the other’s shoulder after their hands had met in silent grasp.

“I am not too late,” said Eddring. “Thank God!”

“No, not quite too late,” said Blount. “There is a little left—not much. Who’s with you?”

“The one you sent for,” said Eddring, stepping aside, “and this is Madame Delchasse, the one woman, Colonel, whom you and I ought to thank with all our hearts. She has been the friend of Miss Lady when certainly she needed one.”

Blount stepped forward, a smile softening his grim face. “Oh, Miss Lady, Miss Lady,” he cried, extending his unhampered hand. “You ran away from us! You didn’t do right! What made you? Where have you been? What have you been doing?” Miss Lady’s eyes only filled, and she found no speech.

“But now you’re back,” Blount went on. “You need friends, and you’ve come back to the right place. Here are three friends of yours. Madame Delchasse—” this as Miss Lady drew her companion toward him with one hand, “I am glad to see you. It you ever befriended this girl, you are our friend here. Come in, and we will take care of you the best we can, though we’ve not much left—not much left.

“You see,” said he, turning toward Eddring, “that boy Jack of yours

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