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The man had talked but little during this meal, and for the life of her Barbara

Harding could not think of any topic with which to distract his attention from his

thoughts.

Hadn't we better be moving on?" she asked at last.

Byrne gave a little start as though surprised in some questionable act.

I suppose so," he said; "this ain't no place to spend the night--it's too open. We

gotta find a sort o' hiding place if we can, dat a fellow kin barricade wit

something."

Again they took up their seemingly hopeless march--an aimless wandering in

search of they knew not what. Away from one danger to possible dangers many

fold more terrible. Barbara's heart was very heavy, for again she feared and

mistrusted the mucker.

They followed down the little brook now to where it emptied into a river and then

down the valley beside the river which grew wider and more turbulent with every

mile. Well past mid-afternoon they came opposite a small, rocky island, and as

Byrne's eyes fell upon it an exclamation of gratification burst from his lips.

"Jest de place!" he cried. "We orter be able to hide dere forever."

"But how are we to get there?" asked the girl, looking fearfully at the turbulent

river.

It ain't deep," Byrne assured her. "Come ahead; I'll carry yeh acrost," and

without waiting for a reply he gathered her in his arms and started down the

bank.

What with the thoughts that had occupied his mind off and on during the

afternoon the sudden and close contact of the girl's warm young body close to his

took Billy Byrne's breath away, and sent the hot blood coursing through his

veins. It was with the utmost difficulty that he restrained a mad desire to crush

her to him and cover her face with kisses.

And then the fatal thought came to him--why should he restrain himself? What

was this girl to him? Had he not always hated her and her kind? Did she not look

with loathing and contempt upon him? And to whom did her life belong anyway

but to him--had he not saved it twice? What difference would it make? They'd

never come out of this savage world alive, and if he didn't take her some monkey-

faced Chink would get her.

111

The Mucker