"To the woods?"
"The woman is in the woods. She must have gone at the first alarm. I cannot find her here."
"Ask the captives. They will know."
"It is useless to ask them. They will not speak now. It is a code. I am going to the woods. Send what soldiers you can to search with me."
"Shall I send Indians with you, too?"
"Not now. They are useless now. They could trail nothing. Let me go."
He followed like a father. "You will come back?"
"Yes, I will come back."
But I had three things to do before I was free to go to the woods. To go to the woods where I would find the woman.
I searched for the Miami slave woman. She was dead. That cut my last hope of news.