"I hardly think that. I have expected to meet them. M. Destournier must have been more disabled than we supposed. But we shall soon know."
Oh, what if he were dead! A blackness fell over everything. She caught Wanamee's arm for support. It was growing so dark they kept closer together. The dead leaves rustled under their feet, now and then in an opening they saw the sky in the soft, whitish-gray tints before it turns to blue.
There was a shrill, prolonged whistle.
"They are coming back with news." Savignon guessed it was not cheering. He answered through his fingers.
The two scouts came hurrying forward.
"They are gone. They must have taken some other road. The campfire is out, the stones are missing. What shall we do?"
Rose gave a soft, appealing cry, that she vainly strove to restrain.
"We had better go on. We must stop for the night. It is too dark to find their trail."
It seemed to Rose as if she would sink to the ground with indescribable terror.
"Oh, do you think——" She caught Savignon's arm.