It was a woman who stared in, there could be no questioning that fact. And so far as he could tell she seemed to be alone, for he neither saw nor heard any sign of a second party.
Once he knew her burning gaze was fastened upon the bunch of straw which he had arranged so as to serve as a veil, back of which he might continue to watch what was taking place.
Elmer fairly held his breath, fearing that she might have discovered the lurker, or at least entertained suspicions regarding his presence there.
But not so.
Her eyes, having swept back and forth until they had fairly covered the whole interior of the dimly lighted shack, seemed to be attracted toward one particular spot.
This was where the string of beads hung from the nail driven into a log.
It was the lodestone which had served to draw this woman once more into the danger zone.
And from that instant, if Elmer had allowed the slightest doubt to creep into his mind before, it no longer found lodgment there.
The woman was bound to enter in order to obtain possession of that precious string of beads.
Once she thrust her head and shoulders through the opening and attempted to clutch the rosary, but the effort was useless.