“An’ now you are captured yourself,” he said, sternly. “You are accountable fur your actions.”
She burst into a paroxysm of sobs. “I never went ter tell! I meant ter keep the secret! The folks in the Cove dun’no’ nuthin’. But—oh, ye mustn’t s’picion nobody else—ye mustn’t hang nobody else!”
Once more that indescribable change upon his face.
“You showed him the way to this pass yourself? Tell the truth!”
“He war ridin’ his horse-critter—‘tain’t ez fast, nor fine, nor fat ez yourn.”
He stroked the glossy mane with a sort of mechanical pride.
“And so he went plumb through the cave?”
“An’ all the troop—they kindled pine-knots fur torches.”
He glanced about him at the convenient growths.
“And they came out all safe in Greenbrier!” He winced. How the lost opportunity hurt him!