While still looking toward the cabin, all became dark again. The door was closed, but he could not be sure whether the man stood outside or within.
"If he means to do me harm he will soon be at my heels."
But the straining eyes could not catch the outlines of any one, and the only sound was the moaning wind among the bare branches.
"He has gone back into the house, but may come out again."
And so, while picking his way through the dim forests, you may be sure that Harvey Bradley looked behind him many times. It makes one shiver with dread to suspect that a foe is softly following him. Harvey had buttoned his pea jacket to his chin and he now turned up the collar, so that it touched his ears. His hands were shoved deep into the side pockets and the right one rested upon his revolver that he had withdrawn from its usual place at his hip. He was on the alert for whatever might come.
He was pleased with one fact: the path to which so many references were made, was so clearly marked that he found it easy to avoid going wrong.
"If I had had sense enough to take the right course when I first struck it, I would have been home by this time."
After turning around several times without seeing or hearing anything suspicious, he came to believe that however glad O'Hara and Hansell might be to do him harm, they lacked the courage, unless almost sure against detection.
"Hugh will stir up others to go forward, but he will take good care to protect himself."
The dull roar that he once fancied he heard when tramping aimlessly during the day, was now so distinct that he knew he must be near a stream. The path crossed it at no great distance.