He looked up. He believed again that, even in the dim light, he saw fear in the scowling faces. What dreadful secrets this distant corner of the mountain might hide! What crimes might have been committed here, undiscovered, perhaps unsuspected! An old woman might well, in her dotage, cry out facts at which her family would be terrified! The blood now rushed through Herbert’s veins.
“You’ve told her what you want,” said he. “She’ll have to decide for herself. I won’t write anything—not a word!”
There was an angry murmur. Black Smith began to declaim.
“You needn’t think the mountain people’ll stand for such talk,” said he wildly. “You—”
“Shut up!” commanded Sheldon.
Then Sheldon himself uttered a sentence of more weighty import. He accompanied it with a sharp stroke of his fist on Herbert’s knee.
“We can bury you in the grave with your gran’pappy, if that’s what you want,” said he. “He was a betrayer.”
At that there came a cry from outside the circle. Again Jinny had come close to the group in front of the cabin door.
“You’ll see destruction soon enough!” she warned.
Sheldon got to his feet and whistled. Two great dogs bounded toward him.