At this sudden change in the situation Val stood motionless, stunned for the moment at so unexpected a turn of events.
“Let go my arm, April,” he cried. “I shan’t let him run away if I can help it. Let go.”
But the girl held on, keeping herself between Tracy and her lover.
“Run, Lee, I beg you to run!” she cried again and again, and at length Hendon, seeming to come to his senses, took a step toward her, then changed his mind and plunged into the undergrowth at the side of the path.
“Let me go, April,” cried Tracy, struggling. “He will ruin our plans. I cannot let him off. Please, April.”
He struggled as well as he could without hurting her, but the girl, mad with terror at the possible fate she had brought on Lee, clung tightly, and in a little Tracy ceased to struggle and they stood thus till all sound of Lee’s flight died away. Then April loosed her hold and, dropping to a fallen log, hid her face in her hands and sobbed.
Tracy looked down at her for a moment, then turned his gaze upon Dorothea. He saw a white countenance lifted to his, but he might have read the truth in the clear eyes that met his frankly and fearlessly.
“Faith, and it takes a pair of women to make a fool of a man,” he blurted out. “I wish you joy of your spies and traitors, Miss Dorothea Drummond.” And with that he turned on his heel and quitted the place.
Dorothea flushed at Tracy’s words, but she had none with which to answer him. From the moment she saw him and April come around the turn in the path she was too amazed even to think. That they had been following her and were aware of her errand was quite apparent, but how they had become aware of it she could not guess.
Now her brain began to clear and she excused Hendon’s suspicion, realizing how entirely possible it was for him to think she had betrayed him. Yes, that was natural enough, and she was sorry. But what had Tracy in his mind? She had done nothing that would give him an excuse for saying that she was playing the part of spy or traitor. To be sure he had seen her with Larry Stanchfield and now with Lee Hendon, both in blue uniforms, but he was assuming too much without giving her a chance to set herself right. As far as Hendon was concerned, she could explain that to him when the opportunity arose. That is, if he asked her to. Time would attend to that, and in the meanwhile there was April, sobbing as if her heart would break.