“Katie!”
She stopped in an instant and turned—she knew the voice. Then, seeing who was her pursuer, she held out her arms, and with a loud cry, rushed to meet him. It was her lover, coming with radiant face and outstretched arms to meet her.
It were worse than useless to attempt to describe the meeting. Suffice it to say they clasped each other in their arms, and Katie wept for joy, and he murmured glad, comforting words to her; she nestled close, and implored his protection; while he swelled and strutted in vast pride, and longed for an enemy to appear, that he might have an opportunity to fight for her.
When she was somewhat composed, she told the story, truthfully, and minutely. Then he became enraged and grew red in the face and scowled; now he had a double account to settle with Downing. Then, suddenly recollecting her long fast, he bade her stay where she was while he went off with his gun to procure food.
He was not long, and soon came back with a brace of red squirrels, the first animals he had seen. Striking a light, he soon had a fire burning, while Katie dressed the squirrels in a trice. Then, bidding her cook them, he started off for more—he would have destroyed all the animals in the forest for her sake. He came back soon with another brace—these being the only eatable animals at that time of the year. He found her busily engaged in disposing of the first brace, eating joyfully. They were young and very tender, and after her long fast she ate voraciously.
While she ate, he watched her, smiling to himself, and exulting over her, and told of his absence from the party. He had been off on a peculiar trail, which he supposed was that of the mysterious hunchback. His attention had been drawn to her by the snapping of the twig, and he hotly pursued her, believing it was the one he sought. They were near the landing, and the party were on the other side of the lake, distant about four miles.
She finished eating, and he arose.
“Come, darling,” he said; “let us hasten back to our friends. There may be danger in remaining here.”
He took her hand, and walking rapidly, (for she was now quite refreshed and strong,) they hurried toward the other side of the lake. He did not go toward the settlement, for he reasoned that, when Katie’s escape was discovered, as it undoubtedly was, the robbers would instantly get between the swamp and the settlement in order to intercept her. Thinking they were off the island, he thought they were in the forest toward the settlement—hence his hurrying to join the party.
His reasoning, though evidently correct, was erroneous. When the settlers found the cabins empty, and the island bare, they thought the robbers had evacuated it, but in fact they had been concealed in an underground pit or passage, dug ready for an emergency. So Walter’s escape would have been certain if he had at once moved toward the settlement; but instead, he was running point-blank into danger.