So Peter sprang in and struck with all the force of his uninjured hand on the woodsman's jaw, and then Shad went down and lay quiet. It had been ridiculously easy from the first and Peter felt some pity for Shad and not a little contempt for himself. But he took the precaution of bending over the man and extracting the revolver that he found in Shad's hip pocket.
As he straightened and turned he saw Beth standing in the path regarding him.
"Beth!" he exclaimed with a glance at Shad. "You saw?"
"Yes." She covered her face with her hands. "It was horrible."
"I tried to avoid it," he protested.
"Yes, I know. It was his own fault. Is he badly hurt?"
"No, I think not. But you'd better go."
"Why?"
"It will only make matters worse if he sees you."
She understood, turned and vanished obediently.