“This way, father! Come to me!”
Sevier hesitated. He could hear his antagonist crashing away in frantic flight and he knew he could easily overtake him. But close at hand Major Tonpit was loudly calling, and the girl could not be left alone. Now she was on her feet and staring at him wildly.
“Who are you with a knife in your hand?” she whispered.
He advanced and with a little scream of terror she drew back, not recognizing him because of his disordered garments, his scratched and soiled countenance.
“You’ve forgotten John Sevier?” he asked.
With a glad cry she ran to him and clutched his arm and stared about in search of Hester.
“He’s run away, Miss Elsie,” Sevier soothed. “He won’t bother you any more. And your father is coming.”
“Father escaped from them!” she rejoiced, and lifting her voice she called to him.
Sevier picked up his rifle and examined the priming, then loaded Hester’s gun. Securing Hester’s horse he swung Elsie into the saddle and led the way back to his own mount, cautioning:
“Don’t call again. I can find him. If the outlaws are following him he’ll bring them down on us. Hester will set them on our trail soon enough without any help from us.”