“You’ll come with me, of course.”
“Yes, I’ll have to take my prisoners out to headquarters at Miwasa landing—perhaps all the way to town if it is so ordered.”
“And when we get to town, what shall I do? Adrift on the world!”
“Before that I am sure we will meet with anxious inquiries for you.”
“Yes, I have a comfortable feeling at the back of my head that I have people somewhere. Poor things, what a state they must be in! It will be part of your duty to take me home, won’t it? Surely the authorities wouldn’t let me travel alone.”
“Surely not!” said Stonor assuming more confidence than he felt.
“Isn’t it strange and thrilling to think of a civilized land where trolley cars clang in the streets, and electric lights shine at night; where people, crowds and crowds of people, do exactly the same things at the same hours every day of their lives except Sundays, and never dream of any other kind of life! Think of sauntering down-town in a pretty summer dress and a becoming hat, and chatting with scores of people you know, and looking at things in the stores and buying useless trifles—where have I done all that, I wonder? Think of pulling up one’s chair to a snowy tablecloth—and, oh, Martin! the taste of good food! Funny, isn’t it, when I have forgotten so much, that I should remember things so well!”
Clare insisted that Stonor had overtired himself the last few days, and made him loaf at the paddle with many a pause to fill and light his pipe. Even so their progress was faster than in the other direction. Shortly after midday she told him that they were nearing the spot where Mary had been shot the day before. They looked eagerly for the place.
To their great disappointment Mary had gone. However, Stonor pointed out that it was a good sign she had been able to travel so soon.
They camped for the night at a spot where Mary had spelled the day before. Stonor observed from the tracks that it was the breed woman who had moved around the fire cooking. Mary apparently had been unable to leave the canoe. It made him anxious. He did not speak of it to Clare. He saw Imbrie examining the tracks also.