The guide regarded her for a moment.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “Don’t be disheartened, Mrs. Gray. To-morrow I shall take the other side of the river and stay out until I get a definite line on what has happened. It would have been useless to remain out longer to-night.”
After a little, when he had answered many questions, White beckoned Grace aside.
“You are a level-headed woman, Mrs. Gray, so I think it best to tell you what I have discovered. I—”
“I knew you were keeping something back. Tell me. The truth is better than the suspense.”
“No, I don’t agree with you. I found Miss Briggs’ hat and her handkerchief on my side of the river. The men with me do not know this. The current on my side of the stream set into a bend at one point, then switched over to the right-hand side. That is why I am going down the right-hand side to-morrow. To me the finding of the hat is proof that our missing woman was really swept downstream, but my confidence in Miss Briggs’ cool-headedness is so strong that I believe she found a way to get out of the river.”
“I hope so,” replied Grace quietly. “By the same token, I think we shall find Stacy. If he succeeds in finding something to eat, he will remain where the food is until it is exhausted,” she added with a little smile.
“Just so,” agreed the guide. “I am more disturbed about possible peril to Miss Briggs after she escaped from the river.”
“Meaning what?” demanded Grace.
“That there is danger to the north of us—a peril worse than forest fires or wild beasts.”