Had he known all, or had he even at that moment been granted a vision of the camp by the great deadfall, he would scarcely have been so complacent of mind. For at the very time when he was congratulating himself on the opportunity opening out before him, Helen Yardely was seated on a log by the side of the man whom he hated. There was a high colour in her face and she was laughing a little nervously as she looked at the astonished face of the sick man who had been her rescuer and was now her patient.
"Miss Yardely," cried Stane, "do you really mean what you say?"
"Of course I do," replied the girl lightly.
"And Gerald Ainley with another man camped within two miles of here two nights ago?"
"I should say the distance to the lake is even less than that," replied Helen with a little laugh.
"And you let them go without a sign."
"I hid myself in the bushes," replied the girl, gaily.
"But do you realize that they were probably, searching for you?"
"Yes! And I was afraid that they might find me. I even put out the fire that they should not discover our camp and come up to investigate. When I saw them going away yestermorning I could have clapped my hands for gladness."
Stane looked at her incredulously. Here was something that was beyond him.