"But," he thought uneasily, "what is it that I bring home this time? How much is paste? My God, how droll that smile of Clinch. … Which is the false — his jewels or mine? Dieu que j'etais bete!—— Me who have not suspec' that there are two trays within my jewel-box! … I unnerstan'. It is ver' simple. In the top tray the false gems. Ah! Paste on top to deceive a thief! … Alors. … Then what I have recover of Clinch is the real! … Nom de Dieu! … I think thees dead man make mock of me — all inside himse'f——"
So, in darkness, prowling south by west, shining the trail furtively, and loaded rifle ready, Quintana moved with stealthy, unhurried tread out of the wilderness that had trapped him and toward the tangled border of that outer world which led to safe, obscure, uncharted labyrinths — old-world mazes, immemorial hunting grounds — haunted by men who prey.
* * * * *
The night had turned frosty. Quintana, wet to the knees and very tired, moved slowly, not daring to leave the trail because of sink-holes.
However, the trail led to Clinch's Dump, and sooner or later he must leave it.
What he had to have was a fire; he realised that. Somewhere off the trail, in big timber if possible, he must built a fire and master this deadly chill that was slowly paralysing all power of movement.
He knew that a fire in the forest, particularly in big timber, could be seen only a little way. He must take his chances with sink-holes and find some spot in the forest to build that fire.
Who could discover him except by accident?
Who would prowl the midnight wilderness? At thirty yards the fire would not be visible. And, as for the odour — well, he'd be gone before dawn. … Meanwhile, he must have that fire. He could wait no longer.
He cut a pole first. Then he left the trail where a little spring flowed west, and turned to the right, shining the forest floor as he moved and sounding with his pole every wet stretch of moss, every strip of mud, every tiniest glimmer of water.