CHAPTER XVII

THE AXE IS GONE


My first thought was of the after house. Jones, who had been fond
of Burns, was working over him, muttering to himself. I felt his
heart, which was beating slowly but regularly, and, convinced that
he was not dying, ran down into the after house. The cabin was
empty: evidently the guard around the pearl handled revolver had
been given up on the false promise of peace. All the lights were
going, however, and the heat was suffocating.

I ran to Miss Lee's door, and tried it. It was locked, but almost
instantly she spoke from inside:

"What is it?"

"Nothing much. Can you come out?"

She came a moment later, and I asked her to call into each cabin
to see if every one was safe. The result was reassuring--no one
had been disturbed; and I was put to it to account to Miss Lee for
my anxiety without telling her what had happened. I made some sort
of excuse, which I have forgotten, except that she evidently did
not believe it.