White took the strong young hand and felt his eyes grow misty.

“Yo’ place is here, Burke,” he said, and then Lawson was on his way.

A half hour later he encountered Marg.  In his own mind Burke had a pretty clear idea of what had occurred.  Not having heard any suggestion of Truedale, he was as ignorant of him as though Truedale had never existed.  Jed, then, was the only man to hold guilty.  Jed had, in passion and revenge, wronged Nella-Rose and had after, like the sneak and coward he was, sought to secure his own safety by marrying Marg.  But what had they done with Nella-Rose?  She had, according to White, disappeared the night that Jed had been tied in the cave.  Well, Jed must confess and pay!—­pay to the uttermost.  But between him and Jed Marg now stood!

“You!” cried Marg.  “You!  What yo’ mean coming brazen to us-all?”

“Get out of my way!” commanded Burke, “Where’s Jed?”

“What’s that to you?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.  Let me by.”

But Marg held her ground and Lawson waited.  The look in his eyes awed Marg, but his presence enraged her.

“What you-all done with Nella-Rose?” Lawson asked.

“You better find out!  You’ve left it long enough.”

“Whar is she, I say?  And I tell you now, Marg—­every one as has wronged that lil’ girl will answer to me.  Whar is she?”

“She—­she and her young-un are up to Lois Ann’s.  They’ve been hid all winter.  No one but me knows; you’ve time to make good—­before—­before father and Jed get yo’.”

Lawson took this like a blow between the eyes.  He could not speak—­for a moment he could not think; then a lurid fire of conviction burned into his very soul.

“So—­that’s it!” he muttered, coming so close to Marg that she shrank back afraid.  “So that’s it!  Yo’-all have damned and all but killed the po’ lil’ girl—­then flung her to—­to the devil!  You’ve taken the leavings—­you! ‘cause yo’ couldn’t get anything else.  Yo’ and Jed” (here Lawson laughed a fearless, terrifying laugh), “yo’ and Jed is honourably married, you two, and she—­lil’ Nella-Rose—­left to—­” Emotion choked Lawson; then he plunged on:  “He—­he wronged her—­the brute, and you took him to—­to save him and yourself you—!  And she?—­why, she’s the only holy thing in the hills; you couldn’t damn her—­you two!”

“For the love o’ Gawd!” begged Marg, “keep yo’ tongue still and off us!  We ain’t done her any wrong; every one, even Jed, thinks she is with you.  Miss Lois Ann hid her—­I only knew a week ago.  I ain’t told a soul!”

A look of contempt grew upon Burke’s face and hardened there.  He was thinking quick and desperately.  In a vague way he realized that he had the reins in his hands; his only concern was to know whither he should drive.  But, above and beyond all—­deep true, and spiritual—­were his love and pity for Nella-Rose.

They had all betrayed and deserted her.  Not for an instant did Lawson doubt that.  Their cowardice and duplicity neither surprised nor daunted him; but his pride—­his sense of superiority—­bade him pause and reflect before he plunged ahead.  Finally he said: