“Oh, no. I had no idea where you had gone. I am on my way to Big Chance to attend an injured miner. The storm caused us to take refuge here.”
“Who is travelling with you?”
“Sergeant North, and”
Before Marion could finish, Hugo was on his feet. The old expression of hate and fear had returned to his eyes, and in an instant he was completely transformed. With a bound he was across the room. In another instant he had seized his snow-shoes, rifle, and a bundle lying upon the floor. Then with a swift glance toward his daughter, he rushed to the door, tore it open, called to his dog, and plunged out into the storm.
All this happened so quickly that Marion was amazed and dumbfounded. But when her father had left she hurried to the door and looked out. But no sign of him could she see. He had vanished in the forest and the storm. A terrible dread now swept upon her. Only one meaning could she take from her father’s peculiar action. He must be fleeing from the Police! But why unless he had committed some crime? She thought of the murder near the C. D. Cut-Off. Did her father commit that?
Forgotten was the storm as she stood in the doorway, staring out among the trees. She thought nothing of the cold, neither did she notice the sergeant until he was but a few yards away.
“Marion! Marion! what is the matter?” he asked in astonishment, noticing the strained look upon her face. “Has anything happened?”
Marion gave a nervous laugh as she stepped back into the room, closely followed by the sergeant.
“I am lonely, that’s all,” she evaded. “The man you left with me has gone.”
