Her eyes
were wild with terror.
"Don't, Kane!" she begged; "don't do that! Oh, I know what you mean to
do. Please, Kane; let him go--alone. He didn't do--what--what--" She
paused, shuddering.
Lawler's eyes softened as he looked at her; he smiled faintly, and she
knew she had won. She did not resist when he drew her gently away from
the door. Standing just inside, she saw him go out to where Warden
stood, pale and shaking, looking at both of them. Then she heard
Lawler's voice as he spoke to Warden:
"Warden, I'm letting you off. Miss Ruth is going to teach school where
she's been teaching it. The schoolhouse is your deadline--the same as
this cabin. Whenever you step into one or the other, your friends are
going to mourn for you. Get going!"
It was a long time before Lawler moved. And when he did re-enter the
cabin Ruth was nowhere to be seen.
Lawler paused near the center of the big room and gazed about him. The
door leading to one of the rooms that ran from the big room was open.
The other was closed. He walked to the closed door and stood before it,
his lips set in grim lines, his eyes somber.
"Ruth!" he called, lowly.
There was no answer; and again he called. This time a smothered voice
reached him, quavering, tearful:
"Please go away, Kane; I don't want to see you.
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