Omas continued at the head. Directly behind him walked his child,
the path most of the time being so narrow that they were obliged
to travel in Indian file. Then came Alice and her mother, while
Ben considered himself the rearguard. When the space allowed, Alice
took the hand of her parent, but Linna never presumed to speak to
or interfere with her grim, silent parent.
Darkness closed around them before they had gone a couple of miles.
During all this time the tramp continued in silence, probably not
a dozen words being spoken. Each of the three elder was using eyes
and ears to the utmost.
The sharp crack of a rifle broke the silence, not more than a
hundred yards to the right of them. Everyone started except Omas,
who acted as if he did not hear the report. He made no change in
his pace, and so far as the others could see in the gloom, did not
turn his head. They concluded, therefore, that no cause for alarm
existed.
Fairly through the mountain spur and among the deep woods, the
journey was pushed until the night was well along. Suddenly, Omas
made a short turn to the right and stopping in a hollow, where there
were several large boulders, he said--"We stay here all night."
The words were a surprise, for it was expected he would travel for
a long time.
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