For God's sake, man, speak up!" The wounded man strove to rise, but could not, then considered for a moment before he said: "I sent her away." "Where ?" "Up-river, on that freighter that left last night.

She'll go out by Skagway, and I'll join her later, where I can have her to myself.

She's forty miles up-river now, and getting farther every minute--oh, you can't catch her!" The three men stared at one another blankly.
"Why did she go ?" said Gale, dully.
"Because I told her who she was, and who you are; because she thinks you killed her mother; because she was glad to get away." Now that he was grown too weak to inflict violent pain, the man lied malevolently, gloating over what he saw in the trader's face.
"Never mind, old man, I'll bring her back," said Burrell, and laid a comforting hand on Gale's shoulder, for the fact that she was safe, the fact of knowing something relieved him immensely; but Stark's next words plunged him into even blacker horror than the trader felt.
"You won't want her if you catch her.

Runnion will see to that." "Runnion!" "Yes, I sent him with her." The lover cried out in anguish, and hid his face in his hands.
"He's wanted her for a long time, so I told him to go ahead--" None of them noticed Poleon Doret, who, upon this unnatural confession, alone seemed to retain sufficient control to doubt and to reason.

He was thinking hard, straightening out certain facts, and trying to square this horrible statement with things he had seen and heard to-night.