He realized that to go on--to seek blindly for Quade in the darkness, would be folly.

He went back, tapped at the door, and reentered the cabin when Joanne threw back the lock.
She was still pale.

Her eyes were bright.
"I was coming--in a moment," she said, "I was beginning to fear that----" "-- he had struck me down in the dark ?" added Aldous, as she hesitated.
"Well, he would like to do just that, Joanne." Unconsciously her name had slipped from him.

It seemed the most natural thing in the world for him to call her Joanne now.

"Is it necessary for me to tell you what this man Quade is--why he was looking through the window ?" She shuddered.
"No--no--I understand!" "Only partly," continued Aldous, his face white and set.