Marion was alive despite her brother's somber prophesies.

If she had killed herself the sheriff would not have coupled her name with Winnsome's in the way he had.
Nathaniel's nerves were breaking with suspense.

He stifled his breath to listen, to catch the faintest whisper that might come to him from the white faced man at his side.

Each passing moment of silence added to his desperation.

He squeezed the sheriff's hand with his arm, but there was no responding signal; in a patch of thick gloom that almost concealed the figures ahead he pressed near to him and lowered his head again--and Jeekum pushed him back fiercely, with a low curse.
They emerged from the forest and the clear starlight shone down upon them.