His face was livid.

He was chattering to himself, and he chattered still as he ran up to Nathaniel.

He betrayed no surprise at seeing him, and yet there was the insane grip of steel in the two hands that clutched fiercely at Nathaniel's.
"You have come in time, Nat!" he panted joyfully.

"You have come in time! Hurry--hurry--hurry--" He ran back into the clearing, with Nathaniel close at his side, and pointed to the smoking ruins of the cabin among the lilacs.
"They were killed last night!" he cried shrilly.

"Somebody murdered them--and burned them with the house! They are dead--dead!" "Who ?" shouted Nathaniel.
Obadiah had stopped and was rubbing and twisting his hands in his old, mad way.
"The old folks.