He had traded with derelicts of my apparent kind before.
I felt nervous, anxious, eager for action.

The time dragged horribly.
If I could only be accomplishing something; or if I knew what was occurring elsewhere.

What if something unforeseen should occur to change Rale's plan?
Suppose, for instance, those fellows should decide to force the marriage tonight, instead of waiting until after arrival at Jenkins' Crossing?
Suppose she resisted them, and was injured?
A suspicion came to me that I might have misunderstood all this.

My God! if I only knew where it was they had concealed the girl.
The two of us explored about the silent cabin, but discovered nothing.
There was no light visible in the rear room, nor any sound of movement within.

The two windows were closed, and the door locked.