"These woods are untouched," she said.
Again Buck laughed. It was a grim laugh which had no mirth, but yet was it dashed by a wonderful recklessness.
"So far," he said. Then he added, with a quick look up at the belching smoke, "If they weren't I don't guess we'd be here now. Say, it's God's mercy sure this trail heads from the farm southeast. Further on it swings away at a fork. One trail goes due east, an' the other sou'west. One of 'em's sure cut by the fire. An' the other--wal, it's a gamble with luck."
"It's the only way out?" The girl's eyes were wide with her question and the knowledge of the meaning of a reply in the affirmative.
"That's so."
"We're like--rats in a trap."
A sharp oath escaped the man's lips.
"We ain't beat yet," he cried fiercely.
The reply was the heart of the man speaking. Joan understood it. And from it she understood more. She understood the actual peril in the midst of which they were.
There was nothing more to be said. Buck's whole attention was upon the billows of smoke and the lurid reflections thereon. The thunders above them, the blinding lightnings, left him undisturbed. The wind, the smoke and the fire were his only concern now. Already, ahead, he could see in the vague light where the trail gave to the left. Beyond that was the fork.
Joan gave no thought to these things. She had no right understanding of how best they could be served. She was studying the face of the man, the dark, brave face that was now her whole world. She was aware of the horseman behind, with his burden, she was aware of the horrors surrounding them, but the face of the man held her, held her without a qualm of fear--now. If death lay before them she was in his arms.
Buck's thoughts were far enough from death. He had snatched the woman he loved from its very jaws, and he had no idea of yielding. There was no comfort for him in the thought of their dying together. Living, yes. Life was more sweet to him just then than ever it had been before. And he meant that they two should live on, and on.
They passed the bend and the forking trail loomed up amidst the shadows. The crisis had come. And as they reached the vital spot Buck took hold of the horse and reined him up. In a moment the Padre was at his side with his inanimate burden.
Joan stared at the still form of her relative while the men talked.