“You will soon regret it.”

“So you have said before; but since I have little faith in such predictions, suppose you change the subject by explaining why you hold me prisoner, and how long I am to be kept in this uncomfortable position? "

“There is no reason why both questions should not be answered.  You are to remain in my custody till George Messerve arrives in Portsmouth, in order that your friends may not intimidate him, and it will be necessary to stay exactly as you are several hours longer.”

Walter asked no more questions.  He understood it was the purpose of his captors to keep him out of sight, that McCleary might believe his messenger had gotten through to Boston in safety; and, in the meanwhile, someone else would be sent to warn the newly-appointed distributor of stamped paper of something — Walter could not divine what — which might be attempted against him.

Ten minutes passed in silence, and then the voice of the half-breed could be heard far away in the distance, calling to his comrade.

With an exclamation of impatience, Haines rose to his feet, gave a careless glance at the rope which bound Walter, and then replied to the Indian as he went quickly in the direction from which the hail had come.

Left alone, Walter looked around, as if expecting to see some one who might aid him, and then tugged and strained at his bonds, trying to wrench free either hand or foot.

The rope had been tied too securely to admit of his slipping a knot, but it was nearly new, and the prisoner’s heart beat fast as he realized that by exerting all his strength it would be possible to stretch it a trifle.

If he could succeed in making his escape immediately, all might yet be well; but if he was forced to remain there until his captors returned, there was little chance he would have another opportunity.

Regardless of the pain, he writhed and twisted until bead-like drops of perspiration stood out on his forehead, and at the instant when he was convinced all efforts were useless, that portion of the rope which confined his wrists suddenly loosened sufficiently to enable him to withdraw one hand at the expense of no slight amount of skin from the knuckles.

Once he was thus far on the road to escape, the remainder was comparatively simple.

With the hand which was free he untied the knots, and in less than five minutes from the time Haines disappeared among the foliage, he was at liberty.

The only thought in his mind now was to take such a course as would best enable him to elude his pursuers, and he knew full well that the half-breed could track him where the white man would be wholly at a loss to find a trace of his movements.

“Its hard to turn back, but it must be done,” he said, half to himself, as he hesitated the merest fraction of time, and then ran down the path in the same direction from which he had come.