He was haunted, if not with remorse,
at least by a dread of something most disagreeable in connection
with what he had done. Alice's white face had impressed itself
indelibly on his memory, so that it met his inner vision at every
turn. He was afraid to converse with Farnsworth lest she should
come up for discussion; consequently their interview was curt and
formal.
It was soon discovered that Alice had escaped from the stockade,
and some show of search was made for her by Hamilton's order, but
Farnsworth looked to it that the order was not carried out. He
thought he saw at once that his chief knew where she was. The
mystery perplexed and pained the young man, and caused him to fear
all sorts of evil; but there was a chance that Alice had found a
safe retreat and he knew that nothing but ill could befall her if
she were discovered and brought back to the fort. Therefore his
search for her became his own secret and for his own heart's ease.
And doubtless he would have found her; for even handicapped and
distorted love like his is lynx-eyed and sure on the track of its
object; but a great event intervened and swept away his
opportunity.
Hamilton's uneasiness, which was that of a strong, misguided
nature trying to justify itself amid a confusion of unmanageable
doubts and misgivings, now vented itself in a resumption of the
repairs he had been making at certain points in the fort.
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