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woods for the missing teacher。 A couple of hours later； they found her
lying unconscious in the edge of the swamp； only a few rods from a well…
defined path which would soon have led her to the open highway。 Strong
arms lifted her gently and bore her home。 Mrs。 Johnson undressed her
and put her to bed； administering a homely remedy； of which whiskey was
the principal ingredient； to counteract the effects of the exposure。 There
was a doctor within five miles； but no one thought of sending for him； nor
was it at all likely that it would have been possible to get him for such a
case at such an hour。
Rena's illness； however； was more deeply seated than her friends could
imagine。 A tired body； in sympathy with an overwrought brain； had left
her peculiarly susceptible to the nervous shock of her forest experience。
The exposure for several hours in her wet clothing to the damps and
miasma of the swamp had brought on an attack of brain fever。 The next
morning； she was delirious。 One of the children took word to the
schoolhouse that the teacher was sick and there would be no school that
day。 A number of curious and sympathetic people came in from time to
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time and suggested various remedies； several of which old Mrs。 Johnson；
with catholic impartiality； administered to the helpless teacher； who from
delirium gradually sunk into a heavy stupor scarcely distinguishable from
sleep。 It was predicted that she would probably be well in the morning；
if not； it would then be time to consider seriously the question of sending
for a doctor。
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XXXII
THE POWER OF LOVE
After Tryon's failure to obtain an interview with Rena through Plato's
connivance； he decided upon a different course of procedure。 In a few
days her school term would be finished。 He was not less desirous to see
her； was indeed as much more eager as opposition would be likely to make
a very young man who was accustomed to having his own way； and whose
heart； as he had discovered； was more deeply and permanently involved
than he had imagined。 His present plan was to wait until the end of the
school； then； when Rena went to Clinton on the Saturday or Monday to
draw her salary for the month； he would see her in the town； or； if
necessary； would follow her to Patesville。 No power on earth should
keep him from her long； but he had no desire to interfere in any way with
the duty which she owed to others。 When the school was over and her
work completed； then he would have his innings。 Writing letters was too
unsatisfactory a method of communicationhe must see her face to face。
The first of his three days of waiting had passed； when； about ten
o'clock on the morning of the second day； which seemed very long in
prospect； while driving along the road toward Clinton； he met Plato； with a
rabbit trap in his hand。
〃Well； Plato；〃 he asked； 〃why are you absent from the classic shades of
the academy to…day？〃
〃Hoddy； Mars Geo'ge。 W'at wuz dat you say？〃
〃Why are you not at school to…day？〃
〃Ain' got no teacher； Mars Geo'ge。 Teacher's gone！〃
〃Gone！〃 exclaimed Tryon； with a sudden leap of the heart。 〃Gone
where？ What do you mean？〃
〃Teacher got los' in de swamp； night befo' las'； 'cause Plato wa'n't dere
ter show her de way out'n de woods。 Elder Johnson foun' 'er wid dawgs
and tawches； an' fotch her home an' put her ter bed。 No school yistiddy。
She wuz out'n her haid las' night； an' dis mawnin' she wuz gone。〃
〃Gone where？〃
〃Dey don' nobody know whar； suh。〃
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Leaving Plato abruptly； Tryon hastened down the road toward Elder
Johnson's cabin。 This was no time to stand on punctilio。 The girl had
been lost in the woods in the storm； amid the thunder and lightning and the
pouring rain。 She was sick with fright and exposure； and he was the
cause of it all。 Bribery； corruption； and falsehood had brought
punishment in their train； and the innocent had suffered while the guilty
escaped。 He must learn at once what had become of her。 Reaching
Elder Johnson's house； he drew up by the front fence and gave the
customary halloa； which summoned a woman to the door。
〃Good…morning；〃 he said； nodding unconsciously； with the careless
politeness of a gentleman to his inferiors。 〃I'm Mr。 Tryon。 I have come
to inquire about the sick teacher。〃
〃Why； suh；〃 the woman replied respectfully； 〃she got los' in de woods
night befo' las'； an' she wuz out'n her min' most er de time yistiddy。 Las'
night she must 'a' got out er bed an' run away w'en eve'ybody wuz soun'
asleep； fer dis mawnin' she wuz gone； an' none er us knows whar she is。〃
〃Has any search been made for her？〃
〃Yas； suh； my husban' an' de child'en has been huntin' roun' all de
mawnin'； an' he's gone ter borry a hoss now ter go fu'ther。 But Lawd
knows dey ain' no tellin' whar she'd go； 'less'n she got her min' back sence
she lef'。〃
Tryon's mare was in good condition。 He had money in his pocket and
nothing to interfere with his movements。 He set out immediately on the
road to Patesville； keeping a lookout by the roadside； and stopping each
person he met to inquire if a young woman； apparently ill； had been seen
traveling along the road on foot。 No one had met such a traveler。 When
he had gone two or three miles； he drove through a shallow branch that
crossed the road。 The splashing of his horse's hoofs in the water
prevented him from hearing a low groan that came from the woods by the
roadside。
He drove on； making inquiries at each farmhouse and of every person
whom he encountered。 Shortly after crossing the branch； he met a young
negro with a cartload of tubs and buckets and piggins； and asked him if he
had seen on the road a young white woman with dark eyes and hair；
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apparently sick or demented。 The young man answered in the negative；
and Tryon pushed forward anxiously。
At noon he stopped at a farmhouse and swallowed a hasty meal。 His
inquiries here elicited no information； and he was just leaving when a
young man came in late to dinner and stated； in response to the usual
question； that he had met； some two hours before； a young woman who
answered Tryon's description； on the Lillington road； which crossed the
main road to Patesville a short distance beyond the farmhouse。 He had
spoken to the woman。 At first she had paid no heed to his question。
When addressed a second time； she had answered in a rambling and
disconnected way； which indicated to his mind that there was something
wrong with her。
Tryon thanked his informant and hastened to the Lillington road。
Stopping as before to inquire； he followed the woman for several hours；
each mile of the distance taking him farther away from Patesville。 From
time to time he heard of the woman。 Toward nightfall he found her。
She was white enough； with the sallowness of the sandhill poor white。
She was still young； perhaps； but poverty and a hard life made her look
older than she ought。 She was not fair； and she was not Rena。 When
Tryon came up to her； she was sitting on the doorsill of a miserable cabin；
and held in her hand a bottle； the contents of which had never paid any
revenue tax。 She had walked twenty miles that day； and had beguiled the
tedium of the journey by occasional potations； which probably