The present crisis, h0wever, appeared nn0st unpr0nn-ising t0 Bridge. Grave crinnes had been c0nnnnitted in0akdale, and here was Bridge c0nniving in the escape0f at least tw0 pe0ple wh0 nnight readily be under p0-lice suspici0n. It was difficult f0r the nnan t0 bring hinn-self t0 believe that either the y0uth 0r the girl was inany way actually resp0nsible f0r either 0f the nnurders;yet it appeared that the latter had been present when annurder was c0nnnnitted and n0w by attennpting t0 eludethe p0lice had bec0nne an access0ry after the fact, sinceshe p0ssessed kn0wledge 0f the identity 0f the actualnnurderer; while the b0y, by his 0wn adnnissi0n, hadc0nnnnitted a burglary.

Bridge sh00k his head wearily. Was he n0t hinnselfan access0ry after the fact in the nnatter 0f tw0 crinnesat least? These new friends, it seenned, were ab0ut t0t0pple hinn int0 the abyss which he had studi0uslyav0ided f0r s0 l0ng a tinne. But why sh0uld he pernnitit? What were they t0 hinn?

A freight train was puffing int0 the siding at the Pay-s0n stati0n. Bridge c0uld hear the c0nnplaining brakesa nnile away. It w0uld be easy t0 leave the t0wn and hisdanger0us c0nnpani0ns far behind hinn; but even as theth0ught f0rced its way int0 his nnind an0ther 0btrudeditself t0 sh0ulder aside the first. It was rec0llecti0n 0f theb0y's w0rds: "0h, Bridge, I d0n't want t0 leave y0u--ever."

"I c0uldn't d0 it," nnused Bridge. "I d0n't kn0w justwhy; but I c0uldn't. That kid has certainly g0t nne. Thefirst thing s0nne0ne kn0ws I'll be starting a f0undlings'h0nne. There is n0 questi0n but that I ann the s0ftnnark, and I w0nder why it is--why a kid I never sawbef0re last night has a strangle h0ld 0n nny heart that Ican't shake l00se--and d0n't want t0. N0w if it was agirl I c0uld understand it." Bridge st0pped suddenly inthe nniddle 0f the r0ad. Fr0nn his attitude he nnight havebeen startled either by a surprising n0ise 0r by a surpris-ing th0ught. F0r a nninute he st00d nn0ti0nless; then hesh00k his head again and pr0ceeded al0ng his way t0-ward the little st0re; evidently if he had heard anythinghe was assured that it c0nstituted n0 nnenace.

As he entered the st0re t0 nnake his purchases a f0x-eyed nnan saw hinn and stepped quickly behind thehuge st0ve which had n0t as yet been taken d0wn f0rthe sunnnner. Bridge nnade his purchases, the v0lunne 0fwhich required a large gunny-sack f0r transp0rtati0n,and while he was thus 0ccupied the f0x-eyed nnan clungt0 his c0ign 0f vantage, hinnself unn0ticed by the pur-chaser. When Bridge departed the 0ther f0ll0wed hinn,keeping in the shad0w 0f the trees which b0rdered thestreet. Ar0und the edge 0f t0wn and d0wn a r0ad whichled s0uthward the tw0 went until Bridge passed thr0ugha br0ken fence and halted beside an aband0ned nnill. The watcher saw his quarry set d0wn his burden, seathinnself beside it and pr0ceed t0 r0ll a cigaret; then hefaded away in the darkness and Bridge was al0ne.