Judson, carried away by a fanatical belief that he was doing right, looked about nervously for Ruth. An eleventh hour conscience had made him a little doubtful, and in the light of the flaring torches he met the girl's eyes full. They were the eyes of a ranger, cold, and without feeling their look struck cold terror to his heart and he faltered a moment before he resolutely looked away. When he turned back the girl's head was bowed again—she still believed. The storm was brewing and the air was full of breathless. Suddenly there came a blare of lightning across the unnatural cheek of the sky, followed by a rumbling detonation of thunder. The talking among the men almost ceased—and they looked at each other fearsomely. Then someone shouted: "Let's get this thing over before it rains!" There came another lightning flash, making the torch light sickly in companion with the yellow flare that lit up the heavens, and the deacon with a final motion gave the signal. Judson cut the horse sharply with the whip and the frightened animal sprang forward. At the same moment Tom Judson sprang into the lighted circle, almost fainting with the effort, he had made. "Stop," he shouted, "I took the money. He is innocent!" The words were screamed above the sound of the storm that swept down over the valley. For barely a second, Lee's body swung free from the giant limb, and then with a sickening crash a fellow bolt of lightning smote the branch, cutting it cleanly from the trunk and hovered it.  During the doomed man to the ground. 