on
Stagg would have been a murderer if he could--that in fact he had
committed murder in his heart? Could he never escape from the unspoken
reproach? No; not even on the heights of these solitary hills!

The woman turned about and went into the house for the milk. While she
was gone, Sim stood at the gate. In an instant the thought of his own
necessities, his own distresses, gave place to the thought of Ralph
Ray's. At that instant he turned his eyes again to the Scarf Gap. The
three men had covered the top, and were on the more level side of the
hill, riding hard down towards Ennerdale. They would be upon him in
ten minutes more.

The woman was coming from her house with a cup of milk in her hand;
but, without waiting to accept of it, Sim started away and ran at his
utmost speed over the fell. The woman stood with the cup in her hand,
watching the thin figure vanishing in the distance, and wondering if
it had been an apparition.

V. "You can't understand why Mr. Wilfrey Lawson is so keen to lay hands
on this man Ray?" said Constable David.

"That I cannot," said Constable Jonathan.

"Why, isn't it enough that he was in the trained bands of the
Parliament?"

"Enough for the King--and this new law of Puritan extermination--yes;
for Master Wilfrey--no. Besides, the people can't stand this hanging
of the old Puritan soldiers much longer. The country had been worried
and flurried by the Parliament, and cried out like a wearied man for
rest--any sort of rest--and it has got it--got it with a vengeance.
But there's no rest more restless than that of an active man except
that of an active country, and England won't put up with this
butchering of men to-day for doing what was their duty yesterday--yes,
their duty, for that's what you call it."

"So you think Master Wilfrey means to set a double trap for Ray?"

"I don't know what he means; but he doesn't hunt down a common
Roundhead out of thousands with nothing but 'duty' in his head; that's
not Master Wilfrey Lawson's way."

"But this man was a captain of the trained bands latterly," said the
little constable. "Fellow," he cried to Mr. Garth, who rode along
moodily enough in front of them, "did this Ray ever brag to you of
what he did as captain in the army?"

"What was he? Capt'n? I never heard on't," growled the blacksmith.

"Brag--pshaw! He's hardly the man for that," said Constable Jonathan.

"I mind they crack't of his saving the life of old Wilson," said