your indemnity a lie."

"Take care, young man; keep your strong words for better service, and
do you profit by what we say."

"_That_ for what you say," cried Willy, losing all self-control and
snapping his fingers before their faces. "Do your worst; and be sure
of this, that nothing would prevail with me to disclose my brother's
whereabouts even if I knew it, which I do not."

The constables laughed. "We know all about it, you see. Ha! ha! You
want a touch of your brother's temper, young master. He could hardly
fizz over like this. We should have less trouble with him if he could.
But he's a vast deal cooler than that--worse luck!"

Willy's anger was not appeased by this invidious parallel. "That's
enough," he cried at all but the full pitch of his voice, pointing at
the same time to the door.

The men smiled grimly and turned about.

"Remember, a fortnight to-day, and we'll be with you again."

Rotha clung to the rannel-tree rafter to support herself. Willy thrust
out his arm again, trembling with excitement.

"A fortnight to-day," repeated the constable calmly, and pulled the
door after him.

CHAPTER XXIII. SHE NEVER TOLD HER LOVE.

When the door had closed behind the constables, Willy Ray sank
exhausted into a chair. The tension of excitement had been too much
for his high-strung temperament, and the relapse was swift and
painful.

"Pardon and indemnity!" he muttered, "a mockery and a lie--that's what
it is, as I told them. Once in their clutches, and there would be no
pardon and no indemnity. I know enough for that. It's a trick to catch
us, but, thank God, we cannot be caught."

"Yet I think Ralph ought to know; that is, if we can tell him," said
Rotha. She was still clinging to the rannel-tree over the ingle. Her
face, which had been flushed, was now ashy pale, and her lips were
compressed.

"He would deliver himself up. I know him too well; I cannot doubt what
he would do," said Willy.

"Still, I think he ought to know," said Rotha. The girl was speaking
in a low tone, but with every accent of resolution.

"He would be denied the pardon if he obtained the indemnity. He would
be banished perhaps for years."

"Still, I think he ought to know." Rotha spoke calmly and slowly, but
with every evidence of suppressed emotion.

"My dear Rotha," said Willy in a peevish tone, "I understand this
matter better than you think for, and I know my brother better than
you can know him. There would b