uld listen to them.

In the meanwhile, nobody else seemed to be aware that anything unusual
was going on. All had happened in a minute or two, and the clanging of
the fiddle and the patter of the dancers' feet had drowned any sound
that rose from the dynamo-room. Nasmyth had not long to wait before
Gordon stepped in and quietly set about his surgical work, after
someone had dipped up a little water from the sluice.

"Yes," said Gordon, "it's quite a nice clean slice, and I guess it's
not going to trouble you much, though you won't walk very far for a
week or two. As soon as we can get you to the dam, I'll put a proper
dressing on." Then he looked up sharply. "In the meanwhile, I don't
quite see how you cut yourself like that."

"As a matter of fact, I didn't," said Nasmyth, with evident
reluctance. "I suppose you will have to be told." He looked round at
the others. "Boys, I particularly don't want this thing to go any
further."

He related what had happened, and one of the men stood up. "I wouldn't
worry over that," he replied. "We're not going to talk, and if Jake
does, one of us will pound a little sense into him. Now I'll slip out
and get Highton's team."

After that they gave Nasmyth some cider, and a few minutes later he
limped out through the opening in the wall and across the plank they
laid above the sluice to the waiting waggon. It was not far to the
dam, and before very long Gordon was back again at the mill. It
naturally happened, though he was anxious to avoid her, that Laura
Waynefleet was the first person who accosted him.

"Have you seen Mr. Nasmyth?" she asked.

"Oh, yes," said Gordon. "I saw him a little while ago. You are wanting
him?"

Laura laughed. "I believed I promised him another dance. It's a little
curious he hasn't come for it."

"In one way it's deplorably bad taste."

The girl was quick to notice that his gaze was not quite frank, and he
winced when for a moment she laid her hand upon his arm, for he saw
the veiled anxiety in her eyes.

"Something has been going on," she said. "You don't want to tell me
where Mr. Nasmyth is."

"He has just gone back to the dam. He got hurt--a trifling cut--nothing
more than that. Still, I insisted on tying it up."

"Ah," cried Laura sharply, "you evidently don't wish me to know how he
got it!"

"It is just what I don't mean to do. Any way, it's not worth while
troubling about. Nasmyth's injury isn't in the least serious."

"It doesn't s