eside Reuben.

"I hope not," the settler said. "He ought not to be like this, only
from a wound in the collarbone; but of course it may have glanced
down, and done some internal mischief. I am inclined to think that
it is extreme exhaustion, as much as anything--the reaction after a
tremendous nervous excitement."

"He has ridden a hundred and fifty miles, since yesterday morning,"
Kate said, "and has had two fights, besides this. Directly he knew
that the leader of the bush rangers had escaped, he came on by
himself."

"Oh! They caught the bush rangers, did they?" Mr. Barker said,
joyfully. "I was afraid, by his getting back here so soon, that
they must have missed them somehow, and found they were on the
wrong scent.

"And he has ridden all the way back, has he? A very zealous
officer, Miss Ellison, a very zealous young officer, indeed."

But Kate was too anxious, and shaken, to mark the significance of
Mr. Barker's tone.

"Don't tease her," his wife said, in a low voice. "She is terribly
upset and shaken, and can hardly stand.

"Ah! What is that?"

The interruption was caused by a low groan from the fallen bush
ranger.

"Shoot him dead, sah," Jim, who was supporting his master's head,
exclaimed. "Don't let dat fellow come 'live no longer."

"I can't do that, Jim," Mr. Barker said, moving towards the fallen
man. "The man is a thorough scoundrel, a murderer, and a robber;
but he is harmless now. One cannot wish he should recover, even for
his own sake; for there is enough against him to hang him, ten
times over. However, we must do what we can for the poor wretch."

So saying, he mixed some brandy with a little water in the cup, and
poured it between the bush ranger's lips.

"Is it mortal?" Mrs. Barker asked, as he rejoined her.

"I think so," he said. "I fancy he is shot through the lungs.

"You must really sit down, Miss Ellison. You look as white as a
ghost, and we cannot have you on our hands, just now. We have got
them pretty full, as they are.

"Ah! Here comes the cart."

The constable had put a quantity of straw in the bottom of the
light cart, and Barker and Jim raised Reuben, and laid him in it.

"We must take the other, too," Mr. Barker said. "The man is alive,
and we can't leave him here."

"Yes," Kate said; "he must go, too. He did Reuben a great wrong,
years ago. I hope he will confess it, before he dies."

Mr. Barker glanced at his wife, as Kate used the young officer's
Christia