without
interfering with his sacred obligation to handsome, unhappy Christina
Shine.

The detective returned to the township in the afternoon to prosecute the
search for Ephraim, of whom nothing had yet been heard. In the presence
of his mother and Mrs. Hardy and Harry, Dick faced the officer to tell
his story; but he found it hard to begin.

'Well, my lad,' said Downy, 'you're going to tell all you know?'

Dick nodded, abashed by his new importance.

'Out with it then. You were in that drive?'

'Yes.'

'You went down with Rogers and Shine?'

'I didn't.'

'Very well, my boy, how did you go?'

'Went by myself. Out of a drive what I know into the Red Hand workin's,
an' down the Red Hand ladders.'

'But why? Go ahead--why?'

'To--to drag Harry out o' the water.'

There were three distinct gasps at this, and even the detective's eyelids
went up a trifle.

'Go on, Dick.'

Now having started, Dick told his story in full. The incidents were not
told consecutively, and he needed considerable cross-examining before the
tale was properly fitted together and his audience of four had grasped
the full details. Then Mrs. Hardy arose from her seat and moved towards
him somewhat unsteadily; knelt by his side, took him in her arms softly
and quietly, kissed him, and said in a very low voice:

'God bless you, Richard; God bless you, my brave boy.'

This, for some reason quite incomprehensible to the boy, caused a lump to
swell in his breast and gave him an altogether uncalled-for inclination
to blubber; but he swallowed it down with an effort, and then his mother
hugged him in that billowy energetic way of hers. After which Harry took
his hand and shook it for quite a long time without speaking a word. The
detective alone was undemonstrative.

'Now,' said he, 'what about this gold? You hid it?'

'Yes. In our shaft.'

'Look here, Master Dick, why have you kept all this so quiet? Why did you
go down that mine in stead of running for help? Come, there is something
at the back of all this; out with it!

Dick's lips closed in a familiar way, and their colourlessness indicated
a stubborn defiance of all argument and persuasion.

'Did you want to steal the gold yourself?'

'No,' cried the boy angrily.

'Then you were afraid of something. By heaven! I have it. You rip! 'twas
you gave warning to Ephraim Shine. You deserve six months.'

'Shame!' murmured Mrs. Hardy.

''Tisn't fair!' expostulated Dick's mother. Di