for one
burning moment a hope that the searcher might escape for her sake, for
the sake of sweet Chris, whose victory over him he acknowledged and
nursed in secret with a wealth of feeling that amazed him, with a passion
he had never dreamed himself capable of. He fought this wish furiously,
as if it had been a tangible thing: grappling with it, choking it in his
heart, and stirring up in his soul a wilder hatred for his enemy.

Harry saw Chris for a moment on the morning after the arrest of Joe
Rogers; the change in her startled him, his love flamed up, and pity tore
at his heart strings. His triumph must mean suffering and shame for her.
Had he stood alone he would ten thousand times rather have borne what
misfortune might have fallen to his lot than see her shamed and
sorrowing. It was thoughts like these that rose up to make him his
brother's enemy, and they were conquered in sweat and agony; and since
his loyalty to his own kin could only be maintained at a fever heat, he
stood forth as the most bitter and implacable foe of Ephraim Shine.

Coming from Mrs. Hardy's gate on that night at about nine o'clock, Dick
Haddon collided with a breathless boy running at top speed in the
direction of the Drovers' Arms, and the two went down together. When Dick
had quite recovered he recognised the other, whom he had gripped with
'vengeful intentions, as Billy Peterson.

'Lemme go,' cried Billy. 'Quick, can't yer! I'm goin' fer the troopers.'

'Who for?' asked Dick, hanging to his friend.

'Find out.'

'Oh, right you are; but you won't go, that's all.'

'Well, I'm goin' to tell 'em that Tinribs is up at his house.'

'How d'yer know?'

'I was sneakin' round to get a shot at a cat, an' I heard 'em. Lemme go
'r he'll be gone, you fool.'

'Won't,' said Dick, masterfully. 'You ain't goin'.'

'Who'll stop me?'

'I will.'

'Tain't in yer.'

A struggle commenced between the boys and rapidly merged into a stand-up
fight. When Harry Hardy appeared on the scene, attracted by their cries,
he found the combatants locked in a fierce embrace, each clinging
desperately to a handful of the other's hair and hammering vigorously at
his opponent's ribs. Harry pulled them apart as if they had been
terriers.

'Here, here, what's all this about?' he cried.

'Dick stopped me goin' fer the troopers,' said Billy indignantly.

'The troopers?'

'Yes, fer Mr. Shine. He's up in his house. I heard him--he was talkin' to
Miss Chris in