oman's sympathy, my girl; to try to help
you to be strong.'

Mrs. Hardy took the weary girl in her arms and kissed her pale cheek.

'You are good! You are very good!' murmured Chris brokenly, clinging to
her. But she suddenly thrust herself back from the sheltering arms and
uttered a cry of despair.

The door communicating with the next room had been opened and a grim
figure crept into the kitchen, the figure of Ephraim Shine. The man was
clad only in a tattered shirt and old moleskins; his face was as gaunt as
that of death, and his skin a ghastly yellow. He moved into the room on
his hands and knees, seeking something, and chummered insanely as he
scratched at the hard flooring-boards with his claw-like fingers, and
peered eagerly into the cracks. He moved about the room in this way,
searching in the corners, dragging his way about with his face close to
the floor.

'I'll find it, I'll find it,' he muttered; 'oh! I'll find it. Rogers is
cunnin', but I'm more cunnin'. I know where it's hid, an' when I get it
it'll be mine--all mine!

Mrs. Hardy stole close to the girl, and they clasped hands.

'Is he mad?' asked the elder woman hoarsely.

'He has taken a fever, I think,' answered the girl, 'and I can hide him
no longer. I cannot help him now.' She sank back upon a chair and
followed her father's movements with tearless, hopeless eyes.

'Rogers is a liar!' muttered Shine. 'A liar he is, an' he'd rob me; but
I'll beat him. It's hid down here, down among the rocks. The gold is
mine, mine, mine!' His voice rose to a thin scream and he beat fiercely
upon the boards with his bony hand.

'He has been ill ever since Rogers was taken, but he only took this turn
this evening. Oh! I tried hard to help him; I tried hard! He is my
father. Oh, my poor father! my poor, poor father!

'Hush, hush, dear,' said Mrs. Hardy. 'We must help him on to his bed.
Come!'

Each took an arm of the sick man and raised him to his feet. He offered
no resistance, but allowed them to lead him to the bunk in the other room
and place him upon it, although he continued to utter wild threats
against Joe Rogers and to chummer about the gold, and move his hands
about, scratching amongst the bedclothes.

Mrs. Hardy brought the light from the kitchen, and busied herself over
the delirious man, making him as comfortable as possible upon his narrow
bed. She gave directions to Chris and the girl obeyed them, bringing
necessary things and making a fi