e you
take the other side!"

He walked a few yards along the ditch, examining the bottom of the
trunks, and presently stopped and put his foot on the other bank. Then
he beckoned Jake and indicated a few scratches on the bark of a thorn.
The rough stem was tufted with dry moss and for an inch or two this was
crushed.

"I reckon something has been fastened to this tree," he said. "If we
can find another mark on the opposite row, I'll be satisfied."

They went across and after a few moments Jake said, "Here it is!"

Jim studied the mark and nodded. "Very well! I think we'll get into
the field and look at the old fence wire. I want a piece seven or
eight yards long."

After pulling about the wire that lay in the grass, they found a piece.
One end was bent into a rough hook, and although the other was nearly
straight Jim noted a spot where the galvanizing was cracked.

"It has been bent here twice," he said. "Pulled over into a hook and
then pulled back. You can see how the zinc has flaked."

They sat down on a bank and Jake remarked: "I think you ought to be
satisfied. But what are you going to do about it?"

"Lie low and watch out. That's all in the meantime. I want the man
who fixed the wire across the road to give himself away."

"Don't you know who he is?"

"I think I know. It's not quite enough."

"Perhaps it's not," Jake agreed. "You want to be able to show other
folks he did the thing? The trouble is, he may try again!"

"Then it will be my fault if he gets me. I've had fair warning."

"Your nerve is pretty good; I knew this before," Jake remarked. "Well,
I suppose nothing's to be said about it until you have some proof? Now
we'll go back to breakfast."

They returned to Langrigg, and after breakfast Jim went to the marsh,
where the men he had engaged were at work. Soon after he had gone, a
car from Dryholm came up the drive and Carrie met Bernard Dearham on
the steps.

"I came to ask how Jim is. Lance told me about the accident," he said.
"I expect you won't let me see him yet?"

"You might see him if you crossed the marsh. He is getting busy
there," Carrie replied.

"But he was unconscious when Lance left."

Carrie smiled. "Yes. He got up at seven o'clock this morning and went
out. That's the kind of man he is!"

"Then we needn't be disturbed about him," Bernard replied and indicated
a stone bench in the sun. "I cannot walk far and there is no road
across the marsh.