His quick ears had caught the heavy footsteps of the policeman, who came
running up, and, before he was asked to do so, he held out his hands for
the handcuffs.

"Is the cove dead?" he asked curtly; but no one answered him; indeed, no
answer was possible, for Falconer lay like one dead, and Drake, who
supported his head, could perceive no movement of the heart.

"One of you take a cart and go for the doctor," he said gravely.

As he spoke, Nell came toward them. The climax had been reached so
quickly that Falconer had been wounded and the burglar caught before she
could find strength to follow Drake; for the reaction which had followed
upon her discovery of the fact that he was unhurt had made her weaker
than the man's blow had done.

But now, as she saw the circle of men bending and kneeling round a
prostrate figure, her terror rose again and she hurried forward. Pushing
one of the men aside, she looked down, and with a cry fell on her knees
beside the unconscious man and gazed with horror-stricken eyes.

"He is dead! He is dead! He has killed him!" she moaned.

There was a moment's silence, while Drake looked at her with set face
and gloomy eyes; for at the anguish in her voice a pang of jealousy shot
through him, of envy; for how willingly he would have changed places
with the injured man!

He rose, lantern in hand, and went round to her.

"He is not dead," he said, almost inaudibly.

"Oh, thank God!" she breathed.

"But he is badly hurt, I am afraid," said Drake gravely. Then he turned
to the men. "We will carry him to the lodge. Gently!"

They lifted the wounded man and bore him along slowly. As they did so,
Nell walked by his side, and half unconsciously took his hand and held
it fast clasped in her trembling one. Even at that moment he saw her
actions, and his heart ached. Yes, to have Nell hold his hand thus, to
have her sweet eyes resting on him so tenderly, so anxiously, he would
have willingly been in Falconer's place.

They carried Falconer up to his room, and Drake, with the skill he had
acquired in many a knife-and-gun-shot accident, staunched the wound.
Falconer had been stabbed in the chest, and the blood was flowing, but
slowly.

Drake was so absorbed in the task that he had forgotten Dick's presence
until, looking up, he caught Dick's eye fixed on him with sheer wonder.

"Drake!" he said, in a whisper. "You here?"

Drake nodded.

"Yes; it's a strange meeting, Dick, isn't it? But we h