dless found himself upon the inner
verge of the mass of spectators, directly opposite the murderer, and
confronted by him with a look so dark, wild and malignant, that he could
not doubt the intention that lay behind those scowling eyes. Luiz
Sebastian, still with the murderer's arm in his grasp, gave him a
peculiar look which he could not translate. In the background he saw
Trail's sinister face peering over the shoulder of an Indian.

"You dog!" said the planter, addressing himself directly to Roach. "What
have you to say for yourself?"

The murderer made an uncertain sound with his dry lips, and his
bloodshot eyes roamed around the circle from one staring face to
another, until they returned to rest upon the watchful, amber-hued
countenance beside him.

"Speak!" said his master sternly.

"I'll say nothing," was the dogged reply, "until I stands my trial. I
demands a fair trial."

"Remember that this is your last chance to speak to me, to speak to any
one in authority before you are tried. Of course you will hang for this.
Have you anything to say? Do you wish to speak to me in private?"

The murderer raised his head, and shaking the tangled hair from about
his face, cast at Landless, standing ten paces beyond the planter, such
a look of deadly and blasting hatred, that for a moment the blood ran
cold in the young man's veins. He set his teeth and braced himself to
meet the blow at plans and hopes and life that should follow such a
look.

To his astonishment the blow did not fall. Roach changed the basilisk
gaze with which he had regarded him to a vacant stare.

"I've naught to say," he whined, "except that I hopes your honor will
see that I has a fair trial--no d--d Tyburn or Newgate hocus-pocussing."

The master beckoned to the overseer. "Take him away," he said. "Take two
or three men and carry him on to the gaol."

He turned on his heel and walked to where Sir Charles Carew leaned
against a tree, idly flicking the mud from his boots with his riding
cane. Landless standing near and listening with strained ears heard the
master say in answer to the other's lifted brows:--

"Nothing to be learnt in that quarter. If there's rebellion brewing, he
knows nothing of it."

Fresh horses were brought from the stables. "You, Luiz Sebastian,
Taylor, and Mathew," said the overseer, swinging himself into the
saddle. The men designated mounted, and Roach, bound and scowling, was
hoisted to his former seat behind Lu