me to Moya.

The answer sounded hoarse, and was as far away as ever; but prompt
enough; and now Moya was as sure of the direction as of the sound
itself. Nor had she occasion to coo-ee any more. For the first thing she
saw, perhaps a furlong through the scrub, was a riderless horse, bridled
but unsaddled, with a forefoot through the reins.

True to its unpleasant habit, the dapple-grey had done noble service to
the human race, by swerving under a branch at full gallop, and scraping
its rider into space.

The wretch lay helpless in the sun, with a bloody forehead and an
injured spine. Moya's water-bag had fallen clear, and lay out of his
reach by a few inches which were yet too many for him to move. He
demanded it as soon as she came up, but with an oath, and Moya helped
herself first, drinking till her hands came close together upon the wet
canvas.

"Now you can finish it," she said, "if you're such a fool. I've left you
more than you deserve."

He cursed her hideously, and a touch of unmerited compassion came upon
her as she discovered how really helpless he was. So she held his head
while he drained the last drop, and as it fell back he cursed her again,
but began whining when she made off without a word.

"My back must be broken--I've no feeling in my legs. And you'd let me
die alone!"

"Your own coin," said Moya, turning at her distance.

"It wasn't. I swear it wasn't. I swear to God I was only doing it to
frighten you! I was going for help."

"How can you tell such lies?" asked Moya sternly.

"They're not, they're the solemn truth, so help me God!"

"You're only making them worse; own they are lies, or I'm off this
minute."

"Oh, they are then, damn you!"

Only the oath was both longer and stronger.

"Swear again, and it won't be this minute, it'll be this very second!"
cried Moya decisively. "So own, without swearing, that you _did_ mean me
to die of thirst, so far as you were concerned."

"You never would have done it, though; they'll be on your track by this
time."

"That may be. It doesn't alter what you did."

"I offered you a drink, didn't I? It was my only chance to take the
horse and the water-bag. I meant to frighten you, but that's all. And
now I'm half mad with pain and heat; you'd swear yourself if you were in
my shoes; and I can't even feel I've got any on!"

Moya drew a little nearer.

"Nearer, miss--nearer still! Come and stand between me and the sun. Just
for a minute! It's