hem to regard this big bribe as something they could
not meddle with; and at length, after a pause of a second or two, the
spokesman said with great hesitation, "Well, miss, you've kep' your
word; but me and my mate--well, if so be as it's the same to you--'d
rather have summut to drink your health."

"Do you think it is too much?"

The man looked at his neighbor, who nodded.

"It was only for ketchin' of a dawg, miss, don't you see?" he remarked
slowly, as if to impress upon her that they had had nothing to do with
the deer.

"Will you take this, then?" and she offered them half a crown each.

Their faces lightened considerably: they took the money, and with a
formal expression of thanks moved off, but not before they had taken a
glance round to see that no one had been a witness of this interview.

And so Sheila had to walk away by herself, knowing that she had been
guilty of a dreadful offence, and that at any moment she might be
arrested by the officers of the law. What would the old King of Borva
say if he saw his only daughter in the hands of two policemen? and
would not all Mr. Lavender's fastidious and talkative and wondering
friends pass about the newspaper report of her trial and conviction?
A man was approaching her. As he drew near her heart failed her, for
might not this be the mysterious George Ranger himself, about whom her
husband and Mr. Ingram had been talking? Should she drop on her knees
at once and confess her sins, and beg him to let her off? If Duncan
were with her or Mairi, or even old Scarlett Macdonald, she would not
have cared so much, but it seemed so terrible to meet this man alone.

However, as he drew near he did not seem a fierce person. He was an
old gentleman with voluminous white hair, who was dressed all in black
and carried an umbrella on this warm and bright afternoon. He regarded
her and the dog in a distant and contemplative fashion, as though he
would probably try to remember some time after that he had really
seen them; and then he passed on. Sheila began to breathe more freely.
Moreover, here was the gate, and once she was in the high road, who
could say anything to her? Tired as she was, she still walked rapidly
on; and in due time, having had to ask the way once or twice, she
found herself at Barnes Station.

By and by the train came in: Bras was committed to the care of the
guard, and she found herself alone in a railway-carriage for the first
time in her life. Her