the temple as he came on. He had heard of men
being killed by a blow like that. He knelt and turned the other gingerly
over, and felt his heart beating. And then the black eyes opened on him and
the whites of them gleamed viciously in the moonlight, and Hamon stood up,
and, after a moment's consideration, strode away and kicked about in the
bracken till he found the other's knife. Then he picked up his jacket, and
went back to the cottage with the knife in one hand and his jacket in the
other, and went inside and bolted the door, which was not a custom in
Sercq.

CHAPTER IV

HOW MARTEL RAISED THE CLAMEUR BUT FOUND NO RELIEF

George Hamon slept heavily that night while Nature repaired damages. In the
morning he had his head in a bucket of water from the well, when he heard
footsteps coming up the steep way from the shore, and as he shook the drops
out of his swollen eyes he saw that it was Philip Carre come in from his
fishing.

"Hello, George--!" and Carre stopped and stared at his face, and knew at
once that what he had feared had come to pass.--"He's back then?"

"It feels like it."

"Where did you meet?"

"He came in here in the middle of the night. We fought on Longue Pointe."

"Where is he now?"

"I left him in the grass with his wits out."

"She'll have no peace till he's dead and buried," said Carre gloomily.

Then they heard heavy footsteps in the narrow way between the hedges, and
both turned quickly with the same thought in their minds. But it was only
Philip Tanquerel coming down to see to his lobster pots, and at sight of
Hamon's face he grinned knowingly and drawled, "Bin falling out o' bed,
George?"

"Yes. Fell on top of the Frenchman."

"Fell heavy, seems to me. He's back then? I doubted he'd come if he wanted
to."

Then more steps between the hedges, and Martel himself turned the corner
and came straight for the cottage.

He made as though he would go in without speaking to the others, but George
Hamon planted himself in the doorway with a curt, "No, you don't!"

"You refuse to let me into my own house?"

"Yes, I do."

"By what right?"

"By this!" said Hamon, raising his fist. "If you want any more of it you've
only to say so. You're outcast. You've no rights here. Get away!"

"I claim my rights," said Martel through his teeth, and fell suddenly to
his knees, and cried, "Haro! Haro! Haro! a l'aide mon prince! On me fait
tort."

The three men looked doubtfully at one a