If I warn't a nat'ral angel in temper I should
ha' let you have it years ago."

"I'll let him see--I'll let him see," muttered Brookes savagely.

"Better shake hands like a man," said old Sam.

"Convict or no convict, he's only give you what you asked for."

"I'll let him see," snarled Brookes; and he went off toward the stable.

"Gone there to one of the buckets," growled old Sam. "I was going to
take you there. Here, let's have a look at your head."

"Oh, it's nothing--nothing," said Leather hastily.

"Nothing! when you're bleeding like a pig. Come along to the bothy, and
let's bathe and tie it up. Why, Leather, this looks as if he'd used the
axe! Reg'lar clean cut."

"No, it was with the fork handle. There, it will do me good. Let out
some of the hot, mad blood."

"Ay," said old Sam, guiding him, for he staggered, to the men's bothy,
and bathing and tying up the wound. "It's a pity, my lad. I wish you
hadn't hit back, for you see if he should turn nasty and complain--"

Leather looked at him wildly.

"And him like that, there's no knowing what might come."

The convict uttered a groan, and caught the old man's arm.

"I'll say all I know, my lad; but you see--"

"Yes, yes," said Leather hoarsely, "I know"; and he sat there on a block
of wood which served as a stool, while the old gardener finished the
dressing.

"There, that's a spontanous bit o' grafting," he said, "and--'Ullo!
what's that mean?"

He turned to the doorway, through which they could see Brookes mounted
upon one of the horses and cantering straight away.

"Leather, my lad," said the old man sharply, "he's our fellow-servant,
but he's a cur. What'll you do, my lad? He's gone to Dillon's, for a
silver pound; he'll make up his tale, and it means the cat."

Leather sank back against the wall, and gazed wildly toward the house.

"If it was me I'd take to the bush, and--"

"What! not face it out!" cried the convict fiercely. "Own that I was in
the wrong! Not if they flog me and send me back to the gang."

The sudden excitement passed away, and the convict sank sidewise to the
floor, perfectly insensible, for he had fainted dead away.

"And I thought I was going to have a good quiet day's gardening!" said
old Sam. "There's hundreds o' things wants doing badly, and I'm 'bliged
to give up my time to cultivate convicts. I wish to goodness the master
was at home; then all this mess wouldn't ha' took place."

But as the ol