e wrong. He was my servant first."

"Still, you will let our man come back with me, sir?"

"In your father's absence, my boy, I have too much respect for him, too
much interest in the safety of your mother and sisters, to send back
unpunished a desperate man."

"Don't say that, sir. You don't know Leather indeed."

"`Nothing like Leather,'" said Mr Dillon, smiling. "Yes, I should
think he was a great favourite of yours. But, come now, my boy; you
have done your part well. Here, come in and have a good meal. Your man
has done what many more of these fellows do--broken out in a bit of
savagery. He is shut up safely in yonder, too much done up for me to
say anything to him to-night; but tomorrow morning he will be tamed down
a bit, and kept for three or four days to return to his senses, and then
he will come back and go on with his work like a lamb."

"Mr Dillon, you don't know him, sir!" cried Nic earnestly. "Such a
cruel act would drive the poor fellow mad."

"I know him, and I know you, my boy. There, you are young and
enthusiastic; but I see, plainly enough, you have been too much with
this fellow. There, frankly, you have been with him a good deal?"

"Yes, sir," said Nic.

"Precisely. And he has not corrupted you, but he has made you believe
that he is an injured, innocent man. Frankly, now, is it not so?"

"Yes, and I do believe," said Nic quietly.

"Exactly. Well, my dear boy, you see I do not; and if you will take my
advice you will have nothing to do with him in the future."

"Mr Dillon, you are mistaken," cried Nic. "Pray--pray do not punish
him!"

"My dear young friend, pray--pray don't you interfere with a
magistrate's duties."

"Then you will not let him come, sir?"

"Certainly not, for at least a week."

"But, Mr Dillon, promise me that--that you--you will not flog him,"
said Nic, in a husky whisper.

"I promise you, my good lad, that tomorrow morning I shall have him out
in front of my men and my four assigned servants--convicts, and have him
given a good sound application of the cat. Now that business is settled
in a way that ten years hence you will agree is quite just; so come in
like a sensible young neighbour, have a good feed, and I'll ride part of
the way back with you after."

"Do you mean this, sir?" said Nic hoarsely.

"I always say what I mean, boy, and act up to it. Once more, come in."

Nic walked straight to where the man was rubbing down his horse, stopp