ighbours near the
estancia. But the feeling against Purvis seemed to be something much
deeper than personal jealousy or mere greed for gold dollars. There
was a storm brewing about him, and no one knew when it would burst.

'Purvis will have to look out,' reflected Peter; and he wondered where
on earth the man had got to to-night. He wished he could give him some
sort of warning; but he reflected that Purvis knew far more about the
state of affairs than he, Peter, did. No one could tell Purvis much
about Argentine that he did not know already. His vague feeling of
suspicion against the man deepened, and he began to wonder what game
Purvis was playing. Had the other man in Rosario paid him well to do
his work for him, or was Purvis withholding information until a certain
price was stipulated? Bowshott was worth a ransom, and Purvis might be
playing a double game. Between the two men he might feather his nest
very well.

The dawn was breaking as Peter rode slowly homewards, and a pale pink
light was in the sky. His horse ambled gently along, never mistaking
his way or making a false step on the rough, uneven ground, but
swinging at an easy canter, and getting over an immense distance
without much distress to himself. The moon, in a sort of hushed
silence, was climbing down the arc of heaven as the sun rose to
eastward. The pale light touched the surface of a _tajamar_ as he rode
past it, and the trees beside it threw still, sad, faint shadows into
its quiet depth. Above the western monte a lordly eagle with hushed
wings rose majestically overhead, and some viscashos popped in a
noiseless way in and out of their holes. The air was cool and fresh
now, and a tree or two began to rise up unexpectedly out of the ground
in the grey light.

He began to get sleepy with the easy motion of the horse; the endless
line of plain around him was wearying to the eye as the sun rose upon
it. Well, he would get into camp before it became very hot; that idiot
Toffy would probably be sitting up for him.

He laughed softly to himself as he saw a flicker of light in the window
that looked towards the track, when at last he drew near the little
estancia house. It was like Toffy to remember to put a lamp where he
could see it! It was worth while taking a midnight ride for such a
good fellow, although he had had a very fair notion of what was in one
of the letters, and entirely disapproved its contents. The last mail
had bro