efend myself against a boy like that?"

"He's as big a boy as you are, Master Mark, and I won't let you go
alone."

"Dummy, you're an insolent dog," cried Mark haughtily. "Keep your
place, sir, or I'll never go down the mine with you again."

"Oh, very well," said the boy sulkily, "but if he cuts your head off,
don't come and howl about it to me after it's done."

"I promise you I won't," cried Mark.

"And I shall climb up yonder and watch you, Master Mark; and if he kills
you I'll follow him till I get him, and I'll take him and heave him down
that big hole in the mine, where the water falls."

Mark hardly heard this, for he was hurrying over the bridge, followed by
Dummy, who, as his young master went down the zigzag path, began to
climb up to where he could keep watch, a sentry being higher still,
where he could command the approaches to the Tor Castle.

At the bottom of the third slope, Mark came upon Ralph, who was
approaching to meet him, and at a glance he saw that something terrible
had happened, for the lad's face was haggard and wild. There were
smears of blood about his temples, while his face looked as if it had
been washed, and some injury had bled again. In addition, a closer
inspection showed that his hair had been singed off on one side, while
the other was matted by dry blood.

"Why, hullo! Have you been in the wars too?"

"Help!" cried the lad, holding out his hands to him imploringly.

"Help? You come to me!" said Mark wonderingly.

"Yes, to you, mine enemy," cried Ralph, with a wild hysterical cry. "I
am humbled now--there is no one else to go to. Oh, for pity's sake,
help!"

He covered his face with his hands in his shame and agony, feeling that
his manhood had gone out of him, and Mark felt that something terrible
must have occurred, for a burst of hysterical sobbing escaped from the
wounded lad, and he threw himself face downward upon the path.

For a moment shame and contempt reigned in Mark Eden's breast, but they
were chased away by a manly feeling of pity for the enemy who seemed to
be humbling himself so before him.

Then all selfishness passed away in turn, and the word enemy dropped out
of his being as the true English boy shone out of his eyes in compassion
for a lad who had evidently passed through some terrible experience.

"I say! Darley," he said gently, "don't go on like that. I know,
though I don't like you, that you are a brave lad, and it hurts me to
see