ce, but his feet were hampered by the ulster, and he would have
fallen heavily had not the doctor caught him in his arms.

"Why, man," he said, "I was going to get you something to take--
something to calm you. It is impossible for you to go on like this."

The young man looked at him wildly.

"I can't help it," he said, calming down. "I have been hunted till I am
afraid of everybody. Save me, doctor, for you can."

"Lie down, then; there: that's better."

"Yes. I am so helpless and so weak," the poor fellow moaned. "The
brandy kept me up, but it makes me wild."

"Then you shall have something that will calm you, and not make you
wild," said the doctor; and he went out of the room, leaving his visitor
lying down with his eyes closed.

But the moment he was alone, Mark Heath started up on one arm,
listening, and thrust his hand into his breast. He was listening for
the unlocking of a door; but he heard the chink of a glass and the faint
gurgle of some fluid, and he sank back with a sigh of relief.

"Rich--my darling," he said softly; "it is for you, sweet--for you!"

"There," said the doctor, re-entering with a glass; "drink that, and you
must have some sleep. We shall soon get you right."

"Heaven bless you, doctor!" cried the young man, hysterically pressing
his hand after draining the glass. "I feel in sanctuary here. Ah," he
sighed, as he sank back, "to be at rest once more, and safe! Doctor,
you must guard over me and what I have here."

"Oh, yes," said the doctor, sitting down after replenishing the fire.
"Did you have a rough passage back?"

"I don't know--I know nothing but that those fiends were after me to get
it, and I knew that they would kill me if they could only get a chance.
A heated hare sees nothing but the hounds."

"No, of course not," said the doctor, speaking softly to keep his
patient's attention, but watching him intently the while, to see the
effect of his medicine. "Let's see, you have been away four years."

"Yes, four years," said Mark, speaking more calmly now. "Lost every
penny, farming, doctor. No good."

"I am sorry to hear that."

"Then I tried--wagon-driving, and made a respectable living--doing
regular carter's work till I had a team and wagon of my own; but I went
one bad time--right across the desert, and found myself at last--seated
on the last bullock of my team of twenty--by the wreck of my wagon--
doctor dying--for want of water."

"Ah! that was ba