d caught at the fence
for support.

Huddled together in the ditch was a pile of dead bodies, and among them
peeped out a piece of a female dress. Anxious to relieve their friend's
agonizing suspense, the young men leaped down into the ditch, and began
removing the upper bodies from the ghastly pile.

First were the two men employed in the house; then came Mr. Mercer; then
the two children and an old woman-servant; below them were the bodies of
Mrs. Mercer and her brother. There were no more. Ethel was not amongst
them.

When first he had heard of the massacre, Mr. Hardy had said, 'Better
dead than carried off;' but the relief to his feelings was so great as
the last body was turned over, and that it was evident that the child
was not there, that he would have fallen had not Mr. Herries hastened to
climb up and support him, at the same time crying out to the boys, 'She
is not here.'

Charley and Hubert turned towards each other, and burst into tears of
thankfulness and joy. The suspense had been almost too much for them,
and Hubert felt so sick and faint that he was forced to lie down for a
while, while Charley went forward to the others. He was terribly shocked
at the discovery of the murder of the entire party, as they had
cherished the hope that Mrs. Mercer at least would have been carried
off. As, however, she had been murdered, while it was pretty evident
that Ethel had been spared, or her body would have been found with the
others, it was supposed that poor Mrs. Mercer had been shot
accidentally, perhaps in the endeavour to save her children.

The bodies were now taken from the ditch, and laid side by side until
the other settlers should arrive. It was not long before they began to
assemble, riding up in little groups of twos and threes. Rage and
indignation were upon all their faces at the sight of the devastated
house, and their feelings were redoubled when they found that the whole
of the family, who were so justly liked and esteemed, were dead. The
Edwards and the Jamiesons were among the earliest arrivals, bringing the
Guacho Martinez with them. Perez, too, shortly after arrived from
Canterbury, he having been out on the farm when his master left.

Although all these events have taken some time to relate, it was still
early in the day. The news had arrived at six, and the messengers were
sent off half an hour later. The Hardys had set out before eight, and
had reached the scene of the catastrophe in hal