t very
long before he was close behind him. Moreas was now crouching behind a
rock, as if he were anxious that the game he was pursuing, and which Max
could not see, should not become aware of his presence. A moment later
he rose and peeped over the boulder, at the same time lifting his gun
into position. Being some distance above him, it was possible for Max to
see over his head into the valley in the direction in which the rifle
was pointing. Then, to his horrified amazement, he beheld Bertram leave
a little coppice, and walk out into a piece of open ground, a couple of
hundred yards or so distant from where the other man was waiting. _In a
flash the whole truth dawned upon him. It was Bertram whom Moreas was
stalking so carefully, and it was Bertram he intended to shoot._ He was
about to call out in the hope of diverting the Spaniard's attention, or
of warning the Englishman; but, before he could do so, the other had
pulled the trigger. There was a report, and when Max, who had closed his
eyes, as if he were afraid of what he might be called upon to witness,
opened them again, Moreas was once more crouching down behind the rock,
while Bertram was examining something, evidently, the splash of a
bullet, on the face of a boulder behind him. Moreas had failed in his
attempt; but the man he had aimed at had been standing directly before
the rock, and it could only have been by a few inches that he had missed
him.

"This is a terrible state of things," said Max to himself, when he had
recovered a little from the shock Moreas' treachery had caused him.
"What on earth am I to do?"

At first he felt inclined to descend hastily upon Moreas, and accuse
him, there and then, of attempting to murder the Englishman. A moment
later, however, the folly of this proceeding became apparent to him. Had
he done so, it would have been necessary for the others to know of it,
and, in that case, it was very probable that Moreas' life would have
paid forfeit. This, for a variety of reasons, was undesirable. At the
same time, he felt that he must protect his friend against any similar
attacks. Bearing this in mind he watched Moreas' movements with the
greatest anxiety. He was not at all certain that the latter, finding
that his first shot had proved unsuccessful, might not attempt a second.
Moreas, however, did not do so; he knew that Bertram, once placed upon
his guard, would be on the look out, and he had no intention of allowing
himself to