however, had forestalled me; the billy
was already full, and she but awaited me to adjust the tripod of sticks
that held it in its place over the fire. It was while I was bending over
doing this that she must have noticed the bloodstains on my sleeve. At
any rate, when I straightened up, she looked at me with accusation in
her eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me before that it was as bad as that?" she asked.

"Because it isn't," I answered with cheerful paradox. But she would have
none of my jesting, and if I hadn't allowed her to wash and bind it up
right away I'm afraid I wouldn't have got any tea that night. When she
finished she placed her hands upon my shoulders and kissed me full on
the lips.

"My dear," she said brokenly, "you would die for me, I know, and yet I
so little deserve your love."

I had tact enough to suppress the banality that was trembling on my
lips.

* * * * *

"I wonder what could have happened to Mr. Cumshaw?" she remarked about
an hour later. "You'd have thought he'd have been here long ago if he
was all right."

"Maybe," I said, bending my head over the fire so she would not see my
tell-tale face, "maybe he's not satisfied that this is our party."

There was an interval of silence and, though I did not look up, I knew
that she was regarding me steadfastly. I could feel her eyes boring into
my head like twin gimlets.

"Jim," she said suddenly and sharply, "what are you hiding from me? What
has happened to Mr. Cumshaw? I know something has gone wrong by the way
you're acting."

I raised my eyes to meet hers; it was impossible to hide it any longer.
"The very worst that could happen," I said frozenly, and I dropped my
head once more.

When I looked up again she was crying very softly to herself. I could
understand her sorrow, and for once her regard for the man caused me no
stab of pain; one cannot be jealous of the dead.

CHAPTER VI.

THE SOLUTION.

The grey light of the early dawn found me wide awake and alert. I felt
much fatigued after my exertions of the previous night, and would dearly
have liked to have slept an hour or so longer, but there was that to be
done which would admit of no delay. Further out in the Valley lay three
dead men, and I felt I must get them out of sight before Moira awoke.
Accordingly I scribbled a short note of explanation on a leaf torn from
my pocket-book, placed it in a conspicuous position, and, taking with me