se at apology. He glanced
swiftly round the little parlor, and finally espied Eve and her
brother through the open kitchen door. He hurried across and stood
before them, his eyes on the boy he had spent two days searching for.

"Thank God I've found you, laddie----" he began.

But Eve cut him short.

"Oh, Peter, Peter, thank God you've come!" she cried.

Immediately the man's eyes were transferred to her face.

"What is it?" he demanded sharply. And some of the girl's terror
suddenly clutched at his heart.

"He's found him. Will, I mean. Will's the cattle-thief. He found him
in the midst of re-branding. And he came right in and told--told Doc
Crombie."

In an instant Elia was sitting forward defending himself.

"I didn't tell him who he was. Sure I didn't, 'cos you said I wouldn't
get that gold if I did--if I give him away. I didn't give him away,
sure--sure. I jest told Doc where he'd find the rustlers. That's all.
That ain't giving Will away, is it?"

But Peter ignored the boy's defense. His shrewd mind was working
swiftly. Here was his own unspoken suspicion of the man verified. The
whole situation was all too clear. He turned to Eve with a sharp
inquiry.

"So Will's the cattle-thief. You knew it?"

The girl shook her head and wrung her hands piteously.

"No, no; I didn't know it. Indeed, indeed, I didn't. Lately I
suspected--thought--but I didn't know." Then she cried helplessly.
"Oh, Peter, what's to be done? We must--we must save him!"

In an instant Elia was on his feet protesting.

"What for you want to save him?" he cried. "He's a crook. He's a
thief. He's bad--I tell you he's bad."

But Peter suddenly thrust out one great hand and pushed him back into
his chair.

"Sit there and keep quiet," he said sternly. "Now, let's think. You
told Doc, eh?"

"Yes," retorted the boy sulkily. "An' he's goin' out after 'em
to-night. An' I'm glad, 'cos they'll get him."

"If they get him you'll never get your gold, laddie, because you've
given him away. Do you understand?"

Eve, watching these two, began to realize something of the working of
Peter's mind. He meant to win Elia over to his side, and was adopting
the only possible means.

The boy remained obstinately silent, and Peter went on.

"Now, see here, which would you rather do, get that gold--an' there's
plenty; it comes right through here to Barnriff--or see Will hang?"

In spite of his hatred of Will, the boy was dazzled.

"I'd like to s