chances what you are when this
is done. We don't need to wait any longer."

For answer the doctor signed to the man with the handkerchief. The
prisoner's face was pale, but his eyes were steady and his lips firm.
There was no weakness in him, and the wondering crowd were troubled.
Most of them had seen hangings in their time, but they had never seen
a man face death in cold blood quite like this.

Suddenly, while the bandage was being secured, one of the younger men
in the front rank threw up his arm as though to ward off a blow. He
covered his eyes, and fled precipitately behind his comrades, where he
could no longer see. Several others turned their backs deliberately.
The whole thing was too terrible. It was hideous.

Doc Crombie stood with folded arms within two yards of the prisoner.
Behind the prisoner Smallbones and the rest of his men stood, their
hands grasping the plaited rope. They were only awaiting the silent
signal from the doctor.

When the handkerchief had been adjusted the man fell in beside his
comrades on the rope. The awful moment had arrived when the signal
must be given. The tension amongst the onlookers was breathless, and
the agony of the man about to die must have been appalling, in spite
of his apparent calm.

The moments passed. It almost seemed as though the hardened nerve of
the doctor needed support. At last he stiffened. He raised his head,
and looked squarely at the pinioned man.

"Jim Thorpe," he cried, in a harsh, unyielding voice. "You are
condemned to die by the ballot of your fellow citizens, for the murder
of Will----"

"Ho! Ho, Doc! Hold on! For God's sake, hold your hand, Doc!"

A great hoarse voice split the deathly stillness with a roar that
suddenly electrified the assembly. Everybody swung round in the
direction whence it came. That is, everybody but the doctor. He had
recognized the voice, and he had caught Smallbones' gleaming eye. With
a spring he was at Jim's side, and threw the noose clear of his neck.
He had no idea of the reason of the interruption, but he had caught
Smallbones' eye.

He turned about in time to see Peter Blunt break through the crowd
bearing in his arms the crippled brother of Eve Henderson. Following
close upon his heels was Eve herself, gasping and almost fainting with
her exertion.

CHAPTER XXXVI

THE PASSING OF ELIA

Peter Blunt paused, staggered, then with a great effort pulled himself
together. Mighty man as he was, he had