reached the limits of his
strength, for he had run nearly a mile, carrying Elia in his arms. Eve
now clung to his great arm for support.

Peter set the boy on his feet and supported him. A great fear was in
him that a perverse fate would yet rob them of justice. Elia was
dying, and he knew it. He needed no examination to tell him so. It was
there, written in the glazing eyes, in the hideous blue pallor
stealing over the lad's face.

"We're in time, laddie," he said hoarsely, with his mouth close to
Elia's ear. "Speak up and say the truth."

Then he looked up to encounter the keen eyes of the doctor.

"What's all this?" the latter demanded harshly. But there was a sudden
light of hope in his fierce eyes.

"It's him. He's got something to say. It's the truth about the
killing." Peter indicated the boy. "Speak up, laddie, they're all
friends. Speak up--for Jim's sake." Eve looked on with hands clasped.
She was still breathing painfully from her exertions.

The crowd gathered round. All but Smallbones, who never for a moment
removed his eyes from Jim's face. It was a bitter moment for him. He
felt he was about to be robbed of his prey, and he resented it with
all that was mean in him. But Elia did not speak. His eyes were half
closed, and a terrible helplessness seemed to have suddenly seized
hold of him.

Peter urged him again with a sinking heart.

"Aren't you going to tell them, laddie? Aren't you going to tell them
all you've told me--and save Jim?"

It was Jim's voice that answered him.

"Don't bother the lad," he said. He could not see, but instinctively
he knew that Elia was in a bad way.

Peter caught at his words.

"Do you hear, laddie? That's Jim talking. You've come to tell the
truth and save him. They've got him all bound up, and the rope's
hanging over him. Eh? I didn't rightly hear."

He had seen the boy's lips move, and he strove by every means in his
power to encourage him to a dying effort.

But in the pause that followed Smallbones' mean voice was suddenly
heard.

"This ain't no sort o' justice. Wot's these folks buttin' in fer?
They've stuffed him full o' lies 'cause he's sick an' dying. I tell
yer it's a trick, an' when he speaks it'll be to tell his usual
lies----"

"It ain't lies, I tell yer it ain't lies." It was Elia speaking,
suddenly roused from his stupor by the vicious charge. His words came
in a high, shrill voice. "I don't need to tell no lies. I killed Will
Henderson. I