y reform?' (Again a little gasp for breath.) 'I have promised to
let you go without giving you into the hands of the law. I am afraid I
did a selfish and weak thing, because others may suffer from your
crimes, and I wish you could take this opportunity, which my leniency
gives you, and try to reform before you have lost your reputation as
well as your character.'

'It is very kind of you,' he murmured again; and still as he walked he
looked upon his feet. He had no thought now of again denying his guilt;
having denied and, as she thought, confessed, he felt that to change
once more would only evoke her greater scorn. 'Let be,' his heart said.
'Let come what will, I will not confuse her further to-day.'

CHAPTER VI

They passed the shed, making a straight march, as swift as might be, for
the fallen man; but before they reached him they saw some one coming, a
black, increasing form in the snowy distance. Morin hesitated. If the
thief had arisen, strong and able-bodied, it was clear that they had
again been tricked for an evil purpose. Even Madge looked alarmed, and
they both raised a halloo in the _patois_ of the region. The answer that
came across the reach of the storm cheered them.

The new-comer, a messenger from the nearest village, became voluble as
soon as he was within speaking distance. He addressed Madge in broken
English, but so quickly and with so strong a French accent that
Courthope only gathered part of his errand. He had come, it seemed, from
the stepmother to tell something concerning a certain Xavier, who had
been sent to them the evening before. Before he had finished calling,
Madge and Morin had come to the place where the thief lay, and, looking
down upon him, Madge gave a little cry.

The new-comer came up. He looked as if he might be of the grade of a
notary's clerk or a country chemist. He did not seem surprised to see
who the man was. He began at once with great activity to chafe his hands
and face with handfuls of the snow. Madge and Morin were also active
with the restoratives. The thief was lifted and laid upon the toboggan.
They trod the snow all about to know that nothing remained, and found
only a corkless flask containing a few drops of rum. They were all so
busy that Courthope had little to do; he stood aside, wondering above
all at the way they rubbed the man with the snow, and at the
astonishment that Madge expressed. The stranger was very nimble and very
talkative; pouring