ned.

"I am just as guilty as if I had killed the man with my own hand," he
said to himself. "And may be the other man will die too; for the butt
end of Turner's gun came down with a fearful blow on his head, and he
dropped as if shot. What shall I do? What shall I do? I will go and
deliver myself up, and confess all. I shall be hung very likely: but I
would sooner be hung than feel that I had killed a fellow-man."

Such were James's thoughts as he and his companions hurried towards
Hillbrook. Here and there on their way the rest of the men went off to
their homes, till Ben and James were left alone. James then told Ben of
his sorrow at what had happened, and how he thought he would give
himself up.

"Nonsense; that will never do," said Ben. "No one knows who fired the
shot, or who knocked the other keeper down; you don't, I am sure."

Ben knew that James did know well enough that he, Ben himself, had shot
the keeper.

"I wish from my heart, Ben, that I did not," said James.

"If that is it, the only thing is to keep out of the way," said Ben.
"Now listen, James, a faint-hearted fellow is sure to peach, and out of
the way you must keep. I say _must_--understand me."

"I will keep out of the way, Ben, whether I must or not," said James, in
a tone of great sorrow. "You have been the ruin of me, Ben; but it was
my own fault, I ought to have known better."

"Nonsense, James: things are not so bad as you think," said Ben. "Just
come in and change your clothes and go home to bed. You can get in as
you have done before, and who is to know that you were out of the house
all night? I say that you shouldn't be in too great a fright; still you
must go away for a time, till the matter has blown over. I'll think of
some plan for you before long."

James Grey, who had far more education than Ben Page, felt himself
completely in his power.

James hurried home unseen, and got to bed. He could not sleep. He
thought over all sorts of plans. Two or three days before he had been
at the market town five miles off. He had there observed a soldier, a
sergeant with a number of gay coloured ribbons in his hat, beating up
for recruits, for service in India. James had stopped to listen to him
as he was speaking to a group of young men who stood round with open
mouths, hearing of the wonders of that distant country--the money to be
got--the pleasures to be enjoyed. "Every cavalry soldier out there is a
gentleman," s