her woman. Stonor could make out the
little green Norfolk suit now.

Mary snatched up a billet of wood, and as the man came staggering back
with his burden, she attacked him. He backed towards the dug-out,
holding Clare's body in front of him as a shield. But under Mary's
attacks he was finally compelled to drop Clare. She must have fainted,
for she lay without moving. Imbrie closed with Mary, and there was a
brief violent struggle. He succeeded in flinging her off again. He
reached the dug-out. Mary attacked him again. Snatching up his gun, he
fired at her point-blank. She crumpled up on the stones.

Imbrie picked up Clare and flung her in the dug-out. He pushed off. All
this had been enacted in not much more time than it takes to read of
it. Stonor was now within a furlong, but still helpless, for he dared
not fire at Imbrie for fear of hitting Clare. The dug-out escaped out of
sight round a bend.

CHAPTER XV

UPS AND DOWNS

Stonor, raging in his helplessness, was nevertheless obliged to stop. He
found Mary conscious, biting her lips until they bled to keep from
groaning. Her face was ashy. Yet she insisted on sitting up to prove to
him that she was not badly hurt.

"Go on! Go on!" she was muttering as he reached her. "I all right. Don'
stop! Go after him!"

"Where are you hurt?" Stonor demanded.

"Just my leg. No bone broke. It is not'ing. Go after him!"

"I can't leave you like this!"

"Give me your little medicine-bag. I dress it all right myself. Go
quick!"

"Be quiet! Let me think!" cried the distracted trooper. "I can't leave
you here helpless. I can't tell when I'll be back. You must have food, a
blanket, gun and ammunition."

As he spoke, he set about getting out what she needed; first of all the
little medicine chest that he never travelled without. He laid aside the
breed woman's gun and shells for her, and one of his two blankets. The
delay was maddening. With every second he pictured Imbrie drawing
further and further away, Clare without a protector now. Though the
dug-out was heavier than the bark-canoe, he would be handicapped by the
devilish breed woman, who would be sure to hinder him by every means
within her power. Yet he still closed his ears to Mary's urgings to be
off. He built up Imbrie's fire and put on water to heat for her. He
carried her near the fire, where she could help herself.

As he worked a new plan came to him, a way out of part of his
difficulties. "Mary," h