ous, restful shade--on and
on and on toward the Bluff; and Nic felt that there was no more care and
trouble in the world. There was nothing to trouble him. He had felt
his mother's kisses on his cheeks and lips, and the horse was not
rushing, only swinging along in that glorious canter, for the shade had
grown darker, into a soft, sweet obscurity, and everything was so still.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

AFTER NATURE'S REMEDY.

Nic opened his eyes slowly, to gaze at a bright patch shining upon the
floor, and he lay for some minutes gazing at it, thinking it very
beautiful.

He knew it was the moon shining through flowers--a soft, mellow
moonlight which came through a small window.

Then the full rush of thought came, and he started up.

"Awake, dear?"

"Mother!" cried Nic. "Why, have I been to sleep?"

"Yes, my darling, a long time."

"And the tea--dinner?"

"It's quite ready, my dear."

"But--but what time is it?"

"The clock has just struck one, my boy."

"Oh, what a shame!"

"No, my dear; it was nature's great need."

"But I slept like that! What news of father?"

"None, my love," said Mrs Braydon, with a piteous tremor in her voice.

"I ought to have gone," cried the boy angrily.

_Bang_! _crash_! like blows on the wooden sides of the house.

"What's that?" cried Nic, starting to his feet.

"Hi! missus!" came in a harsh voice. "Here they are. What did I say?"

"Come?" cried Mrs Braydon wildly.

"Ay, missus. Our black's just run in to where I was watching beyond the
gully. I heard the cracking of Brookes's whip, too, in the still.
There! hear that?" he continued, as there was a faint distant report.
"Master's yonder."

Nic stepped to the corner of the room, where he had stood his gun when
he entered, went to the window, cocked the piece, thrust it out with its
barrel pointing upward, and fired, in answer to his father's signal.

"He'll know what that means. All right," said the boy. "Oh, mother, I
feel so guilty; but he did tell me to stay and take care of you, for if
I did not return he said he should know that all was right."

"My word, young squire, you made me jump," cried Samson, coming to the
window. "Was that to siggernal the master?"

"Yes, of course."

"I'm a-goin' to meet him now. Too tired to come with me?"

"Oh no," cried Nic; and the next minute he was trudging along beside the
old man, leaving the house with its windows lit up and the fire shining
through the o