strained during the next hour, as I sat listening to the
conversation about the adventures during the long journey across the
plain, that I was very glad to make an excuse so as to get away to where
Mrs Dean was seated in the strangers' quarters relating her story to
Esau.

"Ah," she cried, as I entered; "and what do you think of Mrs John?"

"I hardly knew her," I said. "She is indeed better."

"Yes," said Mrs Dean, drawing herself up proudly, "I think I did my
duty there."

"I am sure you did."

"Such a poor, thin, weak creature as she was till I began to nurse her."

"The change worked wonders," I said.

"Yes, of course, it did her good, sir; but no change is of any good
without plenty of nursing."

I saw that I was touching on tender ground, and was trying to think of a
fresh subject, when loud, blustering voices outside made both Esau and
me get up to see, for there was evidently an angry altercation going on
just inside the gate.

"I have told you plainly," Mr Raydon was saying as we drew near. "This
is neither an hotel nor a liquor-bar, and you cannot have it here."

"Well, you might be civil," said a voice which made me start and feel
puzzled as to where I had heard it before. "Not going to refuse
travellers a shelter or a glass of liquor, are you?"

Esau gave my arm a jerk, but I did not look at him, for my attention was
taken up by Mr Raydon, who was facing, with Grey and two more of the
men, a party of a dozen roughs.

"You do not want shelter on a fine night like this, and I have no
spirits except to use for medicine."

"That's right," said the familiar voice. "Medicine--physic--that's what
we want; drop o' spirits for medicine--eh, lads?"

There was a chorus of laughter at this, and the men began to press
forward.

"Then you will not get it here, my lads, so go back to the place from
whence you came," said Mr Raydon, firmly. "Bread and meat, and butter
or milk, you can have; nothing more."

"But we want a drink," said another man. "Here, we don't want you to
give it us. Look here," he cried, taking some gold from, his pocket.
"Now then, I'll give you all this for a bottle of whiskey."

"Ay, and I'll give you this for another bottle," cried a third man.

"Keep your stuff in your pockets, lads," cried the first speaker, and I
felt a kind of thrill run through me now, for I had recognised in him
the big, fierce fellow who had wrestled with Gunson on board the boat,
and threatened m