the man's
thoughtful words and tone had come home to her. She knew he was not
thinking of anything else she had said. Only of her regard for that
other man.

She abruptly held out her hand and Stanley Fyles took it. Her good-bye
came with a curtness that might well have inspired consternation. But
the policeman replied to it without any such feeling, and passed on
with his faithful Peter trailing leisurely behind him.

CHAPTER XIX

BILL MAKES THREE DISCOVERIES

It was Big Brother Bill's third morning in the valley of Leaping
Creek, and in that brief time his optimism and enthusiasm for the
affairs of life in general had suffered shocks from which, at the
moment, recovery seemed altogether doubtful.

Like all simple natures, once mental disquiet set in it was not
easily shaken off. So, about nine o'clock in the morning, he found
himself sitting on the sill of the barn doorway, his broad back
propped against the casing, hugging his troubles to himself, and,
incidentally, smoking like a miniature smoke-stack.

The place was quite still under the blazing morning sun; a
collar-chain rattled inside the barn where a few horses stood
impatiently swishing off the attacks of troublesome flies with their
long tails; a hen, somewhere nearby, clucked to her brood of wandering
chicks; an occasional grunt, and curious snuffing, came from the
regions of the dilapidated hog pen. These were the only signs of
life about the place. For Charlie, after displaying an unusual
taciturnity, had taken himself off for the day, upon work which he had
declared to be imperative, and Kid Blaney, after feeding and watering
his horses, had done the same thing, on a similar excuse.

Now, Bill felt he must do one of those very big "thinks," which, on
occasion, he had been known to achieve. He felt that the time had come
when something must really be done to ease the pressure upon his
mental endurance.

The previous night had furnished the climax, a painful climax, to all
he had learned of his brother's doings, of his brother's guilt. Yes,
he no longer shrank from using that hideous word. All suspected
Charlie, the police, everybody, except Kate Seton, and Charlie had
practically admitted his guilt to him personally, without any apparent
shame or regret. But since then, since Bill had listened to the loyal
defense of Kate, he had seen for himself the smugglers and their chief
at work upon their nefarious trade, and thus further proof wa