r ever; and the woman I will not touch."

"Cheer oh!" said Bones.

"What are you saying--will he let us go?" asked the girl.

"I was sayin' what a jolly row there'll be," lied Bones; "and he was
sayin' that he couldn't think of hurtin' a charmin' lady like you. Shut
your eyes, dear old Miss Hamilton."

She shut them quickly, half fainting with terror, for Bucongo was coming
towards them, a blazing iron in his hand, a smile of simple benevolence
upon his not unintelligent face.

"This shall come as a blessing to you, Tibbetti," he said almost
jovially.

Bones shut his teeth and waited.

The hot iron was scorching his silk shirt when a voice hailed the
high-priest of the newest of cults.

"O Bucongo," it said.

Bucongo turned with a grimace of fear and cringed backward before the
levelled Colt of Mr. Commissioner Sanders.

"Tell me now," said Sanders in his even tone, "can such a man as you
die? Think, Bucongo."

"Lord," said Bucongo huskily, "I think I can die."

"We shall see," said Sanders.

* * * * *

It was not until after dinner that night that the girl had recovered
sufficiently to discuss her exciting morning.

"I think you were an awful brute," she addressed her unabashed brother.
"You were standing in the wood listening to and seeing everything, and
never came till the last minute."

"It was my fault," interrupted Sanders. "I wanted to see how far the
gentle Bucongo would go."

"Dooced thoughtless," murmured Bones under his breath, but audible.

She looked at him long and earnestly then turned again to her brother.

"There is one thing I want to know," she said. "What was Bones saying
when he talked to that horrible man? Do you know that Bones was
scowling at me as though I was ... I hardly know how to express it. Was
he saying nice things?"

Hamilton looked up at the awning, and cleared his throat.

"Play the game, dear old sir and brother-officer," croaked Bones.

"He said----" began Hamilton.

"Live an' let live," pleaded Bones, all of a twitter. "_Esprit de corps_
an' discretion, jolly old captain."

Hamilton looked at his subordinate steadily.

"He asked to be branded twice in order that you might not be branded
once," he said quietly.

The girl stared at Bones, and her eyes were full of tears.

"Oh, Bones!" she said, with a little catch in her voice, "you ... you
are a sportsman."

"Carry on," said Bones incoherently, and wept a little at