hing blows of his axe upon the woodwork.

Mr. Pendyce tripped; his bucket rolled out of his hand; he lay where he
had fallen, too exhausted to move. He could still hear the crash of
the Rector's axe, the sound of his shouts. Somebody helped him up, and
trembling so that he could hardly stand, he caught an axe out of the
hand of a strapping young fellow who had just arrived, and placing
himself by the Rector's side, swung it feebly against the boarding.
The flames and smoke now filled the whole cow-house, and came rushing
through the gap that they were making. The Squire and the Rector stood
their ground. With a furious blow Mr. Barter cleared a way. A cheer rose
behind them, but no beast came forth. All three were dead in the smoke
and flames.

The Squire, who could see in, flung down his axe, and covered his eyes
with his hands. The Rector uttered a sound like a deep oath, and he,
too, flung down his axe.

Two hours later, with torn and blackened clothes, the Squire stood
by the ruins of the barn. The fire was out, but the ashes were still
smouldering. The spaniel John, anxious, panting, was licking his
master's boots, as though begging forgiveness that he had been so
frightened, and kept so far away. Yet something in his eye seemed to be
saying:

"Must you really have these fires, master?"

A black hand grasped the Squire's arm, a hoarse voice said:

"I shan't forget, Squire!"

"God bless me, Peacock!" returned Mr. Pendyce, "that's nothing! You're
insured, I hope?'

"Aye, I'm insured; but it's the beasts I'm thinking of!"

"Ah!" said the Squire, with a gesture of horror.

The brougham took him and the Rector back together. Under their feet
crouched their respective dogs, faintly growling at each other. A cheer
from the crowd greeted their departure.

They started in silence, deadly tired. Mr. Pendyce said suddenly:

"I can't get those poor beasts out of my head, Barter!"

The Rector put his hand up to his eyes.

"I hope to God I shall never see such a sight again! Poor brutes, poor
brutes!"

And feeling secretly for his dog's muzzle, he left his hand against the
animal's warm, soft, rubbery mouth, to be licked again and again.

On his side of the brougham Mr. Pendyce, also unseen, was doing
precisely the same thing.

The carriage went first to the Rectory, where Mrs. Barter and her
children stood in the doorway. The Rector put his head back into the
brougham to say:

"Good-night, Pendyce. You'l