cry. Redmond, startled at a new horror apparent on the other's ghastly
face, clutched him by the arm.

"What's up?" he queried tensely.

Yorke struggled to speak. "Fox!" he gasped presently--"this
morning. . . . I never told you. My God!--You might have got hung up
like this, too."

"No! no! Yorkey!" Redmond almost shouted the disclaimer, "Slavin wised
me up to that trick of his yesterday. I forgot. It was my own fault I
got piled like that. Forget it, old man! I say forget it!"

He shook the other's arm with a sort of savage gentleness.

A look of vague relief dawned on Yorke's haggard face. "Ay, so!" he
murmured, and paused with brooding indecision. "That's absolved my
conscience some, but not altogether."

They remained silent awhile after this. Presently Yorke pulled
himself together and spoke briskly and decisively. "Well, now! we'll
have to get busy. Blair's place is only about three miles from
here--nor'east--they're on the long-distance 'phone. Doctor Cox of Cow
Run's the coroner for this district. If I can get hold of him I'll get
him to come out right-away--and I'll notify Slavin."

Catching up his horse he swung into the saddle. "I'll be back here on
the jump. You stick around, and say, Reddy, you might as well have a
dekko at the lay of things while you're waiting. Where he came off the
perch, how far he's been dragged, and all that. Be careful though, keep