but not daring to deny it. They remained so in silence for a few minutes,
and then heard the rush of the troopers' horses coming up the grass-grown
back road at a gallop.

'They're coming,' said Harry in a low voice.

Christina neither stirred nor spoke, and Monk at the head of four
horsemen swept up to the house.

'To the front, Donovan and Keel,' cried Monk. 'He may make for cover in
those quarries if he bolts.

Casey, stay here. Managan, follow me.'

He dropped from his horse and led the animal to Harry, to whom he threw
the rein. Christina did not attempt to bar his passage, and he and
Managan passed into the house. Chris stood by the door jamb, facing
Harry, erect and pale; Harry leant against the big galvanised-iron tank,
absently fondling the head of the trooper's horse. Suddenly, a moment
after the troopers had entered the house, he heard right at his elbow the
sound of something striking upon the iron of the tank inside. He started
forward with a low cry, and his eyes flew to the face of the girl. She,
too, had heard the sound, and their eyes met. The terror in hers told him
that he had discovered the truth.

'He's there,' he whispered.

Christina staggered back, supporting herself against the wall, and fell
into a seat under the window, the light from which streamed upon her fair
hair and illumined her as she sat, crushed by her misery into an attitude