'Let me attend to you,' the doctor, who had the heartiest sympathy
for our hero, cried, springing up.

'No; you must attend to him. Besides, as I expected, here come the
officers, good-bye.' In a moment he was upon his horse, and galloping
across the stubble-stretches, and clearing the snake fences that
divided field from field, like a bird. The magistrate and two
constables, for such were the officials that comprised the
interrupting party, no sooner saw Roland in flight, than they turned
in pursuit at a rate of speed equal to his own, and called upon him to
surrender. He made no reply.

'Then, men, fire upon him,' the magistrate shouted. One of the
constables raised his carbine and fired.




CHAPTER IV.

TO THE EDGE OF MARKHAM SWAMP.


'Swish-h-h' went the clumsy slug past Roland's ear. He grasped his
revolver; and the resolution of the moment was to stand at bay and
fight the churls. But the reflection not occupying the hundredth part
of a second showed him that such a course was not to be thought of.
His antagonist had fallen; but this was only _a crime of honour_. To
shoot the Queen's officers would be a vulgar felony. So he kept upon
his course, confident in the mettle of his noble horse, who with