Part 25 (1/2)

”Ye're no' hurt?” he asked

Foster said he was uninjured, and when he asked where Pete had been the latter grinned

”Up the hill and sitting in a wet peat-hag There was a polisither easy getting clear o' him”

”But why did the police I dinna' exactly ken, but when I was co doon the road I heard a shot and saw ye break intil the wood Weel, I thought the back o' it was the place forthe dyke, quiet and saircumspect, when a man jumped ower and took the heather He had a stairt, but the brae was steep, and I was thinking it would no' be long before I had a grup o' hiht it len that rins doon the fell When I saw ”

Foster knitted his brows It looked as if Pete had drawn the police off his antagonist's track, which was unfortunate; but Gordon had evidently been watching the felloould now have enough to do tohiht, but Foster need not puzzle about this in the ht it worth while to risk shooting him in order to recover the checks showed Foster that he was on the right track Their importance did not depend on their et them back because they were evidence of a crime

It was satisfactory to think there was notDaly, ould have an additional reason for leaving the country if he heard what had happened

After walking soh he had to knock for a few minutes was admitted to the inn

So that there was a train to Carlisle next ave the name of a hotel there and went to the station He had done what Gordon told hi

As the train ran down Liddesdale he sat in a corner, thinking The fast Canadian Northern boats sailed froht choose that port if he were suspicious and meant to steal away; but Liverpool was nearer and there were ht he could leave this ave the steas In the meantime he must decide what to do with Pete, and adh he would not be of ht make hio at Carlisle,” he said

Pete looked rather hard at him, and then asked: ”Have I earned my money?”

”Yes,” said Foster, ”you have earned it well”

”Then, if ye have nae great objection, I'd like to take pairt in the shape o' a third-class passage to Western Canada, where ye coran' country”

”It's a hard country,” Foster answered ”You had better not be rash

There's not s to the State and the laws about it are very strict”

”There's no' thathere; particular when ye pay a smart fine noo and then For a' that, I wouldna' say but it's better than ht to ht s or a pound a week for either But what's yon for a man's work frae break o' day till dark? An', mind ye, it's work that needs skill”

”Not very reed

”Weel,” said Pete, rather diffidently, ”I thought ye ht have some use for me, if ye've no' finished the business ye are on”

Foster doubted if Pete could help hih the woods The ain; then he had talents which, if rightly applied, would earn him much more in Canada than five dollars a week

”If you mean to come, I'll take you,” he said ”If I don't want you ood start”

Pete gave hilance, and Foster was silent while the train ran down the valley of the Esk On reaching Carlisle, he went to the hotel he had nan the visitors'

book He spent the afternoon watching the station, and then went to the Eden bridge, where the road to Scotland crossed the river Daly had a car and ht prefer to use it instead of the rather infrequent trains