HUNSTON AGAIN AT WORK-THE DANCING GARDEN—MARIETTA AND HER
GOSSIP-GREAT NEWS—THE ARREST—WHAT CHARGE?—MURDER.
Hunston's infirmity had told in many ways.
He had sunk to be a mere nonentity in the band.
Now he was but too pleased to be left at peace when in his great suffering; yet no sooner did he recover health and spirits a little than his old interest revived, and with his interest all the old jealousies.
He bitterly resented Toro's assumption of the command.
"Let the blustering bully fool impose upon them if he will," he said to himself again and again; "he never could take me in. It shall be my task to show them who can render the most real service to the band."
Their programme suited Hunston well.
What could better have accorded with his humour than the devotion of all their time, thought, and energies to the persecution—perhaps to the entire destruction, of the Harkaway family?
It was all gone on with avowedly to avenge the death of Mathias.
Little cared Hunston about the dead brigand chief.