I went out and called to the woman next door.

She was in her kitchen, but the door was open. She came out when I knocked.

“Poor thing,” she said, when I told her. “It ’as been a shock, no doubt. She was so wrapped hup in the boy.”

She could hardly have said less if her neighbour had lost half-a-crown.

“Get her into your cottage before they come,” I said harshly, and left her.

I wanted to get out of the lane before the men came back, but I had hardly started before I saw them coming.

They had made a chair of their arms, and were carrying him between them. They had not the least fear of him, now.

IX

The Harrison idiot suddenly jumped out of the hedge.