Foster told him and he nodded.  “I know the inn and will call there as soon as I can.  Leave your address if you go before I come.”

He went away up the road and Foster, setting off again, had gone about a mile when he heard steps behind him.  Soon after he stopped Pete came up.

“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 polisman who ran better than I thought an’ it wasn’a a’thegither easy getting clear o’ him.”

“But why did the policeman run after you?”

“Yon’s a thing I dinna’ exactly ken, but when I was coming doon the road I heard a shot and saw ye break intil the wood.  Weel, I thought the back o’ it was the place for me, and I was follying the 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’ him when the polis cam’ ower the dyke behind.  Then I thought it might be better if I didna’ interfere, and made for a bit glen that rins doon the fell.  When I saw my chance I slippit oot and found the peat-hag.”

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 fellow, who would now have enough to do to make his escape.  How Gordon came to be watching him required some thought, but Foster need not puzzle about this in the meantime.  That Graham or his accomplice had thought 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 money value; Graham meant to get them back because they were evidence of a crime.  It was satisfactory to think there was not much probability of the fellow’s meeting Daly, who would have an additional reason for leaving the country if he heard what had happened.

After walking some distance, he came to a straggling village, and although he had to knock for a few minutes was admitted to the inn.  Somewhat to his surprise, Gordon did not follow him, and finding that there was a train to Carlisle next morning, he gave the name of a hotel there and went to the station.  He had done what Gordon told him, but did not mean to stop at the hotel long.

As the train ran down Liddesdale he sat in a corner, thinking.  The fast Canadian Northern boats sailed from Bristol, and Daly might choose that port if he were suspicious and meant to steal away; but Liverpool was nearer and there were more steamers to Montreal.  Foster thought he could leave this matter until he reached Carlisle and got a newspaper that gave the steamship sailings.  In the meantime he must decide what to do with Pete, and admitted that he would be sorry to part with the man, although he would not be of much help in the towns, and their companionship might make him conspicuous.