come to no harm.  But I swear, right hyar, ef you an’ me ever come to close quarters I’ll perforate you—­’less you git the drop on me.  An’ to do that’ll keep you humpin’.  So long, pard.  It’s jest gettin’ daylight, ah’ I don’t calc’late to slouch around hyar when the sun’s shinin’.  Don’t go fur to forget my advice.  I don’t charge nothin’ fur it, but it’s good, pard—­real good, for all that.  So long.”

He swung his horse round, and before Horrocks had time to collect himself, much less to speak, he was almost out of sight.

Half dazed and still wondering at the strangeness of the desperate Breed’s manner he mechanically began to walk slowly in the direction of the Foss River Settlement.

CHAPTER XXII

THE DAY AFTER

Morning broke over a disturbed and restless community at Foss River.  The chief residents who were not immediately concerned in the arrest of Retief—­only deeply interested, and therefore skeptical—­had gone to bed over-night eager for the morning light to bring them news.  Their broken slumbers ceased as daylight broadened into sunrise, and, without waiting for their morning coffee, the majority set out to gather the earliest crumbs of news obtainable.  There were others, of course, who were not in the know, or, at least, had only heard vague rumors.  These were less interested, and therefore failed to rise so early.

Amongst the earliest abroad was Doctor Abbot.  Aunt Margaret’s interest was not sufficient to drag her from her downy couch thus early, but, with truly womanly logic, she saw no reason why the doctor should not glean for her the information she required.  Therefore the doctor rose and shivered under the lightness of his summer apparel in the brisk morning air.

The market-place, upon which the doctor’s house looked, was almost deserted when he passed out of his door.  He glanced quickly around for some one whom he might recognize.  He saw that the door of “Lord” Bill’s shack was open, but it was too far off for him to see whether that lazy individual was yet up.  A neche was leisurely cleaning up round Lablache’s store, whilst the local butcher was already busy swabbing out the little shed which did duty for his shop.  As yet there was no other sign of life abroad, and Doctor Abbot prepared to walk across to the butcher for a gossip, and thus wait for some one else to come along.

He stepped briskly from his house, for he was “schrammed” with cold in his white drill clothing.  As he approached the energetic butcher, he saw a man entering the market-place from the southern extremity of the settlement.  He paused to look closely at the new-comer.  In a moment he recognized Thompson, one of the clerks from Lablache’s store.  He conjectured at once that this man might be able to supply him with the information he desired, and so changed his direction and went across to meet him.