"Why, Tudor Williams of course--the poor boy that I murdered." "But Tudor's all right. He wasn't really much hurt. He walked home." Bevis stared searchingly at Mavis, then shook his head. "I _know_ he's dead. It's no use telling me he isn't. I murdered him. Haven't I heard the bell tolling for his funeral? It never stops. I tell you it never stops. I hear it night and day, and I feel like Cain!" The girls glanced at one another. Bevis was plainly very ill. He looked ghastly, and his knees trembled so greatly that he had to lean against the wall of the cave. "Where have you been all this week?" Mavis asked him. "I don't know. Here mostly, I think. I thought I'd walk to Port Sennen and try to get on board a ship, but somehow I feel weak. Perhaps I could get off to-night if I tried." "Come home, Bevis," persuaded Merle. But he sank down again on to the bed of leaves which he had made, and drew the mackintosh coat over him. "It's so cold," he shivered. "First I'm burning hot and then I'm cold. It's the curse of Cain!" Mavis took Merle's arm, and drew her outside the cave. "He's in a high fever, and simply raving," she whispered. "He's not fit to walk home even if we could get him to try. You go back to the farm and tell Mrs. Penruddock, and I'll stay here. We mustn't both leave him or he might wander off somewhere on to the cliffs. Be as quick as you can." "I shall run all the way," declared Merle. "Oh, the _poor_ boy. Think of staying here by himself the whole week." Mavis went back into the cave, and kneeling down by Bevis tried to soothe him. She had been ill so often herself that she could sympathize as he shuddered and shivered. His hands were burning hot, and his great dark eyes shone like fires in his white face. She told him over and over again that Tudor was safe; but he scarcely seemed to understand, and kept moaning that he had murdered him. "I'm not fit for any one to speak to. It's the curse of Cain," he repeated. Meantime Merle, who was swift of foot and had won many long-distance races at school sports, flew back to Chagmouth with record speed, and carried her news to Grimbal's Farm. Mrs. Penruddock was in the kitchen. She ran at once and called her husband from where he was working in the orchard. "I'll put the horse in the trap," he said briefly. "We'll go by the upper road, and then slip across the fields to the cave. Best take his overcoat and a rug." Merle went with them, not that she could be of any special use, but because she simply could not stop behind, and after all she was able to render a service, for she held the horse while Mr. and Mrs. Penruddock hurried down the fields to the cave. They came back after a short time half-carrying Bevis along, with Mavis, looking extremely grave, walking beside them. They lifted him into the trap, and drove him home, meeting Dr. Tremayne on the very doorstep. The Doctor shook his head when he heard of the nights in the damp cave.