"One of those whom you so much injured." "Injured--injured? What does it mean? What's this red blind over my eyes? Where are we--in the valley? Or--I can't see--can't see with my eyes, nor yet with my understanding!" he gasped, apparently struggling hard with his misty, clouded intellect. "Yes, I can--I know now. Where is the girl?" "Yes; where is the poor girl?" repeated Mr Meadows anxiously; and he again poured a few drops between the poor wretch's lips. "Girl! Yes, yes; I saved her. I told young Murray I'd pay him. Lee's girl, the other woman told me. I knew the Lees once, at home. Yes, at home; and I saved her twice, and _they_ saved her." He trailed off into a wild, incoherent string; and in spite of all Mr Meadows's efforts and anxiety, no farther information could he obtain. He was about to turn and leave the dreadful spectacle, when he felt a light touch upon his arm; and starting round, he saw, standing pale and trembling by his side, a woman whom he hardly recognised as one of the shepherds' wives he had more than once seen at the Moa's Nest. He elicited that she had lain concealed amidst the ferns for many hours past, so overcome with dread, that, though provisions in abundance had been almost within sight, she had not dared to crawl out until she heard a voice she knew to be friendly. She told, too, how the miserable man at their side had twice acted in defence of Katie and herself; and how, in the midst of a wild struggle and confusion, Katie had been snatched away: when, availing herself of the absence of the convicts in pursuit, the woman had crawled amongst the ferns, and lain there, not daring to more. Then, some time after, she heard the oaths and raging of the men on their return, and the murderous way in which they had set upon their companion, whom they accused of betraying them, leaving him at last, probably for dead. "And I did not dare to move, sir," she sobbed; "but had to lie there, listening to his groans, hour after hour, till I prayed that he might die out of his misery, as I felt that I must, or else be driven mad." "But where do you think they are now?" said Mr Meadows. "Somewhere up the valley that runs beside here, sir; and that's where Miss Katie must have been taken, if they've not killed her, for there's been shooting ever since." "Did you not see who snatched her away?" "No, sir, no; it was all in the night-time, when she was clinging tightly to me, and I was struck down at the same moment." "Let us descend from here, my child," he said; "for there are friends below in the valley, seeking for us." He turned to lead his new companion away, but she suddenly exclaimed, "They're coming again! O, sir, save me--save me!"--and she clung to Mr Meadows, who heard far down below him the rustling and snapping of the trees, as if several people were forcing their way through them. "That's the way they went," sobbed the woman; "and they're coming again."