The Second String

shot dead o

hear more. He must hurry on. Ping felt there was need fo

for the man was a brute. He had no human feeling, and how he earned pro

on the other, and the two men often met, but the

e worst characters, and when he went to Boonara even Bill Bigs fought shy of him. There was no doubt he was a criminal. His face, his shifty eyes, the

. Ping travelled well, his head bound for home, such as it was, and every horse knows the way to his stable. Mile after mile was traversed, until Glen saw a faint speck in the distan

n be there," and the ho

r after hour passed, and still the dog stood on guard an

sounds were unfamiliar. Jim watched him. The dog seemed half inclined to spring on

ing to sleep. He had been sitting like a statue for t

as Glen doing all this time? He had promised to watch, but Glen had not promised to

pted this as a sign that he heard

t, sharp bark, a tr

ef Jim stood up. He could

ing, trying to wrench himself free to bite his hands. Jim held on. He heard the hoof-beats. It was Glen returnin

sat up; then she sank bac

nto the hut. Unstrung as he was, the sight that met his gaze caused him to dr

struggling. Jim let go his hold an

ng from hounds, dashing under Ping's belly and scouring across country at top speed.

all, he had gone through, the precious bottles had broken? He knelt down beside Jim, summing up the situation, and wondering how long he had been su

ed me for hours. I dared not move for fear he would savage me or her, but when I heard you coming I could stan

your fellows smashed things up, and he was in a towering rage. Fetch some water. It's f

refully on the floor. Bill had made amends after all, and open

er-catchers. It was far too precious to waste, although many times the qu

a bit of rag, he moistened her lips wit

him, and with it relaxation from the strain he too had gone thro

, Jim. You nee

much a

r than mine. Sleep, man; then

s in a dead slumber

happened. He bent down and kissed her, not like Jim Benny, on the lips, but on her forehead, reverently, tenderly, like a father would a child-and he was the most reckless rider on the fence. B

on her now. It's healthy. She'll pull through. I'll bet she pulls through, and we'll have done it, Jim, and I, and Bil

when he found sleep would overco

hen they're dry. Place

when Glen was away. He was ashamed of it; somehow he thoug

would have been worse than the noise and rush of traffic. Outside, Ping, neglected after his long journey, unsaddled, was finding refre

raced his steps slowly. Near the hut he encountered Ping, so nosed round him as though apologising for the sudden bolt under him. Ping and Spotty were chums. They were

an was coming round. She began to mutter.

kon she'll mend now. We've al

of

and Bill

out the fenc

swered Glen fiercely

I," echoed Jim

he fence. I tell you, Jim, it's slow murde

better tucker in

lled to Glen's mind

im

el

been shot dead

right," replied Ji

what brought you here,"

t wa

ha

lder bu

ou

no

hot