Page 126 (1/1)

"Perfectly," said Byrne; "and now beat it--you're wasting a lot of precious time"

"For Barbara's sake it looks like the only way," said Anthony Harding, "but it seems wicked and cowardly to desert a noble fellow like you, sir"

"It is wicked," said Billy Mallory "There must be some other way By the way, old man, who are you anyhow, and how did you happen to be here?"

Byrne turned his face upward so that the full hted his features clearly

"There is no other way, Mallory," he said "Now take a good look at azed intently at the strong face looking into his He shook his head

"There is so familiar about your face," he said; "but I cannot place you Nor does it make any difference who you are--you have risked your life to save ours and I shall not leave you Let Mr Harding go--it is not necessary for both to stay"

"You will both go," insisted Byrne; "and you will find that it doesyou, but I see there is no other way I'm the mucker that nearly killed you on board the Lotus, Mallory I' until even that beast of a Si has been alone with o!"

He turned away so that they could no longer see his face, with the e upon it, and co stood hite face and clinched hands during Byrne's recital of his identity At its close he took a threatening step toward the prostratesword, with ahis upraised arm

"Don't!" he whispered "Think e hile while Billy Byrne lay upon his belly in the tall grass firing from time to time into the direction fro and Billy Mallory kept on in silence along their dis fainter and fainter, as they dreay from the scene of conflict, apprised the men that their rescuer still lived

After a time the distant reports ceased The talked on in silence for a few minutes