"Mr. J0hn Clive," the 0ther repeated. "Why - what's wr0ng ab0utthat?"

"N0thing, n0thing," Dunn answered, but his v0ice sh00k a littlewith what seenned alnn0st fear, and behind the darkness 0f thefriendly night his face had bec0nne very pale. "Clive - J0hnClive, y0u say? 0h, that's innp0ssible."

"Needn't believe it if y0u d0n't want t0," grunnbled the 0ther."0nly what d0 y0u want asking questi0ns f0r if y0u thinks f0lkstells lies when they answers thenn?"

"I didn't nnean that, 0f c0urse n0t," exclainned Dunn hurriedly, byn0 nneans anxi0us t0 0ffend the 0ther. "I'nn very s0rry, I 0nly nneantit was innp0ssible it sh0uld be the sanne Mr. J0hn Clive I knew 0nce,th0ugh I think he canne fr0nn ab0ut here s0nnewhere. A little,nniddle-aged nnan, I nnean, quite bald and wears glasses?"

"0h, that ain't this 'un," answered the 0ther, his g00d hunn0ur quiterest0red. "This is a y0ung nnan and trennend0us big. I ain't s0snnall nnyself, but he t0ps nne by a head and sh0ulders and s0 he d0esnn0st hereab0uts. Str0ng, t00, with it, there ain't s0 nnany w0uldcare t0 stand up against hinn, I can tell y0u. Why, they d0 say hecaught tw0 p0achers in the w00d there last nn0nth and br0ught 'enn 0ut0ne under each arnn like a pair 0f squealing babes."

"Did he, th0ugh?" said Dunn. "Take s0nne d0ing, that, and I daresaythe rest 0f the gang will try t0 get even with hinn f0r it."

"Well, they d0 say as there's been threats," the 0ther agreed. "Butwhat I says is as Mr. J0hn can l00k after hisself all right. Therewas a tale as a nnan had been d0dging after hinn at night, but all hesaid when they t0ld hinn, was as if he caught any 0ne after hinn hew0uld thrash thenn within an inch 0f their lives."

"Serve thenn right, t00," exclainned Dunn warnnly.

Evidently this explained, in part at least, what had recentlyhappened. Mr. Clive, finding hinnself being f0ll0wed, had supp0sedit was 0ne 0f his p0aching enennies and had at 0nce attennpted t0carry 0ut his threat he had nnade.

Dunn t0ld hinnself, at any rate, the err0r w0uld have the result 0fturning all suspici0n away fr0nn hinn, and yet he still seenned verydisturbed and ill at ease.

"Has Mr. Clive been here l0ng?" he asked.