Hallo there! Stop!" He looked up quickly to see McKinstry stagger and then fall heavily to the ground.
With an exclamation of horror, the first and only terrible emotion he had felt, he ran to the fallen man, as Harrison reached his side at the same moment.
"For God's sake," he said wildly, throwing himself on his knees beside McKinstry, "what has happened?
For I swear to you, I never aimed at you! I fired in the air.

Speak! Tell him, you," he turned with a despairing appeal to Harrison, "you must have seen it all--tell him it was not me!" A half wondering, half incredulous smile passed quickly over Harrison's face.

"In course you didn't MEAN it," he said dryly, "but let that slide.

Get up and get away from yer, while you kin," he added impatiently, with a significant glance at one or two men who lingered after the sudden and general dispersion of the crowd at McKinstry's fall.

"Get--will ye!" "Never!" said the young man passionately, "until he knows that it was not my hand that fired that shot." McKinstry painfully struggled to his elbow.