Nosey went outside, and began walking to and fro, thinking and whispering to himself.  It was a habit he had acquired while slowly sauntering after his sheep.  He seemed to have another self, an invisible companion with whom he discussed whatever was uppermost in his mind.  If he had then consulted his other self, Julia, he might have saved himself a world of trouble; but he did not think of her.  He said to himself:  “Now, Nosey, if you don’t mind, you are going to be in a hole.  That old fool inside has found out something or other about the sheep, and the peelers will have you, if you don’t look out, and they’ll give you another seven years and maybe ten.  You’ve done your time once, Nosey, and how would you like to do it again?  Why couldn’t you leave the cursed sheep alone and keep out of mischief just when you were settling down in life comfortable, and might have a chance to do better.  Baldy will be telling the peelers to-morrow all he knows about the sheep you stole, and then they’ll fetch you, sure.  There’s only one thing to stop the old fool’s jaw, and you are not game to do it, Nosey; you never done a man yet, and you are not game to do it now, and you’ll be damned if you do it, and the devil will have you, and you’ll be hanged first maybe.  And if you don’t do him you’ll be lagged again for the sheep, and in my opinion, Nosey, you are not game.  Yes, by the powers, you are, Nosey, damned if you ain’t.  Who’s afeered?  And you’ll do it quick —­do it quick.  Now or never’s your time.”

While talking thus to himself, Nosey was pacing to and fro, and he glanced at the axe every time he passed the door.  The weapon was ready to his hand, and seemed to be inviting him to use it.

“Baldy is going to light his pipe, and while he is stooping to get a firestick, I’ll do him with the axe.”

When Baldy turned towards the fire, Nosey grasped the axe and held it behind him.  He waited a moment, and then entered the hut; but Baldy either heard his step, or had some suspicion of danger, for he looked around before takingup a firestick.  At that instant the blow, intended for the back of the head, struck him on the jaw, and he fell forward among the embers.  For one brief moment of horror he must have realised that he was being murdered, and then another blow behind the head left him senseless.

Nosey dragged the body out of the fireplace into the middle of the floor, intending, while he was doing a man, to do him well.  He raised the axe to finish his work with a third blow, but Julia gave a scream so piercing that his attention was diverted to her.

“Oh, Nosey,” she said, “what are you doing to poor Baldy?  You are murdering him.”

Nosey turned to his wife with upraised axe.

“Hold your jaw, woman, and keep quiet, or I’ll do as much for you.”

She said no more.  She was tall and stout, had small, sharp, roving eyes; and Nosey was a thick-set man, with a thin, prominent nose, sunken eyes, and overhanging brows.  He never had a prepossessing appearance, and now his look and attitude were so ugly and fierce that the big woman was completely cowed.  The pair stood still for some time, watching the last convulsive movements of the murdered Baldy.