pi and Maggie hovering about the table. The man's eyes said more than his lip

er. Before long the head-station was very quiet. Harris had inspected the hide-house and, having assured himself of the safety of his prisoner, had retired to the veranda room, making a great parade of keeping his door open, his gu

gly reminded Lady Bridget, the dining world of Lo

waste time o

mind is quite made up. I can't go on like t

' he echoed

the country, but the mailman will be her

. Why are you so anxi

made me a scene yesterday. Y

d y

laugh. 'Oh! I-don't w

dly earnest. I let you go once. I

Don't you see that it is im

We must be everything t

ly agitated. That fact gave him courage. His voice dropped to the

has opened the gate of freedom-for me, at least-and I can only feel remorseful thankf

t that if you are

ge? Call it a

lter the fact that I did care very much for my husb

u did. One has only to see you together.... Oh, Biddy, it was so like you to rush off to the other side o

istaken,'

hrase, isn't it? And-well, perhaps there was another reason for the revulsion.... And you thought you had found the remedy for it all. Oh! I admit that he is v

exclaimed vehemently.

u in its most glowing colours. No doubt, as you said, it's a Garden of Eden in good seasons. Wonderful vegetation, glorious liberty-

remember that YOU used to talk to me about the

when El Dorado proves a delusion that one begins to hanker-I

se. Why not go and enjoy th

hare them with you. Bridget, I can give yo

ur wife'

hen he leaned closer to her, and his fingers touched the gold cigarette case which lay on

n. I was not worthy of her. But unworthy as I may have been, Bridget, I deserved be

eceive me. That, at all events, is

on his station that insolent woman

w that his shaft had struck th

Mrs Hensor's husband was killed on one of Colin's expedition

emed common gossip at Tunumburra that ther

'You have no right to make s

es not appear to be over popular. Of course, I attached no great importance to the gossip then. It only made me wonder. Oddly enough, to-day when I was out with the tailing mo

Bridget, and Demon Doubt rose up clothed now in more material subst

s employment. He is another of Mrs Hensor'

d reject so many suitors witho

more. Her head drooped upon her hand

am alone. It's an insult

take you out of these miserable conditions-an

d incoherently, 'I'll not say any more about that since it hurts you. You see, I respect your wishes. I'll even go away at once, if you command it, and leave you to form your own judgment. I will stay in Leichardt's Town-in Sydney-anywhere-until you have decided for yourself-as I know you must do-how impossible it is for you to remain here. Then I will meet you wherever you please, and we will go to Europe together-bury ourselves abroad-wait

looking at him in a strange fixed manner, almost like a person in the firs

old Biddy. I ne

I promise you that you shall

er into his arms, but

an't see things clearly. It's all been so sudden-Colin going aw

of his head as if to let her pass. 'I tol

d you would leave me to decide for myself. I take you at your word

is law to me. But understan

n't you understand?-I couldn't bear you to be here when

a to-morrow?' he

will write to you in Leichardt's Town. Oh, it's quite simple. The mailman

nd that she would join him in Leuraville or Leichardt's Town. After all, that might be best.

ght,' she said abruptly, and flitted like

little, but the manner was conventional, and she g

e black-boy. I only want to tell you, that you may depend on your wishes being carried o

answered simply.

itions of mood a humorous element in the situation seemed to appeal to her, and she said with a l

orn by a strong flash of chain lightning. It threw up her face in startling clearness and he saw

ching extent perhaps than ever in his life before. It may have been the flash of light

ared. He had thought her merely amiable and stupid-except in her love for him-and his sentiments towards her had been a mixture of boredom, and the tolerant consider

stencies, her weakness, her temperamental craving for dramatic contrast, her reckless toying with emotion-by a curious law of paradox, there came back upon Will

breast, to seal the half-compact with a lover's kiss, so pas

the interval-it seemed a very long one-between the lightning fl

walking out of a dream? 'There's goi

htened of storms!' and added, 'besi

she had glided away a

uld be thinking of her husband and