ld have been found a good deal below normal, her fierce determination not to remain helpless any longer gave her strength to get up and dress. She was not able, however, to do any

the edge of the plain showed how far the flames had encroached upon it before they had been got under. One might well conceive with what almost superhuman exertions the beaters had at length accomp

l upon that aspect of affairs. But her mind was incapable just now of dealing with practical issues. She felt utterly weak, utterly lonely

days previously. She was conscious of the pull of his will upon the invisible cords by which he held her. If it were an unholy spell, it was, now, at least, in her desolation, a consoling one. He loved her; he wanted her. She knew that

came up the steps with a big cabbage leaf gathered in his hand. He opened it out when he reached the ver

t these myself. I made Fo

rate, graciously. Now Tommy shrank away, startled by the look on Lady

ay! ...' she cried.

filled with tears. He dropped the cabbage leaf and the cherished Br

dreadful thought his appearance had suddenly evoked. She picked up the cabbage leaf with the fruit and flung them over the railings into a flower bed, where the butcher-birds and

out from the bedroom with

dyship, turning out your room. I

ower had passed by and Willoughby Maule had departed. She languidly in

station. In the last fifteen months they had brought the bush railway a good deal further up the river, and Crocodile Creek w

sage over two or three times before the real bearings

rom her cousin, Lord Gaverick, and that it had been despatched

AND FIFTY THOUSAND DIFFICULTIES EXECUTORS YOUR PR

of lean beasts all shadowy in the smoky mist over the horizon, then round, along the wilderness of

aoler to keep the prison doors locked any longer-except-except-No

tically put out. Even in the moonlight they looked deplorable objects, grimed, c

uld scarcely sit their horses. When th

ds left to look after the head-station and the tailing-mob held the men's horses when their riders literally tumbled off them. Ninnis made McKeith take a strong pull of whiskey and supported him along to the Old Humpey.

ssing-room. In God's name, just let me stretch m

ered in Turkey-red, which was used sometimes at mustering times when there w

ce longing and reluctant, came

k with smoke and charcoal; his flannel shirt, open at the neck, showed red scratches and scorch-marks on the exposed chest and was torn over the arms, where were more excoriations of the flesh. And the ravaged face! How hard it was. How relentless, even in t

nging to take him in her arms-brutal as she thought him, and unworthy of the affection she had once felt for him-felt still alas!-and all the romance she had once woven about him.... She saw that a fly was hovering over the excoriated arm and drew the ragged sleeve over its bareness. Then she noticed the mosquito net reefe

ce receiving the cablegram as to w

fever down, and she resolved that her husband should not again be required to nurse her. She did not go into the Office any more, but busied herself in a defiant fashion upon little cares f

isturbing footsteps, and saw that the bathroom was in order, and a change of clothi

oid the part of the house she occupied. Bridget went back to the front veranda in a cold fury, pierced by stabs of mental pain. She watched him from the end of the veranda go into the living room of the Quarters, and thought bitterly that he would ask Mrs Hensor for the food he required. No doubt too, he

s, who, when at the station, was usually about this tim

is step on the Old Humpey veranda. He came now by the covered

e it would have seemed too strange had

Qualities in himself responded to like qualities in her. He admired her pride and pluck. Yet the two egoisms reared agai

ut for that other man whose influence he was now convinced had always bee

t the first sight of her there on the veranda, before she turned full to him, a passionate yearning to take her in his arms, and cover her poor little wasted face with kisses-to call her 'Mate'; to remind her of that won

ing in its restraint, when he came near and sp

N

he medicine he had left for her, and so on, to which she returned almost mono

I thought it would be, though I didn't at

xiety about me since you came back. I heard you go to the bath

to notice the la

he said curtly.

w that,' s

e a hissing sound, and he flushed a b

into the

u must have loathed the sight of

aid n

ded then to his first impulse, things might have gone very differently between them. But he kept himself stiffened. He would not lift his eyes

had come out of a bandbox

, 'Oh! what d

ok the meaning o

. 'When it comes to the end of eve

stabbed her. He on his side had again the confused sense of two antagonis

't it? The end HAS come.... You're sick of the whole show-dead sick

recklessly. 'I hate the B

, that settles it

s silence, and

that bad times are coming on me,'-and she read a different application in the 'now.' 'I-I'd be glad for y

rate....' The sarcasm

hysterical, choking sensation left her. Her back was to him. He

against the wall; and from the litter of papers and wor

s,' she said stonily, and

he steadied it upon the veranda railing, an

aving him alone in Chaos. They had taken him at his word-had registered on the instant his impious declaration. It WAS the end of ever

his own laugh recalled the rattle of earth, upon the dry outside of a sheet of bark in which, during one of their boundary rides at Breeza Downs latel

ar-off-on the other side of a grave, but quite collectedly and

s come to you in the nick of

he assen

go as your cousin says. The

h, money!' sh

s is a matter of business, and business can't be put on one side-especially, when there's as l

, 'That's his Scotch carefulness about money; he w

ght to be an E. and A. boat due at Leuraville pretty soon-I'll

to-morrow-just wh

besides, you'll allow it's best for me not to go with you. Ninnis could drive you to Crocodile Creek, and

Bill still more on the run. But there's Joe Casey-I daresay somebody else can milk the cows, and

nyone but my own trusted overseer in charge of y

then stopped and leaned heavily against the wall. In a few second

it would be better for you to sleep one night at old Duppo's place. There's fresh horses

'I expect the answer to the cablegram will get as quickly as if Harry the Blower took it, if you send it from Crocodile Creek yourself.

ean? I want to take nothing-

en there's money....' he stopped at the edge of the steps leading down to the Old Humpey, looking back at her-'what you'll nee

demon ro

. I only want the bare passage money. And di

d shot him. His face was terrible. At that

and he went slowly down the steps, and out of he