any long expiation there. It would be difficult to say which of the two suffered the most. Probably McKeith, because he was the strongest. Equally, he showed it the lea

ther in the sense of reality. A barrier infinitely more forbidding than any material one of stone or iron. Because it was li

s he could, the necessity for Lady Bridget's voyage to England-a necessity that appealed to Ninnis' practical mind, particularly in the present financial emergency. It surprised him a little that McKeith should not himself see his

for the long stage of the morrow, when over fifty miles must be covered. There would be another pair at old Duppo's, and, after a day and night of comparative rest, Alexander and Roxalana would be fresh for the last long stage of the journe

he Bank, pending the cattle sales.... Would there be saleable cattle enough to meet demands and exp

riches. That only added gall to his bitterness, new fuel to

ed to be an acquaintance of his-all recommending Lady Bridget to the different people's care-all anticipating and arranging against every possible drawback to her comfort on the voyage-all carefully stating the object of her trip to England-business connected with the death of a near relative. Then, after the ghastly pretence of d

to the office, and Bridget saw or heard no more of him that night. He did not come even to his dressing-room. She concluded that he w

ge, and a big furred cloak for warmth, when she should

ngings-she left just as they were. Colin might do as

o despairing tears. It was a shrivelled section of ba

tand? All the time, through these preparations, strangely enough she did not think of any possible future in connec

rly, and had had his breakfast already, but he watched her trying to eat while he moved about collecting things for her journey, and he poured out the coffee, and begged her to drink it. While he was there, Chen Sing brought in the basket of

they promised to have the garden 'velly good-TAI YAT number one'

ked quinine and different medicines he had prepared in case of her needing them. Then after

n when in the society of ladies he wished to honour, was standing by the front wheels examining the lash of his driving-whip. McKeith had given him his last directions. There was nothing now to wait for. McKeith went slowly up the steps of the back veranda, and in at the French window of the sitting room, wher

ady, Bridge

es

it to the back veranda, and told one of the Chinamen to give it to Mr Ninnis-

essed envelope on her own writing-table. 'There are a fe

e of them,' he a

r eyes both smarting, agonised, stared a

d out her hands. 'Aren't y

ot pierce-through which their yearning lips might not touch. For an instant too, the hardness of his face was broken by a spasm of emotion. Th

bye-Br

l you have

sly. 'I-I-can't.... T

ut one word of apology-of regret. I thi

ust a rough bushman, no better and no worse. Apology!-that's my apology-As for regret. My God! isn't it all one huge regret? No, I won't say that.... Because there are some things I CAN'T regret-for myself. For you, I do regret them. I was an insane ass ever to imagine that I and my way of living could ever fit in with a woman brought up like you. The incompatibilities were bound to come out-incompatibilities

u?' she

never been DOWNED in my life. I'm not going to be DOWNED this time. I shall make good-some time-s

true that the man's pugnacious egoism-a lower side of him asserting itself just then-had always

ot too much pride to hang on to the skirts of a rich wife. But you won't be harmed.... I don't know yet, but I believe there's a way by which you can

d but her voice was coldly bitter.

ily. 'I told you talking was no g

go the better pleased you will be,' she re

ps, not answering a

s waiting, w

ought home the incredible horror of it all-the suddenness, the brutality. She pulled her veil hastily over her face to hide the gush of tears. She could not speak for the choking lump in her throat. He released her at once and

nd, the horses are fresh. They'll

his head-she thought he had dropped something. Then through the thin linen of the covering, and her l

, just for a second. The horses plunged under N

bye, Boss. You can trust me to look well after

. Her last impression of him as the buggy swayed and rattled d

o opposing temperaments, it was like the rasping steel of a cross-cut saw against the hard, heavy grain of an iron-bark gum log. Then the extraordinary involvements of circumstance. Each incident, big and little, dovetailing and hastening the onward sweep of catastrop