The Shadow of a Man

e a wiry mat from ear to ear, over a small head and massive jaws. For on attracting their attention the man lifted his wideawake, a trick so foreign to the normal bushman that Rigden's eyebrows wer

believe?" said th

e name," s

e you t

a

lieving himself of his swag, and heartily

ing, "I didn't say I had

n't ask fo

to wait till my storekeeper comes in

ld not imagine why Rigden tolerated a demeanour which had struck her as insolent from the very first. She glanced from one man to the other. The s

terloper he led the way to the station store. This was one of the many independent buildings, and not the least s

to expect when one had come five hundred miles in the heat of January (most of them by coach) to see one's fiancé in one's future home. This afternoon, at least, they might have had to themselves. It should have been held inviolate. Yet he could desert her for the first uncleanly sundowner who came along! Aft

in essence, for the notorious temper of the Australian Bethunes was seldom permitted a perfectly direct expression. They preferred the oblique

r humorous contempt, and she was miraculously free from their innate and unparalleled cynicism. At her worst she had warm feelings, justly balanced by the faculty of cold expression.

him? Could she possibly love him, and so turn on him in an instant, even in her heart? Oh, yes, yes! She was a little fool, that was all; at least she hoped it was all. To thin

there sat Moya Bethune, the admired of all the most admirable admirers elsewhere, baking and blinking in solitary martyrdom, while, with a

provocation now. Yet a little fool it indubitably was. She thought of f

a

look. Her teeth were white as the wing of the sulphur-crested cockatoo, and that look showed them as no other. Then there was the glitter it put into her eyes: they were often lovelier, but never quite so fine. And a sweet

and, of course, it was never to show itself any more, least of all at Eureka

than all that had gone before, though those were

ng steaming in a pannikin, and then to his room for something else. He passed once under M

ying him," she tho

But it was no space to speak of; int

the horri

e way to a new grieva

have told me.

ad carried tea through the verandah and advised Moya to go indoors and begin. Moya declined. But no one ever sat in the sun up there. Moya said nothing; but at leng

orthiest thoughts in which the insulted lady had yet indulged. She was thinking of much that she had missed in town by coming up-country in the he

ked indeed of the contradiction in terms, but their equal truth merely emphasised the altogether exceptional character of our heroine. That she was herself aware of it was not her fault. She had heard so much of her qualities for so many years. But all her li

o a bushman who dar

ther, and instinctively donning a mask. She forgot it was in the buggy that Theodore had been got out of the way, and it was with sheer relief that her eyes lit upon

p in front of

" said the sergeant, touchi

ind

he a

as they were vague. The trooper had turned in his saddle to speak to the blackfellow, and Moya saw the great Government revolve

e in her chair. Yet the pose of the statue was not whol

aid the sergeant. "We're having a li

you. What sort

an-h

ast boredom and of present

d Rigden. "And

same. Their wishes with respect to her were only too

rd with you in the sto

hastily. "Sergeant H

ittle bow, desp

ed," added Rigden grimly. "And

Moya. And her to

purs, and rode up close to the verand

ry they'll go harbouring him. But it's a joker who escaped from Darlinghurst a few days ago.

Her eyes were on him. He

him?" asked the se

nowledge. Wh

. Cropped head, of co

aper; "'hair iron-grey, brown eyes, large thin nose, sallow compl

still upon him, burning him, but he spoke without tremor, and

seen no such man. No su

again just now near the home-paddock gate. I bet he's camping somewhere within a couple of miles; we must hav

, with a wry look into the heavy yellow yard: "one

acker shook

asame," said he. "Tr

m here for the night when we catch him. You c

, y

be surprised if you see us back

again, only to reign up sudden

ce most of the afte

ied Rigden; "between the

had no trave

t o

the sergeant. "You shall

s jingled, out of sight and earshot, through the