ry member if you'll meet him there at twelve. You were talking
about it this morning, weren't you?"

"Yes; that'll be very kind of him. I'll be there. Where is it, by the
bye?"

"Right opposite the Court House. Any one will tell you. It's only a
small affair, of course, but you'll meet every one there, and it's handy
if you're here for a few days to have somewhere to turn into and see the
papers. Well, you must excuse me, I've got lots more to do this
morning." And she left him.

Denham, going forth presently, could hardly realise, as he strolled
along the broad macadamised road fringed by tall eucalyptus-trees and
high hedges, through which were glimpsed snug bungalows embedded in
flowering gardens, that this was in the heart of what he had always
supposed to be a savage country. Yet in even his brief experience he
had had opportunity of knowing that in parts still it could be a very
savage country indeed. A gang of native convicts, in their white prison
dress--undisfigured, however, by the abominable broad arrow--passed him,
in charge of three or four native constables; the latter, stalwart
fellows in their smart uniforms of dark blue and red, each with a pair
of handcuffs in his belt and armed with very business-like assegais.
These saluted him as they passed. Then one or two groups of native
women, mostly with bundles on their heads. These did not salute him.

This was obviously the Court House. He had time to spare, so decided to
investigate it. Several natives, squatted outside, gazed curiously at
him, but they, too, saluted him. The white man's rule seemed pretty
well established here at any rate, he thought; in which connection he
also thought of a strange experience or two of his own in this very
country, which contrasted with this show of law and order.

The rather bare room seemed dim and cool in contrast to the glare
outside. The magistrate looked up, and seeing a stranger, courteously
signalled him where to find a seat. There were only trivial cases that
morning, and except the court officials Denham was the only white man
there. A few natives at the back of the room stood listening to the
proceedings! or not finding these interesting enough crept noiselessly
out. Denham, to kill time, followed the evidence as it was interpreted
by the clerk, and heard the prisoner fined for not paying his dog tax,
and the succeeding one sent to gaol for deferred payment of his hut tax,
and metaphoric