er enough to know that in such a case as this any
evidence that could be got together would be of the circumstantial kind,
and not necessarily conclusive, and he had come here with the express
object of frightening Denham out of the country altogether. Instead he
had found that Denham was not the sort of man to be frightened at all.

"Oh, the proof'll come right enough," he answered, with an easiness that
was more than half affected. Then seriously, "Look here, you know I've
no reason exactly to belove you?"

Instantly Denham's tone softened.

"I think I can guess," he said, "and cannot but be sorry. But that is
all in the fair chances of life. How can I help it?"

"Help it? Damn `helping it,'" was the furious reply. "But now, look
here. I--with others--am going to make it the business of life to bring
this thing home to you. We shall hunt up every scrap and particle of
evidence of your movements since you first landed, your every movement.
There's one chance for you and it the last. Clear out--now, at once."

"Now, really, you make me laugh. Is it in the least likely?"

"What is in the least likely?"

Both started. Verna had come up behind them, but though she had coughed
more than once, in the tension of their discussion they had failed to
hear her. She had foreseen a quarrel when she saw them go off alone
together, and had made up her mind as to the best means of preventing
it. And it was perhaps just as well that she had.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

REVELATION.

A curious change had come over Denham soon after Harry Stride's visit.
He seemed to have grown grave and rather silent. Even his interest in
collecting seemed to flag. If Ben Halse noticed it he held his tongue.
Verna noticed it, and resolved not to hold hers.

Her opportunity came. They had climbed to the resting-place which had
been the goal of their ride that first day: that great natural window in
the rock tooth which overlooked such a magnificent sweep of wilderness;
in fact, this point had become rather a favourite objective in their
many expeditions _a deux_. Here was her chance, here alone, beyond
every possibility of interruption; here, alone together, the world far
away. But before she could begin he said--

"I have something to tell you."

The girl's face went white, and something like a gasp escaped her. Like
lightning there flashed through her brain the one and only possible
thought. He was going to tell her he