eat shock to Gerrard. The
brief telegram from his half-sister had been forwarded to Port Denison,
and Lacey had sent it on to him at Fraser's Gully, by the mailman,
together with a copy of the _Clarion_, containing the telegraphed
account of the Dacre's bank failure. Had Gerrard looked at the
newspaper, he might perhaps have connected Westonley's sudden end with
the financial disaster, which had brought ruin to so many thousands of
Australian homes, for he knew that his brother-in-law banked at Dacre's.
But Mrs Westonley had said nothing of the cause of her husband's
death--"Edward died suddenly yesterday. Am writing you fully to-night to
Port Denison" was all that she had said.

"Dear old Ted!" he said as his eyes filled, and he saw before him the
great, bearded face with the kindly, mirthful eyes, and heard the deep,
gruff voice. "How can I tell Jim--the boy will be heartbroken."

And Jim's grief almost unmanned "Uncle Tom," as the boy now called him.
Putting the telegram in his pocket, he went down to the battery, where
his _protege_ was being inducted into the mysteries of amalgamation by
Fraser.

"Jim," he said quietly, "come along the creek with me for a bit of a
stroll."

"Is your face paining you much this morning, Uncle Tom?" said the boy,
as they left the battery, and walked towards the creek, "you look quite
white."

"No, sonny," and he placed his hand affectionately on the boy's
shoulder, "my face isn't paining me, but I have a thundering big pain
in my heart, Jim--a pain which you must share with me. I have just had a
telegram 'from Marumbah--with very, very sad news."

"Is it about Mary?" and the boy's lips quivered; "is she sick, Uncle?"
and then, with a gasp--"is she dead?"

"No, sonny, Mary is all right, but Mr Westonley is dead," and then he
told him all that he could tell.

An hour later, when they returned to the house, and Kate Fraser wondered
why they looked so quiet and depressed, Gerrard told her of the news he
had received.

"Poor Jim!" she said, as she put her arms round the boy, who was trying
hard not to again break down.

Then Gerrard went on to say that he would now have to change his plans
somewhat.

"I must get back to Port Denison tomorrow, Miss Fraser. I want to send
some telegrams as well as letters. But as it will take my sister's
letter quite a fortnight to come from Marumbah, I shall put in most of
the time at Kaburie, and, if I may, also inflict myself upon your fath