ad all over the run for fifty miles about,
and your stockman thinks that there are hardly two hundred head of
cattle left I am sorry to bring you such bad news, sir."

"Oh! don't apologise, Sergeant," was the quiet reply, "I'm getting used
to bad news. Milly, bring a chair for Mr Macpherson, and another big
glass, and some more ice. Now sit down, Sergeant, and tell me all about
it. Jim, get off that railing, or you'll fall off into the street, and
break your leg. My luck is dead against me. Light your pipe, Sergeant,
and make yourself comfy."

CHAPTER XVII

"The saying that misfortunes never come singly seems to be verified in
your case, Mr Gerrard," said Kate Fraser, as, a fortnight after he had
received the news of Westonley's death, he was relating his disastrous
experiences to her and her father.

"Looks like it, doesn't it? But there are lots of fellows who have had
worse luck than me, and so I shouldn't 'make a song' over mine. Now, do
you know the story of Knowles's life?"

"No, he has never told us."

"Well, he told it to me yesterday" (Gerrard had been to Kaburie to tell
the dapper little overseer that he could not pay for the station, and
that he, Knowles, must re-take possession as manager for Mrs Tallis),
"and I think the poor little chap only related it out of pure sympathy
for me when I explained to him how I was fixed, and how sorry I was
for him--as well as for myself--for I had doubled the salary he was
receiving from Mrs Tallis."

"He told _me_ that," said Kate, and her eyes sparkled with fun.

"Naturally, he would tell _you_" and Gerrard, with a faint quiver of
one eyelid, gave Douglas Fraser a sly glance. "I am sure you must be the
recipient of the confidences of all the country side, and would never
'give any one away,' as vulgar persons like myself would say; so please
don't 'give me away' to Knowles." Then his voice changed. "Miss Fraser,
that little man is both a hero and a martyr. He was in the Naval Brigade
at Sebastopol, and was recommended for the V.C. for distinguished
bravery in one of the futile attacks on the Redan. Did you know that?"

"No! He only told us that he was with Peel's Naval Brigade and had seen
most of the fighting, was severely wounded, and that after he came home
he left the Navy through ill-health, and came to Australia."

"Well, he didn't get the Cross after all; that was his first bit of bad
luck. Then his father, who was always looked upon as a very wea