are going to Black Bluff Creek for her,
if Mr Fraser can't spare the time to come with her. You see, it's ninety
miles, and you can't do it in one day, because some of the country is
very rough, and none of our horses have ever been shod. Look at this
colt's hoofs," and he pointed to them; "ain't they an awful size?--real
'soft country' hoofs, and no mistake."

Aulain gave a short nod, and then became silent, scarcely noticing Jim's
further remarks concerning such interesting subjects as kangarooing,
alligator-shooting, the big tribe of cannibal niggers on the Coen River,
who had killed and eaten sixteen Chinamen diggers, etc., etc.

For the rest of the day he was, Gerrard and Mrs Westonley noticed, very
restless, and the former observed with some surprise that he helped
himself freely and frequently to the brandy; hitherto he had known him
as a somewhat abstemious man in the matter of liquor.

He left soon after daylight, declining Gerrard's pressing invitation to
stay for breakfast on the ground of wishing to "do a good twenty miles
before the cursed sun got too hot," and somehow the master of Ocho Rios
was not sorry to say good-bye to him, for his manner seemed to have
undergone a very great, and not pleasant change.

"Take care of the niggers, Aulain," he said as they parted.

The ex-officer smiled grimly, and he touched the Winchester carbine
slung across his shoulder. Then leading his pack-horse, he rode away.

CHAPTER XXV

"Oh, men who have, or have had fever as badly as Aulain has, often act
very queerly, Lizzie, so don't be too hard on him."

"I know that, Tom. But at the same time there is something about
him--those strange eyes of his--that made me afraid of him. When I told
him last night that Kate Fraser was coming here on a long visit, he did
not answer; his eyes were fixed on your face in such a strange, intense
look that it made me feel quite 'creepy'."

Gerrard laughed. "Were they? I didn't notice it."

"No, of course not. You were too busy showing Jim how to unscrew the
nipples of his gun, and perhaps did not even hear what I was saying."

"Oh, I did. But I didn't make any comment, as I noticed that at
supper, whenever you or I spoke of the Frasers, he answered in curt
monosyllables."

"Did you tell him she was coming here next month?"

"No. I daresay I should have done so if I had thought of it."

"Tom, I am not a female Lavater, but when I saw him looking at you like
that, I di