e had heard of Hugh's going away to look for a witness;
but Peggy and Red Mick, in their ignorance, had thought it best to keep
all knowledge of the Considine flaw from their lawyer--a mistake that
wiser people than they sometimes make. Blake suspected nothing. He had
more than once seen Mary Grant and Ellen Harriott in Tarrong, but he was
again an outcast, relegated to the society of such as Isaacstein.

Well, he would see it out, and would yet make these people glad to crawl
to him. Ellen Harriott he never spoke to. However the case went and
whoever won, she could be of no use to him, so he decided to include her
among his enemies; and though she went deathly white when she saw him
she made no sign of recognition. There was one thing, however, which he
had to do before taking the case into Court, and that was to secure a
fair share of the spoil for himself. He had no intention of slaving at
the case, perhaps for years, for what he would get as costs. So, a week
or two before the case was due to come on, he sent for Peggy and Red
Mick.

It was a hot summer day when Peggy came in. Out of doors there was a
blinding glare, and the heat had drawn the scent out of the unseasoned
pine with which Tarrong was mostly built, till the air was filled with
a sort of incense. Peggy came in hot and short-tempered. The strain was
beginning to tell on her nerves, and, from a remark or two she let fall,
Blake saw that she might be inclined to give trouble if not promptly
brought into subjection.

"I've sent for you," he said.

"Yis, and the fust thing--"

He interrupted her sharply.

"The first thing is, how much am I going to get out of this case if I
win it That is the first thing. You don't suppose I am going to spend
time and money and fight this case through all the Courts in the land,
and get nothing out of it, do you? How much am I to get? We'll settle
that before we go any further."

"Well, I'll ask Mick."

"You'll ask nobody. Mick isn't Grant's widow, and you are of age,
goodness knows. How much?"

"How much d'ye want?"

"I want one-third of what you get. That'll leave you nearly a million of
money. There will be well over a million to divide. There will be a big
lawsuit, and lots of appeals, and if I am to see it through it will cost
a great lot of money; so if I win I mean to make it pay me. That's my
figure. One-third. Take it or leave it."

Peggy wriggled about, but knew that she would have to give in. It was