in somewhat difficult surroundings, but there was now a
suggestion of fear in her eyes, and she seemed to avoid Alton's gaze.
It, however, passed in a moment, and she turned towards the rancher
tranquilly.

"I wonder how far I am to blame," she said. "A man came here a day or
two ago, and apparently endeavoured to tell me something. He was,
however, unintelligible, and I fancy somebody had been giving him
whisky."

"Mounted?" said Alton. "What kind of horse?"

Miss Deringham considered for a moment, and then possibly deciding that
Alton would have no difficulty in ascertaining elsewhere, told him.
"Tom!" he said grimly. "Well, I'll talk to him. You'll take Miss
Deringham home, Charley, and then come on to Townshead's after me."

He swung away into the bush next moment, and Seaforth followed him more
slowly with Miss Deringham. Neither of them spoke, but though the
man's thoughts were busy with other affairs, he noticed that his
companion glanced at him covertly. "The girl could have told us
something more," he said to himself, and put a stern check on his
impatience as he kept pace with her.

When they came out into the clearing they heard the thud of hoofs, and
saw a mounted man send a horse at the tall split fence. The slip-rails
were up, and the fence was unusually well put together, but there was a
crash as the top bar flew apart, and presently the thud of hoofs grew
fainter down the fir-shadowed trail. Miss Deringham now appeared quite
serene again.

"Has he ridden off wet through as he was?" she said.

"I expect so," said Seaforth dryly. "Harry does not usually let
trifles of that kind worry him, nor do I think there are many men who
would have ridden at that fence."

Alice Deringham said nothing, but though she smiled Seaforth fancied
that she was not pleased. Her thoughts were, however, of small
importance to him, and he hastened fuming with impatience towards the
stables.

It was some time later when Nellie Townshead stood by a window of her
father's ranch. Jean-clad stock breeders and axemen hung about the
clearing, and a little knot of men from the cities stood apart from
them. A wagon, implements out of repair, old sets of harness, axes,
saws, and shovels were littered about the front of the house, and there
were two or three horses and a few poor cattle in the corral. The
ranchers spoke slowly to one another, and their faces were sombre, but
Hallam, who stood amidst the other men,