ts of her hair, and then
appearing annoyed at having spoken.

"Why do you want to know? Who are you?" she asked, in rather an excited
way.

"My name is Thompson. Wyck is a great friend of mine. We came out in the
same boat from London," said Hal, carelessly.

"You are staying at the 'Australian,' are you not?"

"Yes, why?"

"Oh, nothing. I thought I saw you there the other day. Miss Kelley, will
you mind my bar for a few minutes?" and she hurried away.

"You've upset Miss Harris," said the other lady, coming forward.

"I am sorry. It was quite unintentional," said Hal.

"You know she and Wyck are great friends?"

"Well, I heard something about it, but as Wyck is such an outrageous
flirt I did not take much notice of it."

"But they are engaged and going to be married shortly."

"Lucky fellow," answered Hal, with a smile.

"Infernal, lying scoundrel," added Reg, under his breath.

"Miss Harris not in?" asked a rough-looking fellow, putting his head
through the doorway.

"She'll be back directly," answered Miss Kelley.

"Oh, never mind," said the man, disappearing.

"That's Wyck's old cabby," she said to Hal, and Reg, excusing himself,
got up and went outside.

"Is that gentleman your friend?" she asked.

"An acquaintance," he answered. "But you and Miss Harris are not
friends."

"I never said so, sir," said she, shortly.

"No, there's no necessity for that."

"She's a niece of the proprietor."

"I see, and has a lot of privileges which the others don't like."

"Who told you that?" said the girl, in surprise, but not denying the
truth of the statement.

"When did you last see Wyck?" continued Hal.

"Yesterday afternoon. He came in in a very hurried manner, quite
unusual in him, and called Miss Harris aside and held a long confab with
her. He seemed upset, and so was she, for she left the bar, crying, and
did not come back till the evening."

"How long had she known him?"

"That's the funny part of it. She only met him three days before. It
seems to have been a regular case of love at first sight. She is a very
proud and haughty girl, especially to strangers. It was reported once
that a private secretary of the Governor's was going to marry her.
Certainly he used to pay her a lot of attention, but he married an
heiress instead."

"Did she fret then?"

"No, she laughed it off and treated it as a joke."

"Tell me this before I go. Did Wyck say anything to her about a telegram
when he