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me up. I kept Sandway on Adam has been civilisation," Strip," he added suddenly. he went on; "it's a curse, and "The worst bit of all." men will go on piling it up till "I know; but a little shanty they lie flattened out beneath stood on it once in which my it. It doesn't suit me; I father and mother lived their hunger for the old life, the first years of struggle, when prairies, the blue sky, the they were young and strong, stillness and work-and the the whole world to each other, roughness. They prate about -and often couldn't see four the simple life here; they meals ahead. I sit and think should try it there; they would of it sometimes till I'm so feel themselves back at the homesick I could walk to it." starting-point. Let's talk of He got up and crossed the something else;" he held out room. "I shall have to go his cigarette-case. back; that will be the end of it. I'm out of place in this country."

"I feel that too about myself already," Parker answered slowly. "It takes a long time to get used to the ways they have over here, if you haven't been born to them." Then, after a pause, "Do you remember a queer-looking chap called Longarm Jack?" "Yes."

"When I got back to Melbourne six months ago, he came along and asked me if I thought you'd sell that bit."

"I know, he wrote to me; he wants to put up a cabin while he looks after Bender's claim, which is next to it. He won't get it; nothing shall be built on it, unless it's a home for me and mine."

"I shouldn't think that likely."

"I don't know; perhaps some day it will happen. I'm tired of every crowded place under the sun and of all they do in cities." He seemed to be lost in a dream for a moment, but he always talked freely with Joe Parker. "I think sometimes that God's vengeance

"No, thank you, not my size. By the way, George, when I was in Melbourne I heard you spoken of a good deal in connection with the Bangor Estates Syndicate. They didn't think much of it over there."

Wendern looked up almost anxiously. Then answered as if a thought had reassured him, "Yes."

"I understand you're Managing Director here?"

"Yes, but it's Lant's deal. He went about in London among the fashionable fools; any one can do it if he's supposed to be rich. He introduced them to the Syndicate.'

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Parker gave a grunt. "And, with your name tacked on as well, the shares were pretty freely taken up?"

"That's 80. But I'm the biggest shareholder after Lant." "How is it going?"

"At first the accounts were magnificent; then they ceased altogether. Lately things have been rather difficult. Six weeks ago Lant cabled that he was on his way to England. He was at Naples last week; he'll be in Paris next."

Parker gave another grunt.

"I've always believed in are coming into line, I feel Lant," Wendern said, and as if I saw the masts of a added reluctantly, "Some

people didn't."

ship."

"Glad I spoke. Here's Mrs

"He's reputed to be worth Berwick again," as the trim

four millions."

"Luck for him." There was a long pause; then Wendern looked up again. "I wish I hadn't played the fool, Joe; I should like the money to be on my side, and not on hers."

"But you have a fortune in the Derryford Docks."

"Locked up in a lawsuittwo hundred thousand pounds. Everything I have is locked up somewhere, for I have twentyfive thousand somewhere else, and that can't move till the Dock business is settled."

"But, man, you don't seem to know that the Dock case is coming on next week."

"Coming on next week?" He was roused now. "Haven't they cabled? Don't you read your Australian papers?"

"I haven't opened them." He had been dreaming of Katherine all the last few weeks, of nothing else.

"But the London papers have had telegrams-it's a big case, George. I was at the Agent-General's yesterday-he spoke of it."

"I have been mad and think ing about other things; but I'll cable out inquiries at once. I imagined it wouldn't come on for another month at least. If it goes right all will be well." He was silent for a minute, his whole expression altered, "You've opened up a vista, Joe, for it's bound to go right. Life and the woman I love

figure appeared at the window. "Oh, but I'm interrupting you, I know I am," she said with soft self-reproach.

"It's all right, Mrs - Mrs Berwick," Parker hesitated over her name, but he looked at her with a deep-cut smile on his weathered face,-"I'm about going."

She went halfway across the room, meaning to leave them together, then stopped as if she had had a sudden idea. "I don't think you've seen the house yet, Mr Parker; I should so like to show it you. The drawing-room is quite beautiful,-that's why Miss Fiffer wants Mr Wendern to give a dance. And there are some orange-trees that came this morning, they would make you think of Australia-do oranges grow there? I'm so ignorant, I don't know a bit."

A gleam of amusement came into Wendern's eyes; this was a new view of his lady-housekeeper. "Go and look at them, Joe," he said. "Mrs Berwick will show them to you."

Parker consulted a big gold watch-it slipped easily out of a pocket that was evidently much bigger. much bigger. "Well, let's say ten minutes for the orangetrees. I'll see you again in a day or two, George. If I'm in the city perhaps I'll look you up at the office."

"Do."

"Won't you come, too, Mr Wendern?" Mrs Berwick asked.

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"Wages? No, a little present.

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Rogers tried not to show his surprise. "Oh!" he gasped, "I've been awfully upset God bless you for your kindness."

A little smile came over Wendern's face. "I hope He will, Rogers-but I don't expect He'll do much for a tenner," he added, when the man had left the room with welltempered elation.

Mrs Berwick returned ten minutes later.

"Well, what did Joe think of the house?"

"Oh, he loved it," she said, "but we only went to the conservatory, and then he had to

go."

"Ah, he regretted it very much, I'm sure." He finished the note he was writing and rose as if to go out.

She arrested him with a little movement, and spoke in a cooing, apologetic voice,"Mr Wendern, the servants want their wages: it's ridiculous of them, I know, but they do. Could you find time to write a cheque ?"

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He stood by the fireplace, unruffled and still preoccupied. Why do they want their wages? Rogers is going to his mother for a day or two, and would only spend his if he had them."

"But that class is so absurd, it generally expects to be paid once a-month."

The statement appeared to interest him. "Probably that's why it's so unthrifty," he said. "Money paid in small sums is generally frittered away."

"But, dear Mr Wendern,

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people will insist on having it sometimes, tiresome tradespeople, for instance; they are sadly democratic nowadays and want everything." She took up the household books from the writing-table. "I have some accounts here of yours, and-and-one or two of my own I should so like to pay." She had found courage to speak at last, but her hand trembled.

He seemed rather amused. "My dear lady, I have too high an opinion of you to suppose that you mean to corrupt your creditors by giving them the use of your money." He

said it as if to dismiss the subject.

She put down the books with a gesture of dismay. "How do you like the orangetrees?" he asked.

"They are lovely."

"By the way, there is a picture sale at Christie's tomorrow. I must see if I can pick up an old master or two to send home," he always spoke of Australia as home,"one ought to make some return to a place that is so hospitable as to let you be born in it."

"How thoughtful you are." He smiled at her absently. He was thinking of other things already.

He went to Kenton House, but only for half an hour,-he had outgrown that sort of entertainment, he told himself; as a matter of fact, he had never liked it. The host was old and deaf and very rich, a widower with an only

son; he had been persuaded by a relation, an enterprising widow with daughters to marry, to give a ball. She received the guests for him at the top of the crowded staircase; behind her were drawing-rooms full of people talking at the top of their voices, beyond them the band, and beyond again, in a long gallery, the dancers. He searched in vain for Katherine, and found her at last in one of the most crowded rooms. It had a view of the stairs, through a doorway on one side. She seemed to be watching for some one while she talked; Wendern wondered if it were for him. Lord Kenton was beside her, and his shrivelled face, with the carefully brushed and dyed hair above it, was bent towards her, as if he were deaf but trying to gather what she said. Gradually Wendern managed to get near her. held out her hand, but her manner implied that she did not wish to be interrupted. A man he knew slightly was standing near, and he talked to him just to make time. In a few minutes Lord Kenton left her, evidently with reluctance; but he had other guests who demanded his attention; Derbyshire, hovering by, adroitly took his place, and as if for a reason they had already discussed, he and she slowly made their way together towards a picture, beneath a special light, and a group standing near it at the far end of the gallery. Lord Kenton went up to them, and presently Katherine disappeared with him.

---

be.

Wendern looked at the crowd to the Fiffer house, or sat on about him again, the faces a trimly painted seat near were worn, the smiles on them by. All the good green space seemed spurious, the expreswas deserted at that hour, sions strained or anxious, the as Lant had foretold it would jewels theatrical, but he had The fashionable people never appreciated diamonds; of the houses round, tired an acre of unspoiled land with out with their dissipations, the blue sky above it was were resting or making ready worth more to him than all for the amusements of the the gems in existence. "This night, and the shadows had place suggests a first-class half hidden their dwellings. compartment bound for Hell," They had seemed almost an he said to himself. to himself. "It's a enchantment to Wendern queer thing that people who those little intervals snatched believe themselves possessed of from the restless world near souls should deliberately come them. The stillness, the softHe went on through ness, the finding a sanctuary the suite of rooms towards the there in the heart of London gallery: the band was playing was so strange, and the sky a waltz, the air there seemed of deepening grey, the little full of gaiety, of youth and joy. wandering wind, warm and It was better, but he remem- caressing it had been, had bered the dim ways of the served for a setting to his park, the wide stretches of dreams. He had seen her eyes; grass, the long deserted road- shy and questioning and tender, ways with the trees, Nature's yet with something in them sentinels, beside them, and the that petitioned him not to stars glinting between the speak too soon, not to break leaves of the branches that the spell of those wonderful reached above the pathway he moments that followed the liked best. good days they were living,

In a few minutes he was in moments that seemed to be as a taxi hurrying to it.

"She will come through," he said as he breathed in the stillness, "she is on her way, though at present she finds the strange crew amusing." He had no doubt; for did he not remember the long twilights of the past weeks, of the soft June evenings? They had met without any preconcerted signal at the gate of the little enclosure that was marked off

none other in the world had been, and to linger between the greyness and the dark as if time were loth to end them. Once he had held her hand longer than usual when they parted. "Good-night, George Wendern," she had said-the first time she had called him so

and she lingered a moment as if to hear again his whispered "Katherine" before she turned away abruptly.

(To be continued.)

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