use to blame me as
much for marrying her--one must try to be just. I thought of her when I
determined to stay, but my own weaknesses played as big a part in
deciding me."

He sat silent a while, and then indicated his surroundings with a
contemptuous sweep of his hand--the dirty sidewalk strewn with cigar ends
and banana peelings, the straggling houses with their cracked board walls
and ugly square fronts, the rutted street down which drifted clouds of
dust.

"Jack," he said, "I'm very sick of all this, and I can't face the lonely
homestead now Ellice's gone. I must have a change and something to brace
me; something that has a keener bite than drink. Think I'll take a
haulage job on the new railroad, where there ought to be rough and risky
work, and I'll leave this place to-night. Come across with me to
Morant's, and I'll see what I can borrow on the land."

The sudden unreasoning decision was characteristic of him, but Prescott
expostulated.

"You can't clear out in this eccentric fashion; there are a number of
things to be settled first."

"I think I can," Jernyngham retorted dryly. "It's certain that I can't
stay here."

He took his companion with him to call on a land-agent and mortgage-broker,
and when they left the office Jernyngham had a bulky roll of bills in his
pocket.

"Jack," he requested, "you'll run my place and pay Morant off after
harvest; if Wandle gets his hands on it, there'll be very little left
when I come back. You may have trouble with him, but you must hold out.
Charge me with all expenses and pay as much of the surplus as you think
I'm entitled to into my bank when you have sold the crop. Now if you'll
come into the hotel, I'll give you a written authority and get Perkins to
witness it."

Prescott demurred at first, but eventually yielded because he believed
his friend's interest would need looking after in his absence. After some
discussion they agreed on a workable scheme, which was put down in
writing and witnessed by the hotel-keeper. Then Jernyngham borrowed a
saddle and sent for his horse.

"I'll pull out for the railroad now; it's cooler riding at night and
there's a good moon," he said. "As I'll pass close to your place, you may
as well drive so far with me."

They set off, Prescott seated on the front of his jolting wagon,
Jernyngham riding as near it as the roughness of the trail permitted,
with a blanket and a package of provisions strapped to his saddle. He was
wearing