tradict
or doubt anything that Mrs. Peck said.

"But we have been tried with the sickness and doctors' bills--Peck and
me--and I am very backward with the world just at present. If anybody
could lend me twelve pounds for two months, they'd get principal and
interest handsome. You being an old friend turned up, and me knowing
you so well at Bendigo, makes me bold enough to ask you for this little
temporary assistance. I would deposit an order for the money with you
if you will be so good as to advance it."

"Certainly, Mrs. Peck, I am not the one to be backward when a friend is
in need, and I know it will be safe enough to be paid. Susan, it is
perfectly safe. Mrs. Peck had money regular every quarter, to my
knowledge; and if she wants the money now, it shall be paid down on the
nail." And Smith told out the twelve pounds into Mrs. Peck's hands, and
received an order for repayment on Mr. Talbot, which was not to be
presented for two months.

Mrs. Peck was overjoyed at her unexpected good luck in meeting with
this returned digger, whom she had known very well at Bendigo under
another name, and where he passed himself off as the husband of another
woman. She perceived that now he had found his wife in Adelaide, doing
very well in business, he would rather that she heard nothing of his
own little infidelities, particularly in the first days of meeting, and
his probable loss of the money he advanced was not too high a price to
pay to purchase silence.

Everything had turned out most propitiously for Mrs. Peck, so far. The
information from Mr. Dempster showed that all her objects of interest
were collected in one spot, and this recognition of Smith put into her
hands the means to get to them while Mr. Phillips was absent. She was
flushed with hope and confident expectation when she made her purchases
of some articles of ready-made clothing, and took out her passage in
Melbourne in the 'Havilah,' to prosecute her plans for revenge on
Francis and advantages to herself.

Chapter IV.

Miss Phillips Meets With A Congenial Spirit In Victoria

As Mr Dempster had reported there had been a division in the family of
the Phillipses shortly after they landed. Mrs. Phillips wished to
remain in Melbourne for a month or two, as she did not feel able to
stand the long land journey at this particular time. Neither her
husband nor herself had much confidence in Dr. Grant's skill, and she
could have better attendance in town. M