her pleased him to find his employer
ignoring sentiment, and he fully appreciated the confidence reposed in
himself.

The two men went over questions connected with the journey, overhauling
the buggy so that springs, bars and bolts might be in order, seeing
that the horses were in good condition, sending on Cudgee that very
hour, with a second pair in relay for the long stage of the morrow,
when over fifty miles must be covered. There would be another pair at
old Duppo's, and, after a day and night of comparative rest, Alexander
and Roxalana would be fresh for the last long stage of the journey.
They calculated that under these provisions the railway terminus at
Crocodile Creek, might be reached on the eve of the third day. And
there were many instructions, and much careful arranging for Lady
Bridget's comfort during the journey.

Then there were letters to write, business calculations, a further
overdraft to be applied for to the Bank, pending the cattle sales....
Would there be saleable cattle enough to meet demands and expenses of
sinking fresh artesian bores--now that the fire had destroyed all the
best grass on the run?

McKeith found no consolation in the prospect of his wife's riches. That
only added gall to his bitterness, new fuel to his stubborn pride, new
strength to the wall between them.

He sat brooding in his office, when the business letters were
written--to the Bank-manager; to Captain Halliwell, the
Police-magistrate at Leuraville; to the Manager of the Eastern and
Australian Steam Navigation Depot, Leuraville, enclosing a draft to pay
the passage; to the Captain of the boat advertised for that trip, who
happened to be an acquaintance of his--all recommending Lady Bridget to
the different people's care--all anticipating and arranging against
every possible drawback to her comfort on the voyage--all carefully
stating the object of her trip to England--business connected with the
death of a near relative. Then, after the ghastly pretence of
dinner--during which appearances were kept up unnecessarily before
Maggie and the Malay boy, by a forced discussion of matter-of-fact
details--looking out the exact time of the putting in of the next E.
and A. boat at Leuraville--all of which he had already done, and
pointing out to Bridget that she could catch it, with a day to spare.

There was food for the journey too, to be thought of, and other things
to talk about. As soon as the meal was ended, McKeith we