the voyage," she replied. But her tone did not invite
further question.

"Did you succeed in getting particulars of the fate of John?"

"No. Captain Cannonby promised to make inquiries, but we had not heard
from him before I came away. I wish we could have found Luke Roy."

"Did you not find him?"

"We heard of him from the Eyres--the friends I was staying with. It was
so singular," she continued, with some animation in her tone. "Luke Roy
came to Melbourne after John was killed, and fell in with the Eyres. He
told them about John, little thinking that I and Frederick should meet
the Eyres afterwards. John died from a shot."

"From a shot!" involuntarily exclaimed Lionel.

"He and Luke were coming down to Melbourne from--where was it?--the
Bendigo Diggings, I think; but I heard so much of the different names,
that I am apt to confound one with another. John had a great deal of
gold on him, in a belt round his waist, and Luke supposes that it got
known. John was attacked as they were sleeping by night in the open air,
beaten, and shot. It was the shot that killed him."

"Poor fellow!" exclaimed Lionel, his eyes fixed on vacancy, mentally
beholding John Massingbird. "And they robbed him!"

"They had robbed him of all. Not a particle of gold was left upon him.
And the report sent home by Luke, that the gold and men were taken,
proved to be a mistaken one. Luke came on afterwards to Melbourne, and
tried to discover the men; but he could not. It was this striving at
discovery which brought him in contact with Mr. Eyre. After we reached
Melbourne and I became acquainted with the Eyres, they did all they
could to find out Luke, but they were unsuccessful."

"What had become of him?"

"They could not think. The last time Mr. Eyre saw him, Luke said he
thought he had obtained a clue to the men who killed John. He promised
to go back the following day and tell Mr. Eyre more about it. But he did
not. And they never saw him afterwards. Mrs. Eyre used to say to me that
she sincerely trusted no harm had come to Luke."

"Harm in what way?" asked Lionel.

"She thought--but she would say that it was a foolish thought--if Luke
should have found the men, and been imprudent enough to allow them to
know that he recognised them, they might have worked him some ill.
Perhaps killed him."

Sibylla spoke the last words in a low tone. She was standing very still;
her hands lightly resting before her, one upon another. How Lionel's