"Murder!"

Her cry was answered. It was Joe, who had been over at Maloney's
making his fortune. He came to the rescue. He dropped out of the
chimney and shook himself. Sal stared at him. He was calm and covered
from head to foot with soot and dirt. He looked round and said,
"Thought yuz could keep me out, did'n'y'?" Sal could only look at him.
"I saw yuz all run in," he was saying, when Sal thought of Mother, and
sprang to her. Sal shook her, and slapped her, and threw water on her
till she sat up and stared about. Then Joe stared.

Dad came in for dinner--which, of course, was n't ready. Mother began
to cry, and asked him what he meant by keeping a madman on the place,
and told him she KNEW he wanted to have them all murdered. Dad did n't
understand. Sal explained. Then he went out and told the man to
"Clear!" The man simply said, "No."

"Go on, now!" Dad said, pointing to the rails. The man smiled at the
wood-heap as he worked. Dad waited. "Ain't y' going?" he repeated.

"Leave me alone when I'm chopping wood for the missus," the man
answered; then smiled and muttered to himself. Dad left him alone and
went inside wondering.

Next day Mother and Dad were talking at the barn. Mother, bare-headed,
was holding some eggs in her apron. Dad was leaning on a hoe.

"I am AFRAID of him," Mother said; "it's not right you should keep him
about the place. No one's safe with such a man. Some day he'll take
it in his head to kill us all, and then--"

"Tut, tut, woman; poor old Jack! he's harmless as a baby."

"All right," (sullenly); "you'll see!"

Dad laughed and went away with the hoe on his shoulder to cut burr.

Middle of summer. Dad and Dave in the paddock mowing lucerne. Jack
sinking post-holes for a milking-yard close to the house. Joe at
intervals stealing behind him to prick him with straws through a rent
in the rear of his patched moleskins. Little Bill--in readiness to
run--standing off, enjoying the sport.

Inside the house sat Mother and Sal, sewing and talking of Maloney's
new baby.

"Dear me," said Mother; "it's the tiniest mite of a thing I ever saw;
why, bless me, anyone of y' at its age would have made three of--"

"MIND, Mother!" Sal shrieked, jumping up on the sofa. Mother screamed
and mounted the table. Both gasped for breath, and leaning cautiously
over peeped down at a big black snake which had glided in at the front
door. Then, pale and scared-looking, they stared a