rise, found the missing man's daughter there. Christina had altered
much during the last few hours: her face was now quite colourless, grief
had robbed it of its sweet simplicity, and the buoyant ingenuousness had
fled from her eyes. A new character was legible there, a strength of will
more in keeping with her fine presence. The almost childlike sympathy was
gone, and in its place was a trace of suffering and evidence of the
deeper forces of her nature. The detective eyed her keenly, with surprise
and interest, and saluted her in his most respectful manner.

'You have had the--eh, misfortune to meet me before, Miss Shine,' he
said.

Christina merely bowed her head.

'I am Detective Downy. I have a warrant for the arrest of Ephraim Shine.
I wish to search the house.'

'Yes,' said the girl quietly, and stepped from the door to make way for
him.

Downy entered and commenced his search at once. He examined the whole
place minutely, foolishly it seemed to Christina, who stood by the door
apparently impassive but following all his movements with her eyes. He
was particularly careful in overhauling a coat that her father had worn,
and having gone through the three rooms he walked out and round the
house. There was no place near where a man might hide but in the tank,
and that was full of water, as he cautiously noted. He faced Christina
for a moment, as if with the intention of questioning her, but changed
his mind, wished her 'Good day,' and moved off.

Up to six o'clock next day nothing had been heard of Shine; he had
disappeared in a most astonishing manner. The police of the whole country
were alert to capture him, and it was thought that escape for him was
impossible, if only on account of his physical peculiarities, which
should have made him a marked man anywhere in Victoria or in either of
the neighbouring provinces. Sergeant Monk and several troopers were
stationed at Waddy, and were kept busy hunting in the old mines and all
the nooks and corners of the district. Harry Hardy joined in the hunt
throughout Tuesday. He had a feverish desire for employment--occupation
for his mind which, in spite of the efforts he made to dwell upon the
villainies of Ephraim Shine and the wrong he had done Frank, and the good
reasons he had to hate him, would revert again and again to Christina;
and then a wish, a cowardly wish, traitorous to his brother, cruel to his
mother, and false to himself, stole into his heart, and he felt