ng blankly at the
letter, and Mrs. Haddon stood by his side staring curiously at him.
Suddenly she slapped firmly on the table with her plump hand and asked
sharply:

'Well, Harry, well?'

He turned his blank eyes upon her.

'Do you care a button for that girl?'

'Care?' he said. 'I care my whole life an' soul for her!'

'Well, then, what're you goin' to do? ''Re you goin' to lose her?'

'In the name o' God, Alice, what can I do? She doesn't want me; she is
going away to be rid of me.'

'Not want you? You great, blind, blunderin' man you; she loves you well
enough to break her heart for you. Can't you see why she's going away? Of
course you can't. She's goin' because she thinks she's an object of shame
an' disgrace; because she feels on her own dear head an' weighin' on her
own great, soft, simple heart all the weight of the shame that belonged
to that bad devil of a father of hers; because all that the papers, an'
the lawyers, an' the judge said about the sins o' Ephraim Shine she feels
burnin' in red letters on her own sweet face. That's why she's goin'; an'
if she is leavin' you it's because she feels this whole villainous
business makes her unfit to be your wife. Now what're you goin' to do,
Harry Hardy?'

Harry had risen to his feet; his face was flushed, he trembled in every
limb.

'Do?' he gasped. 'Do?'

'Do!' Repeated the widow in a voice that had grown almost shrill.
'There's a horse an' saddle an' bridle in McMahon's stable.'

Harry turned and ran from the house; and the little widow, standing at
the door flushed and tearful, looking after him, murmured to herself:

'An' if you lose her, Harry Hardy, you're not the man I took you for, an'
I'll never forgive you--never.'

She looked down and encountered Dick's eyes--seeming very much larger and
graver than usual--regarding her with solemn admiration. The boy had
conceived a new respect for his mother within the last two minutes, and
had discovered in her a kindred spirit hitherto unsuspected.

'My colonial! that was rippin', mum!' he said.

CHAPTER XXV.

HARRY took French leave in McMahon's stable. He saddled Click, Mac's
favourite hack, mounted him, and started down the dusty Yarraman road at
a gallop. To Harry that ride was ever afterwards a complete blank. He
started out with his mind full of one thought, an overpowering
resolution. He would seek Chris, he would take her in his arms and defy
every fear or scheme or power that might be