verandah, and found that he had
ridden away towards the township road soon after she had left him. It
occurred to her then that if she were also to ride into Birralong she
would be able to hear what was said about Tony and Nellie, for now that
the first flush of anger had passed away, Ailleen was beginning to feel
something akin to jealousy. She had her horse saddled and bridled, and
was away, with the intention of riding direct to the Murrays and
learning the real state of affairs. Less than a quarter of a mile from
the station she reined in her horse. Why should she bother about it? she
asked herself angrily. Was she going to make herself the laughing-stock
of the place? Was she going to show to all Birralong the truth of her
feelings for Tony? Before she could even answer her own questions, she
wheeled her horse round, and set him at a gallop for the long, open
stretch of land between the belts of scrub.

The track turned suddenly as it came into the long, straight lane, and
the horse gathered itself in its stride as its swung round the bend,
leaping forward again into its full stride as it faced the clear run.
And as it came round, Ailleen saw, half hidden by the scrub, Willy
Dickson standing beside his horse, and the figure of a girl disappearing
behind the bushes. She had ridden past the spot before she could pull
in her horse, but as soon as she could check him, she rode back to where
Dickson was standing. As she approached, he stepped out into the open
and came to meet her.

"Where has Nellie gone?" Ailleen exclaimed, as she came up.

"Nellie?" he repeated, his watery eyes blinking and shifting. "Nellie
who?"

She looked at him for a moment, and then sprang from the saddle. Leaving
her horse with the bridle hanging loose on his neck, she stepped towards
the belt of scrub behind which she had seen the figure of the girl
disappearing. Dickson, his face changing colour and his eyes flickering
and quivering, interposed before her.

"There are snakes in the scrub. You get back. They might hurt you," he
said abruptly. "And besides----" he added, and paused.

Ailleen stood in front of him, straight and erect, and with a glance
fixed upon him which made him keep his eyes looking anywhere rather than
into hers.

"Willy Dickson, that's a lie!" she exclaimed. "It's not the first you've
told me, though you're mistaken if you think I have believed them. Was
that Nellie Murray or was it not?"

He blinked uneasily,