but neither answered nor moved.

"Then I'll see for myself," she said, as she tried to push past him.

He put out his arm to stop her, and she brushed against it. With the
other hand he caught hold of her arm. A slight switch was in her hand,
and as she felt his clasp, she swung her arm round and cut at him. At
the same moment from among the bushes behind him she saw Nellie Murray
come out.

"We don't interfere with you, Ailleen, and I don't see what you want
interfering with us," she said, as she came nearer, Dickson as rapidly
slinking to one side.

"Nellie!" the other girl exclaimed.

"Oh yes, I know," Nellie retorted. "I know. It's me, I suppose, who is
interfering with you, now I've found out where you're always coming for
rides? But you just understand this. Willy Dickson is going to marry me,
or I'll know why, and so will Bobby and father. The sooner you get out
of Barellan and leave other girls' fellows alone the better."

Ailleen, staring in astonishment at Nellie's face, could only again
exclaim--

"Nellie!"

"Don't 'Nellie' me," the other retorted. "I know all about it. I made
him tell me what it all meant. You fancy you can do what you like with
him, but I'm boss in this act. He's got to do as I tell him, or else I
go and tell his mother something that'll make him sit up. If you fancy
you're going to cut me out, you've got to learn something. I've had
about enough of this, I can tell you. Don't stand staring at me like a
bandicoot; he's told me the way you've been trying to make mischief, and
I tell you this, if you think----"

Ailleen, losing her surprise at the girl's manner under the flash of
anger which came to her when she understood Nellie's reference, swung
round to where Dickson was standing.

"Willy Dickson, what other lies have you been telling?" she cried.

"Oh, don't think you're going to get out of it that way," Nellie
exclaimed. "You'll----"

The look Ailleen turned upon her silenced her.

"I don't know what you mean, Nellie," she said quietly. "I wondered why
you never came out to see me--I understand now. I don't think I need say
any more."

She turned away and went to where her horse was standing, and, mounting
it, rode away back to Barellan without looking again where Nellie and
Dickson stood.

As she went out of sight round the bend in the track, Dickson turned
savagely on his companion.

"You fool!" he said. "You've done a fine thing now."

"I don't care," the girl