nly
she wouldn't, and that's why we quarrelled. Now I don't care, so I'll
tell the old woman all about it. There'll be a bigger row with Nellie
when she comes to know, but I don't care. It'll be your doing, not
mine."

He didn't give her time to answer, but turned away and left her,
proceeding at once to Mrs. Dickson and telling her--his story.

When, some time afterwards, the blind woman came out to the verandah,
Ailleen began to carry out her intention.

"Mrs. Dickson, I'm going to tell you something," she began. "I hope it
won't seem----"

"Is it about Nellie Murray?" the blind woman asked, with a smile on her
face.

"Yes," Ailleen answered. "About Nellie Murray and----"

"I know. Willy has told me already. Don't worry about that, my dear. I
understand, and I'll just tell you this, and then we'll say no more
about it for the present--I am very pleased to hear it."

Ailleen looked at her in surprise.

"Pleased, Mrs. Dickson?" she asked.

"Yes, my dear, very, very pleased, and I quite understand how you look
at it; and now let us say no more about it, till--well, till the proper
time comes."

The girl sat still, looking at the staring, sightless eyes and the
smiling, happy face of her companion, unable to understand; while round
a convenient corner, Dickson stood with the crafty grin on his face as
he overheard the conversation.

CHAPTER XIII.

TONY VISITS THE FLAT.

Palmer Billy, never very averse to free comment on passing events, was
the personification of eloquence on the day that the robbery of the
digger's gold was discovered. Restrained by Tony and Peters from joining
in the senseless hue and cry after the robbers, he had, as he expressed
it, been sitting on dynamite up to the time when there was a chance of
letting off superfluous energy in the form of speech on the verandah of
Marmot's store. Tony had wanted him and Peters to ride out to the Flat
and stay there until the New Year, but they (and especially Palmer
Billy) would have none of it. A holiday spoiled was no holiday at all,
Palmer Billy averred. He had urged that to work right through Christmas
was a tempting of Providence, but, as he explained, that was before
Providence played it low down on them in permitting them to be robbed of
their gold. As it was, there was only one course to pursue. They would
get as much stores as their credit would permit, and they would be off
again to the creek they had worked out, to test a littl