away and nearer the onward
rushing line of raging fury. The heat and smoke where Tony stopped
nearly overpowered him, but Slaughter had dashed almost up to the
oncoming line before _he_ fired the grass; and the men of Birralong, who
knew what bush fires mean, had no words to express what they thought of
Slaughter's act.

"Cold-blood Slaughter, eh?" Cullen said, when he heard it; and then he
stood up and took off his hat, and remained standing, with bowed head,
till the others caught his meaning and followed his example; and so,
while Slaughter lay nearly dying at Barellan, the men of Birralong
nightly greeted the mention of his name.

But that was not all the news which came to the gossips of the town. The
story that Tony had heard from the dying Barber, and which he had
re-told at the Flat, was known to every one; Nuggan, anxious to cover
his retreat from an awkward position, being assiduous in spreading it.
Later, when rumour had it that the Lady of Barellan had claimed that
Tony and not Dickson must be her son, Birralong was prepared to support
her, more especially when it was known that Ailleen had never wavered in
her allegiance to the champion of the district. But there was no proof
of her right to make the claim till Slaughter had recovered, and even
then, in a legal sense, there was not much of a case to go on. Only was
there the statement that the dead McMillan lived again in the features
and figure of Tony; but it satisfied Birralong, and no one came forward
to dispute it. Even if the question had been raised no interest would
have been served, for Mrs. Dickson willed that if Barellan could not be
his, it should be Ailleen's, and with Peters's Reef a "boomer," as
Palmer Billy averred, their future was assured when Tony and Ailleen
were wed.

Birralong took it soberly till the last event occurred. Then festivity
reigned supreme, and the resources of the Rest were strained to meet the
calls, made by a thirsty district, to do honour to the occasion. And
always was there another cheer and another excuse for a toast when the
raucous voice of Palmer Billy proclaimed the fact--which it did till the
coming of dawn--that they were "both to be ranked with the real McKay,
and both were colonial born."

THE END

* * * * *

LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, STAMFORD STREET AND
CHARING CROSS.

THE TRACK OF MIDNIGHT.

By G. FIRTH SCOTT.

_Crown 8vo, cloth