e
another--were full of athletic male figures sprawling on the beds,
smoking black pipes all day, and yarning interminably. The main topic
of conversation was Peggy's claim against the estate. They had all heard
the rumours that were going round; each had quietly been trying to
find out what Peggy had to go on, and this pow-wow was utilised for
the purpose of comparing notes. They had one advantage over Gavan
Blake--they knew all about Considine, which Blake did not.

On one bed lay Pinnock, who had come up to make arrangements for
carrying on the station till the will was proved. On another bed
sprawled Carew, who, by virtue of his trip out back, was looked upon as
a bit of an oracle by Poss and Binjie, who had never been further than
the mountains. Poss and Binjie had dragged an old couch out of the next
room and were stretched on that, listening to the talk, and occasionally
throwing in a word of such wisdom as they had. Hugh sat in an armchair
by the window, smoking and dreaming.

Poss's voice cut knife-like through a cloud of tobacco smoke. He spoke
as one on the defensive.

"Well, I believe there's something in it, anyhow. Briney Donohoe told
me--"

Charlie Cordon's cold drawl interrupted the youth. "It's all rot," he
said. "Briney Donohoe told you--what does he know about it? You two boys
and Hugh have been stuck at home here so long, you believe anything. I
tell you, they'll do nothing. It's all talk, just to make themselves
big people. They have nothing to do just now, so it comes in handy as an
excuse to ride from one selection to another all day long and leave our
gates open. We have Peggy's measure, haven't we, Carew? That long-lost
relation of yours, old Considine!"

"I wish you did have him," said the lawyer. "He might come in very
handy. With a big property like this to go for, they are nearly sure to
have a try at it."

Poss took heart at finding himself supported by this new champion.
"Yes," he said. "Red Mick and Peggy are down at Gavan Blake's to-day.
I saw their horses hanging up outside as I came through. And Briney
Donohoe told me--"

"What do you think, Carew?" said Charlie, cutting Briney Donohoe off
again. "Don't you think that old fellow was telling the truth when he
said he married Peggy?"

"Sure he was," said the Englishman. "Never saw a fellow in such a funk
in my life."

"What about Peggy?" said Pinnock. "How did she take it?"

"Bold as brass! I thought she was going to kiss C