"Here we are," said Rycroft, "here lies the gold." He pointed to the
bed of the creek. "Here is our overseer's hut, and he has engaged men
for our purpose. This is our hut, Ogilvie. I hope you don't mind
sharing it with me."

"Not in the least," replied Ogilvie. "We shall not begin operations
until the morning, shall we? I should like to walk up the creek."

Rycroft made a cheerful answer, and Ogilvie started off alone. He
scarcely knew why he wished to take this solitary walk, for he knew
well that the die was cast. When he had accepted Lord Grayleigh's
check for ten thousand pounds he had burnt his boats, and there was no
going back.

"Time enough for repentance in another world," he muttered under his
breath. "All I have to do at present is to stifle thought. It ought
not to be difficult to go forward," he muttered, with a bitter smile,
"the downhill slope is never difficult."

The work of boring was to commence on the following morning, and the
camp was made close to the water hole beneath some tall gum trees.
Rycroft, who was well used to camping, prepared supper for the two.
The foreman's camp was about a hundred yards distant.

As Ogilvie lay down to sleep that night he had a brief, sharp attack
of the agony which had caused him alarm a couple of months ago. It
reminded him in forcible language that his own time on earth was in
all probability brief; but, far from feeling distressed on this
account, he hugged the knowledge to his heart that he had provided for
Sibyl, and that she at least would never want. During the night which
followed, however, he could not sleep. Spectre after spectre of his
past life rose up before him in the gloom. He saw now that ever since
his marriage the way had been paved for this final act of crime. The
extravagances which his wife had committed, and which he himself had
not put down with a firm hand, had led to further extravagances on his
part. They had lived from the first beyond their means. Money
difficulties had always dogged his footsteps, and now the only way
out was by a deed of sin which might ruin thousands.

"But the child--the child!" he thought; something very like a sob rose
to his lips. Toward morning, however, he forced his thoughts into
other channels, drew his blanket tightly round him, and fell into a
long, deep sleep.

When he awoke the foreman and his men were already busy. They began to
bore through the alluvial deposit in several directions, and Ogi