have
preferred to follow them to the end, but after all he might get nearer
the solution of the problem by a visit to Taloona.

CHAPTER IX

DUDGEON'S HOSPITALITY

Within half an hour of Wallace's arrival at the bank Dudgeon drove up.

He scrambled out of his rackety old buggy and stamped into the place,
passing direct into the little room Eustace had used as a private
office, where, by the chance of circumstances, he came face to face with
Mrs. Burke.

His keen, grey, hawk-like eyes flashed an envenomed look at her, and
were met by a glance not one whit less steadfast. For a moment he stood,
his shaggy white brows meeting in a scowl as he found himself confronted
by one who even to his distorted vision possessed a charm of face and
figure such as he had not seen since the days of Kitty Lambton.

Something in the eyes which met his touched a chord of memory long
suppressed. So Kitty had looked when he met her for the first time after
her flight with O'Guire; so she had looked the last time he had seen her
when she had pleaded for mercy to her dying parents and he had taunted
her and mocked her till she turned and left him with curses as
deep-voiced as any he himself could have uttered.

"This is Mrs. Burke, the purchaser of Waroona Downs, Mr. Dudgeon," he
heard, and faced round on the speaker, turning his back upon her.

"Who are you?" he blurted out.

"I am the officer in charge of the bank for the time being," Wallace
replied suavely.

"Where's Eustace? He's the only man I know in the matter."

"He is not here at present, Mr. Dudgeon. But that need not concern you.
I assume you have come to complete the sale of----"

"I only know Eustace. I'm prepared to deal with him--I don't know you
and don't want to."

"Unfortunately Mr. Eustace cannot be present. But I am in his place. I
arrived from the head office this morning with the gold you demand as
payment for the sale of Waroona Downs. You may have noticed it as you
came in--the bags are on the counter in charge of the police escort."

"But where's Eustace? That's what I want to know."

He looked from Wallace to Harding savagely.

"If you are prepared to sign the transfer, Mr. Dudgeon, we can proceed
with the business," Wallace replied. "Mrs. Burke is waiting."

Dudgeon glanced at her covertly.

She was standing, as she stood throughout the subsequent proceedings, a
silent spectator, irritating him by the mere fact that she was so
absolutely