n it.

Until that moment he had entirely forgotten the letter the trooper had
given him. As he lay back it suddenly recurred to him. He sat up and put
his hand in his pocket to make sure it was still there. As he did so
the old man stirred, and Harding waited to see whether he was going to
wake.

He remained with his hand in his pocket until Dudgeon's breathing showed
he was again soundly asleep. Then, momentarily forgetful of the reason
why he was holding the letter, he drew it out, took it from the
envelope, and opened it.

"No one saw me go, and I am now safe where they will never find me.
Stay there till you hear from me again. A friend will bring you
word. Ask no questions, but send your answer as directed. You must
do everything as arranged, or all is lost. Whatever you do, don't
leave till I send you word. I am safe till the storm blows
over.--C."

The writing was only too familiar, even without the peculiarly formed
initial which was Eustace's particular sign.

He sat like one paralysed, his eyes reading and rereading the words
which changed to mockery all the revived faith in her. His brain grew
numb. Like a man upon whose head an unexpected blow had fallen, he was
only half conscious of what had happened. Even as he read and re-read
the letter he failed to gather all that it meant, all that it revealed.
The very simplicity of the situation stunned him.

Then through the darkness of his mind there came, in one lurid flash,
clear as a streak of lightning in the night, the full significance of
it.

Eustace, having made his escape, had sent the message to her!

The scene in her boudoir the night before; the vision of the horsemen
coming from the range; the face of the man with the yellow beard at the
window, all passed before him. While he and Brennan were dashing across
the yard, she or Bessie had found the note.

So it had come into her possession, and it must have been in her
possession while she was talking to him after Wallace told her she must
leave the bank; must have been in her possession while she drove with
him to Taloona, and, for aught she knew, was in her possession when he
found her lying senseless outside the hut.

He sprang to his feet, crushing the damning sheet in his hand.

While she clung to him, and he held her in all the fervour of his
re-awakened love, she must have believed the message he had read was
still in her keeping.

The sordid duplicity