bother himself about my affairs now.
It was Mr. Gale stopped me from going to Taloona when I heard first
about your--accident. All he could talk about was the good Mrs. Eustace
was doing, and I said it was as well perhaps that Mr. Eustace was not at
home, seeing the interest all the men in the place were taking in his
lady. Sure now, is there any news of the creature--Mr. Eustace, I
mean--there's no need to ask about Mrs. Eustace. Has any trace at all
been found of the scoundrel?"

"I can't say, really," he answered slowly. "I shall know to-morrow. We
did not go into everything to-day. Brennan only reported certain matters
of official routine."

"Well, well. I should have thought he would have given you all the news
seeing how long you have been away, and knowing how anxious you would be
to have the latest tidings. Did he say at all how the old curmudgeon
was? Is Mrs. Eustace still dancing attendance on him, and making herself
a public martyr to cover up the tracks of her levanting husband?"

"I believe Mr. Dudgeon is practically well again--the doctor could have
told you about that."

"Oh, he did, but I wondered whether you had other news. Sure it's not
always a doctor's word that is worth considering. They lie almost as
well as lawyers--or the police."

"To whom you come for verification."

"Now, that's just like me, giving away my own private opinion of you
without the asking. But there! Did you ever hear the reason why the old
man hated so much to let me buy this place? The doctor was telling me.
He said the old man was never done telling him and Mrs. Eustace all
about it. It's the funniest story ever you heard. Do you know it?

"Sure I'll tell it to you," she went on, without heeding the absence of
any reply to her question. "The old man was once in love. You'd hardly
believe that, would you? But you never know. It's the most unlikely
people on this earth who are the most like to make fools of themselves
in that way. You and me and the rest of us, sure we're none of us safe,
though I will say I'd like to see the woman who could get the blind side
of one man I've met in these parts. Who he may be is no matter. But
about old Dudgeon. It's long since he was in love, you must know, but
when he was it was with a girl who was the daughter of the people who
owned this station, years and years ago, before you and I were born,
indeed. Well, the girl wouldn't have him, or preferred someone else,
which is about the s