forgotten the tree, and was listening eagerly to Lester's account of
his wanderings through the world, for his had been an adventurous
career--sailor, South Sea trader, pearl-sheller, and gold miner in New
Guinea and the Malayan Archipelago.

"And now here I am, Mrs. Charlton, over thirty years of age, and not any
the richer for all my roving. Of course," he added, with boyish candour,
"I know when I'm well off, and I have a good billet here and mean to
save money. And I intend to be back in Sydney in another fortnight."

"But you will return to Queensland, will you not?" she said quickly.

Lester laughed. "Oh yes, I suppose I shall settle down here finally.
But I'm going to Sydney to be married. Would you care to see my future
wife's photograph? You see, Mrs. Charlton, you're the only lady I've
ever talked to about her, and I should like you to see what she is
like."

She made no answer, and Lester in wondering ignorance saw that her face
had paled to a deathly white and that her hands were trembling.

"You are ill, Mrs. Charlton. You must be getting a touch of fever. Let
me take you home."

"No," she answered quickly; "let me stay here. I shall be better in a
minute." And then she began to sob passionately.

Charlton, awakening from his drunken sleep, looked at them from the
window of the sitting-room. He hated his wife because she feared him,
and of late had almost shuddered when he touched her. Picking up
his whip from the table, he walked out of the house to where she was
sitting.

"So this is your little amusement, is it?" he said savagely to Nina;
"and this fellow is the cause of all my trouble. I might have known what
to expect from a woman like you. Your Portuguese nature is too much for
you. Go back to the house, and leave me to settle with your lover."

The next instant Lester launched out and struck him on the mouth. He lay
where he fell, breathing heavily, and when he rose to his feet he saw
Lester carrying his wife, who had fainted, to the house.

Placing Mrs. Charlton in the care of a servant, Lester returned quickly
to where Charlton, who was no coward, awaited him.

"You drunken scoundrel!" he burst out; "I've come back to settle up with
you!"

And Lester did "settle up" to his heart's content, for he half-killed
Charlton with his own whip.

A week later, however, Charlton had his first bit of revenge. Lester was
dismissed, the directors of the mine being determined, as they said, to
s