how their disapproval of his attack upon "a justice of the peace and
one of their largest shareholders."

Lester sat down and wrote to the "girl of his heart," and told her that
he could not see her for another year or so. "I have had to leave the
mine, Nell, dear," he said. "I won't tell you why--it would anger you
perhaps. But it was not all my fault. However, I have decided what to
do. I am going back to my old vocation of pearler in Torres Straits. I
can make more money there than I could here."

The following morning, as he was leaving Belle Grace, he heard that Mrs.
Charlton had left her husband two days previously, and had made her way
through the bush to Port Denison, from where she had gone to Sydney.

Soon after Lester had sailed for Torres Straits in Fryer's schooner, the
owner of Belle Grace Plantation received a telegram from Sydney telling
him that his wife was dead--she had jumped overboard on the passage
down. And, later on, Lester heard it also.

*****

Lester was doing well, but wondering why Nellie March did not write. He
little knew that Charlton was in Sydney working out his revenge. This he
soon accomplished.

From the local postmistress at Belle Grace Charlton had learned the
address of the girl Lester was to marry; and the first thing he did when
he arrived in Sydney was to call upon her parents, and tell them
that Lester had run away with his wife. And they--and Nellie March as
well--believed his story when he produced some Queensland newspapers
which contained the accounts of the "elopement." He was a good-looking
man, despite his forty years of hard drinking, and could lie with
consummate grace, and Nellie, after her first feelings of shame and
anger had subsided, pitied him, especially when he said that his poor
wife was at rest now, and he had forgiven her. Before a month was out
she married him.

Then Charlton, who simply revelled in his revenge, sent the papers
containing the announcement of his marriage to Lester.

Lester took it very badly at first. But his was a strong nature, and
he was too proud a man to write to the woman he loved and ask for an
explanation. It was Charlton's money, of course, he thought. And as the
months went by he began to forget. He heard of Charlton sometimes from
the captains of passing vessels. He was drinking heavily they said, and
whenever he came to town boasted of having "got even" with the man who
had thrashed him. Lester set his teeth but said n