ot metal. The place was wild and
picturesque to a degree, but--oh so hot!

Two men in shirts and trousers were playing quoits as I came up. I
didn't know either of them by sight.

"Good day," said one of them, knocking off his play, and coming up.
"Off-saddle won't you? Dashed hot, isn't it?"

"Thanks. I'm Glanton, from Isipanga," I said in answer to his look of
enquiry.

"Oh. Glad to know you, Glanton. I'm Kendrew, from nowhere in
particular, at least not just now, price of transport being too _sleg_
for anything."

"Oh, you ride transport then? How many waggons?"

"Three in good times--one in bad; none in worse--as in the present case.
This is Sergeant Simcox, of the N.M.P.," introducing the other man,
whom I noticed wore uniform trousers and boots. "He's been helping me
to look for my poor old uncle, you know."

"Oh, Hensley was your uncle, was he?"

"Rather. But I'm next-of-kin--so if he's not found I take. See?" with
a comprehensive wink and jerk of the head which took in the
surroundings.

I couldn't help laughing at his coolness. He was a tall, rather
good-looking young fellow, all wire and whipcord, with a chronically
whimsical expression. The police sergeant was a hard bitten looking
customer, typical of his line in life.

"Now what do you think of the affair?" I said. "Did you know Hensley
well?"

"Hanged if I did. He didn't like me. Did you?"

"Not very. I used to ride over and look him up now and again. But I
can't imagine him doing anything mysterious. In fact I should say he'd
be the last man in the world to do it."

"_Ja_. I don't know what to think of it. I've been running the place
since I heard of the affair--luckily I wasn't on the road just then so
was able to. You'll stop and have some scoff of course--you too,
sergeant?"

"Wish I could," said the latter, "but it's against rules. Must get back
to my camp."

"Hang rules. Who's to know? Glanton here won't split."

He was right, wherefore I forbear to say whether Sergeant Simcox made
the third at that festive board or not.

We talked of trade and transport-riding and frontier matters generally,
but surprisingly little of the matter that had brought me there. In
fact Kendrew rather seemed to shirk the subject; not in any sort of
suspicious manner let me explain, but rather as if he thought the whole
thing a bore, and a very great one at that.

"You see, Glanton," he explained, presumably detecting a sur