reading certain papers, suggested a
settlement out of court, which both doctors agreed to--the other doctor
apologising briefly in the local paper. It was noticed thereafter
that the magistrate and town doctors treated Doc. Wild with great
respect--even at his worst. The thing was never explained, and the case
deepened the mystery which surrounded Doc. Wild.

As Job Falconer's crisis approached Doc. Wild was located at a shanty
on the main road, about half-way between Job's station and the town.
(Township of Come-by-Chance--expressive name; and the shanty was the
'Dead Dingo Hotel', kept by James Myles--known as 'Poisonous Jimmy',
perhaps as a compliment to, or a libel on, the liquor he sold.) Job's
brother Mac. was stationed at the Dead Dingo Hotel with instructions
to hang round on some pretence, see that the doctor didn't either drink
himself into the 'D.T.'s' or get sober enough to become restless; to
prevent his going away, or to follow him if he did; and to bring him
to the station in about a week's time. Mac. (rather more careless,
brighter, and more energetic than his brother) was carrying out these
instructions while pretending, with rather great success, to be himself
on the spree at the shanty.

But one morning, early in the specified week, Job's uneasiness was
suddenly greatly increased by certain symptoms, so he sent the black boy
for the neighbour's wife and decided to ride to Come-by-Chance to hurry
out Gerty's mother, and see, by the way, how Doc. Wild and Mac. were
getting on. On the arrival of the neighbour's wife, who drove over in a
spring-cart, Job mounted his horse (a freshly broken filly) and started.

'Don't be anxious, Job,' said Gerty, as he bent down to kiss her. 'We'll
be all right. Wait! you'd better take the gun--you might see those
dingoes again. I'll get it for you.'

The dingoes (native dogs) were very bad amongst the sheep; and Job and
Gerty had started three together close to the track the last time they
were out in company--without the gun, of course. Gerty took the loaded
gun carefully down from its straps on the bedroom wall, carried it out,
and handed it up to Job, who bent and kissed her again and then rode
off.

It was a hot day--the beginning of a long drought, as Job found to his
bitter cost. He followed the track for five or six miles through the
thick, monotonous scrub, and then turned off to make a short cut to the
main road across a big ring-barked flat. The tall gum-