’And then?  Oh, then I will go to the homestead.  I want rest—­only rest, rest!

‘Did Summers know the truth, Chris?’

She shook her head slowly.

‘No,’ she said.  ’I deceived him—­I deceived them all.  I lied to everybody.  I used to pride myself once, a fortnight ago, when I was a girl, on not being a liar.

’You mustn’t talk in this despairing way, dear.  Let me take you home.  I will meet Dick an’ tell him.’

’Tell him it is too late, but I am grateful all the same—­very, very grateful.’

‘Yes, yes.  Come.  You are weary; you’ll be stronger to-morrow an’ braver.’

He led her away, and they walked across the flat and through the paddock in silence.  It seemed to Harry that she had forgotten their avowals of love.  Her attitude frightened him, he dreaded lest she should be on the eve of a serious illness; he had sore misgivings and tortured himself with many doubts.  Her words rang in his head with damnable iteration:  ’I deceived them all.  I lied to every body.’

Maori welcomed them under the firs, capering heavily and putting himself very much in the way, but with the best intentions.  Summers came to the verandah and greeted Chris with warmth.

‘Eli, but ye’re pale, lassie,’ he said, having drawn her into the light.

‘Take her in,’ whispered Harry; ‘she’s quite worn out.’

‘Will ye no come in yersel’?’

‘No, no, thanks.  Come back here, Mr. Summers; I want to speak to you.’

Summers led the girl into the house and returned after a few moments.

‘What’s happened tae the girl?  She’s not herself at all,’ he said.

‘Her father’s been taken.’

’Ay, have they got him?  Weel, ‘twas sure to be.’

‘’Twas she who hid him, but he went light-headed with some sickness, an’ the police came down on him.  She feels it awfully, poor girl, being alone in a way.’

‘Not alone, not while Jock Summers moves an’ has his bein’.’

Harry had been fishing for this.  He knew the man, and that his simple word meant as much as if it had been chiselled deep in marble.

‘Good night,’ he said, throwing out an impetuous hand.  While he hastened away under the trees Summers stood upon the door-sill, gazing after him, ruefully shaking the tingling fingers of his right hand.

Harry returned to the skillion and loitered about for ten minutes without discovering anything of Dick Haddon, but at the expiration of that time Dick stole out of the darkness and approached him with an affectation of the greatest unconcern.  His greeting was very casual, and he followed it with a fishing inquiry intended to discover if the young man knew anything of Christina’s whereabouts.

‘Never mind, Dick, old man,’ said Harry kindly, ‘it’s all up.’

 ‘All up?’ cried Dick.

’Yes, I know why you went to Yarraman; but it’s been a wasted journey, Dick.  Shine was arrested a couple of hours ago, an’ she’s broken hearted.’