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Rh "Very well. But I have warned you. And I have as good a right to make love to you as Mr. Frank Hallett, and that according to Leichardt's Town gossip means a good deal, if, as they say, you were engaged to him before Blake came on the scene. There, I am offending again. We'll leave Blake out of the question."

"I was never engaged to Mr. Frank Hallett. Now you have said what you wanted to say, and there is an end. You are quite right, no one could prevent you. But when I have given you my answer, the incident will be closed, as they say."

"I haven't asked you for an answer," he said, imperturbably. "I don't want to close the incident. I intend to open it again. I love you, and I mean to marry you."

Elsie laughed nervously. "Really, Mr. Trant! Am I not to have a voice in the matter?"

"Oh, yes, later on. But you must get accustomed to the idea. I'm not a poor man, Miss Valliant. It may be as well that I should mention this, and I intend very shortly to cut this life—for good and all. I have had enough of it. I propose in a few months to leave Australia, and to take my money out of the place. I shall not have done such a bad thing out of Australia—" Trant laughed his odd laugh—"and then I shall go to Europe and I shall enjoy life."

"I am glad to hear it."

"I shall be in a position to give my wife most of the things that a woman likes—travel, amusement, society, dress, luxuries, and what ought to count a little, unbounded devotion. That does count for something with a woman, doesn't it?"

"It depends on who offers it."

"I'm not such an odiously unattractive fellow—at least I've managed to make some women care for me. I know I could make you care for me, if I set to work in the right way. Anyhow I mean to try."

"It will be no use at all, Mr. Trant. It will be only waste of time."