Page:Outlawandlawmak00praegoog.djvu/237

Rh. Look here, Ina, you can get over to Fermoy's all right," he said, as they went out after having said goodnight to the Waveryngs. "I'll put you in the fly, and then I'll go to the Club. I've promised some fellows to look in."

Ina made no protest. Lord Horace was surprised at her quietness.

"What has come to you?" he said. "You are like a death's head. I wish you would brighten up a bit. You make people think I ill-use you. Em gave me a talking to the other night for neglecting you. If you want to make yourself out a martyr, for heaven's sake don't try it on with my people. You won't get any good of that. Em is devoted to me. She always was."

"I am very glad," said Ina faintly. "I never complained, Horace. I want you to be happy in your own way. I am a little tired to-night, that's all. Em wants us to go back to the Dell, dear, and to take them with us, and I think we had better go."

"Waveryng means to fork up, I suppose," said Lord Horace, sulkily. "It's a little hard to drag a fellow up just when there's a chance of amusing oneself. But I suppose we had better go, and you can ask Elsie to come with us if you like. We'll get up a kangaroo hunt, or bush races, or something to amuse Waveryng."

So it was settled, and Ina rejoiced in the thought that for her the Leichardt's Town season would shortly come to an end. She was a brave little person, this poor Ina, and no one guessed that the fox was gnawing her under the cloak that she wore so decorously.

Mrs. Valliant had a few words with Elsie that night. What she had were not altogether satisfactory. The house was dark and Elsie had gone to bed when Mrs. Valliant and Frank stepped on to the verandah. It was Peter, the Kanaka, who told them that Miss Elsie was in her room. Frank went away, and Mrs. Valliant sought her daughter.

Elsie was lying awake, her tangled hair all about her pillow, and Mrs. Valliant fancied that she had been crying, her