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290 did not care, because she had ceased to love her husband—had perhaps never loved him? Like a lightning flash this truth seemed borne in upon Elsie. She, too, urged on her horse, and the spirited creature in a few bounds had taken her almost beside Trant and his stockman. And then Elsie heard Sam Shehan say in angry tones "What is the sense of bringing these swell English toffs up here—and that dd Frank Hallett? I tell you I don't like it. The thing is too dangerous."

"If you reflect a moment, my good Sam, you will see that it is the most diplomatic course one could possibly pursue. I was in great hopes that Macpherson would have joined our party. Now, that would have been truly dramatic! He would never have come this way again."

"Oh, blow all that nonsense!" said Shehan. He looked round as he spoke, and became aware that Elsie was within earshot. He shut his mouth with the stockman's expressive click of his tongue and teeth which implies reserve and caution. Elsie was quite aware of this, but she only took in dazedly the significance of Sheehan's sudden silence. She was too pre-occupied with her own discovery, and the manner in which it might affect her sister's happiness, to give much thought to the mysteries of Sam Shehan and Dominic Trant.

Trant noticed her discomposed look as he came back to her, while Shehan pushed on, as he had been bid, and joined the half-castes.

"Shehan has the true native's objection to swell English people," he said airily, though he furtively watched the effect of his words. "I am sorry to say that he has been swearing vigorously at Lord and Lady Waveryng, and even at Mr. Frank Hallett, who he fancies is responsible for having brought them here. The fact is," Trant added, "Shehan wanted to have a chase after Moonlight—he has a theory that the Bushrangers are in hiding somewhere up here, and he doesn't want the game disturbed by this sort of thing. I told him that we were near having Captain Macpherson,