shirked her responsibilities. And more than ever was she glad now that
she had come to him. For he needed her in a moral sense as well. She was
too much of a "new chum" to help him in any very active sense outside the
homestead at present. But he needed a good deal of moral backing just at
that moment. She had come to him straight from England, and full of
enthusiasm. He had hewn his own way and begun to enjoy prosperity. But
she had arrived to find that prosperity temporarily checked. A gang of
cattle-thieves were making serious depredations among his stock.

The police were hot on the trail, and it was believed that the gang had
been split up, but so far no notable captures had been made. Buckskin
Bill, the leader, was still at large, and while this remained the case
there could be no security for any one. Every farmer in the district was
keen on the chase, expecting to fall a victim.

And--there was no doubt about it--Buckskin Bill was in a very tight
corner. Inspector Hill had the matter in hand, and he was not a man to
be lightly baffled. Jack regarded him with wholehearted admiration. But
somehow Dot, the new arrival, felt curiously prejudiced against him. She
wanted Buckskin Bill to be caught, but she could not help hoping that
this astute Inspector of Police would not be his captor. She was sure
from Jack's description that she would not like the man, and as she went
about her work she earnestly hoped that he would not come her way, at
least in her brother's absence.

She was busy indoors during the whole of the morning. As midday
approached the heat became intense. Jack usually returned for a meal at
noon, but she was not expecting him that day. He had joined the chase,
and had taken with him every available man. She might have felt lonely
if she had not been so engrossed. As it was, she hummed cheerily to