start for his night's patrol. During this week he saw nothing of
Medlicot, and never mentioned his name but once. On that occasion his
wife told him that during his absence Medlicot had been at the
station.

"What brought him here?" Harry asked, fiercely.

Mrs. Heathcote explained that he had called in a friendly way, and
had said that if there were any fear of fire he would be happy
himself to lend assistance.

Then the young squatter forgot himself in his wrath. "Confound his
hypocrisy!" said Harry, aloud. "I don't think he's a hypocrite," said
the wife.

"I'm sure he's not," said Kate Daly.

Not a word more was spoken, and Harry immediately left the house. The
two women did not as usual go to the gate to see him mount his horse,
not refraining from doing so in any anger, or as wishing to exhibit
displeasure at Harry's violence, but because they were afraid of him.
They had found themselves compelled to differ from him, but were
oppressed at finding themselves in opposition to him.

The feeling that his wife should in any way take part against him
added greatly to Heathcote's trouble. It produced in his mind a
terrible feeling of loneliness in his sorrow. He bore a brave outside
to all his men, and to any stranger whom in these days he met about
the run--to his wife and sister also, and to the old woman at home.
He forced upon them all an idea that he was not only autocratic, but