comin'!' That skeers 'em more nor Bunyip hi'self. 'Doctor's' same as devil hereabouts."
"Was he not kind to you when he was here?"
"Maybe, good enough, but he's spoilt it all. Curses on him!"
"Then you'e forgotten all the good he did," said Ihe stranger, rising and causing the company who were ogling around to fall back from his wild, withering glances. "Just the way of the world!" he exclaimed, with indignation. "The first lie heard you have accepted. Have taught your very children to curse their benefactor."
"Benefactor!" cry they all; "beast we calls him! Deceiver! Murderer!"
"There's one blessed thing," exclaimed a woman with crooked nose and a cross eye, "his missus is goin' to marry the man what has the place. I pity her, but, anyhow, we'll get our rights."
"Better not get them at all than in that way," rejoined a stalwart man, who pushed himself forward. "Sure's my name's Bob Bastion," he continued, "the matter 'll be cleared up yet. I distrusted one, in the cowardly way we all do, his son-in-law, and he died for my child. I'll never suspect another friend again until I die. With men like Elms and Malduke about, any fool might reckon there's more to be said yet."
"Hear, hear! " cried some.
"What about the son-in-law?" inquired the stranger, grasping Bastion's arm with a trembling hand. "You at least are an honest man and true," and he looked him hard in the face; "I'll believe you." Then very slowly—"What was that you said"— his voice faltered—"about the man—that died—for your child?" Involuntarily the stranger put his hand to his brow and shuddered.
