Part 26 (2/2)

She came with Gale.

”Has Mr. Harding returned yet?” she asked, before Wallace could speak.

”He was to bring me word whether the doctor wanted me to help to-day.”

”He came in about half an hour ago, utterly worn out. I have sent him to bed for a few hours,” Wallace replied. ”He left a message for you--old Mr. Dudgeon is very bad, and the doctor sent word that if you could go out at once it would be a great help to him.”

”Of course I'll go,” she exclaimed. ”Mr. Gale, you offered to drive me if I were wanted. Will you go for the buggy while I get some things together to take with me?”

She turned to Wallace when Gale had left the office.

”I suppose you have no objection to my going upstairs?”

”None whatever,” he answered.

”I will get what things I want. The others can be taken away later to the cottage I am renting. I will give Mr. Gale a list, as he very kindly offered to see to the removal if I had to go out to Taloona again.”

He held the door open while she pa.s.sed into the residence portion of the building, and closed it after her. He was not a lady's man, even under the best of circ.u.mstances; with the conviction that Eustace was the culprit, not only in the bank robbery, but also in the outrage at Taloona, he wished to have as little to say to her as possible. The sooner she was out of the place the better he would be pleased.

As he returned to his work, which, at the moment, was a lengthy report he was preparing for despatch to the head office in condemnation of Eustace, she went through to the kitchen, where she found Bessie.

”I am leaving the bank to-day, Bessie, and all my things are going away.

I have taken Smart's cottage and am going to live there. Although I engaged you, if you think you will do better for yourself by staying here, don't let me prevent you.”

”Stay on here, Mrs. Eustace? What, after you've gone? No, ma'am, no! If you don't want me any longer, there may be someone else in Waroona who does, but if this is the only place where I can stay, I'm off to Wyalla,” Bessie exclaimed.

”I would not like them to think I took you away, Bessie.”

”I'm not the Bank's servant; I'm yours. Shall I help you get the furniture ready now?”

”No, not just at once. I am going out to Taloona to help the doctor nurse Mr. Dudgeon. I only want to take enough with me for a few days.

Mr. Gale will arrange for removing the rest, but I would like you to see they are all taken.”

”I'll see that they're taken, and go with them, too, Mrs. Eustace. I don't want to stay in a place where everything I do is spied on and made bad of. Let me come and help you now.”

By the time they had packed a small box, Gale drove up in front of the bank.

”I'll take this down,” Bessie exclaimed. ”It's not heavy.”

Mrs. Eustace followed her out of the room.

At the door she stopped. On the other side of the landing was Harding's room. She glanced at the closed door.

Stepping over to it, she tapped. There was no response. She turned the handle; the door was locked.

She did not want to go without a word for him. She opened her bag to see if she had a sc.r.a.p of paper or a card on which she could scribble a line. As she did so, Bessie came up the stairs to ask if there was anything else she could do.

”No, that is all, Bessie. You might tell Mr. Harding I have gone. He is asleep at present.”

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