Part 17 (1/2)

”That eventuality will have to be carefully guarded against,” he said.

”Slavin seems to be a man of ability and sense, and he would never pit his handful of troopers against a hundred men. In the meanwhile, everything depends on secrecy, and no move must be made until you are sure of everybody. I will answer for the Green River men. I am going back there shortly.”

Then they put their heads together to consider a scheme, and there was only a low hum of voices until Hobson stood up suddenly. A tramp of feet and a sharp order rose from outside.

”Slavin and the troopers!” he said. ”We don't want him to know who's here. Get out through the roof, boys. Put the lamp out.”

It was done, and while a sound of ripping and scrambling became audible in the black darkness Hobson touched Sewell's arm.

”You and I have got to see it out. I guess he's sure of us,” he said.

In another moment or two somebody beat upon the door, and getting no answer drove it open. Then a sulphur match sputtered, and the trooper who stood in the entrance turned to a man behind him.

”There are only two men here, sir,” he said.

”Light that lamp,” said the other man. ”I feel tolerably certain there were considerably more.”

Hobson stood forward when the feeble light of the blue flame made him dimly visible.

”I guess it's broke,” he said.

”Bring Rignauld's lantern!” said the man in the darkness.

It was at least a minute before another trooper appeared with a light, and Sewell surmised that his companions had made good use of the time.

Slavin, who, as he quite expected, was standing in the doorway, seemed to realize it too, for he glanced at the torn canvas.

”I might have thought of that,” he said. ”You and Rignauld will start down the trail and stop any man you come across, though I guess they're back in their tents or in the bush by now.”

The trooper went out, and Slavin turned to Hobson with a smile on his face. ”We have got you, anyway, and you'll spend to-night, at least, in the outpost. To-morrow I'll look into the question of the liquor-sale permits, and it's quite likely this saloon will be closed. I'll have to take you along as well, Mr. Sewell.”

Sewell made a good-humoured gesture of resignation. ”I suppose I'll have to come. It's a proceeding I'm not altogether unaccustomed to. Still, I'm not sure there is any charge you can work up against me.”

Slavin looked at him almost appreciatively. ”Well,” he said, ”I fancy you're not going to make any trouble here. In fact, it's very probable that you will leave this settlement early to-morrow, though it would have been a good deal better had I choked you off from coming here. I would have done it had I known who you were. You will take any steps that seem necessary if these gentlemen try to get away, Trooper Nixon.”

Sewell spent that night at the outpost, but not in the same room with Hobson, and when he had breakfasted tolerably well Slavin came in.

”Your horse is waiting, and you will start at once--for wherever you like so long as it's outside my boundaries, though I may as well mention that every officer in the district will be warned against you,” he said.

”If you feel yourself aggrieved you can, of course, complain to Victoria.”

Sewell made no protest. When he knew it would be useless he seldom did, and Slavin, who handed him several days' provisions, waited until he swung himself into the saddle.

”It wouldn't be wise to push your luck too hard by coming back,” he said.

Sewell smiled from the saddle, and rode away. He knew that the seed was sown and need only be left to spring and ripen, though he would have felt easier had he been sure that Slavin did not know it, too. Eshelby could be trusted to stimulate the growth of the crop, but he had already grasped the capabilities of the quiet police officer, who, it was evident, was a very different kind of man.

XI

INGLEBY VENTURES A REMONSTRANCE