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ready knew the answer, Waring was leaving for Australia!

“On to Hawkeston from Wairiri—today. I don’t know what she means to do afterwards. But she’ll never come back. She said so in her letter. She wants her freedom. Only divorce... or death will give her that.”

“Does she know you’re ruined?”

He shook his head.

“I don’t think so. The bank’s foreclosing. I only heard it after the tournament. I thought I could worry through somehow in spite of the bad luck at shearing. But I couldn’t raise money anywhere. She has a little of her own.”

“Surely if she knew... she couldn’t leave you....”

“What good can she do? And do you think I want to bring her back by whining out a hard-luck story when I know she’d rather give up Biddy and Jo than live with me again?”

“But Mr. Waring...”

“I can’t drag Gerald into it. He’s a good pal, and he’s well off. He’d probably do what he could to finance me, but he isn’t made of money, and I’m not going to be a burden to my friends.”

Ann sat back and looked at him, and suddenly she realized that the truth, as she knew it, was hidden from him. He did not connect Vera’s flight with Waring. Well, he was spared something at least, and Ann was resolved that as long as possible she would shield him from all knowledge of that secret.

“What good would you have done by using... that?”

She pointed across to the dressing-table.

“It would be an end. I can’t go on. Vera’s been