"Well, I'll talk to him.

You'll take Miss Deringham home, Charley, and then come on to Townshead's after me." He swung away into the bush next moment, and Seaforth followed him more slowly with Miss Deringham.

Neither of them spoke, but though the man's thoughts were busy with other affairs, he noticed that his companion glanced at him covertly.

"The girl could have told us something more," he said to himself, and put a stern check on his impatience as he kept pace with her.
When they came out into the clearing they heard the thud of hoofs, and saw a mounted man send a horse at the tall split fence.

The slip-rails were up, and the fence was unusually well put together, but there was a crash as the top bar flew apart, and presently the thud of hoofs grew fainter down the fir-shadowed trail.