"Hugh can go," said Charlie. "He'll have to do his best this time.
It all depends on getting hold of this Considine, eh? Well, Hugh
'll have to get him. If he fails he needn't show his face amongst
us any more."
Mary Grant was called in and told the great news, and then Pinnock
started out to find Hugh. But before the lawyer could see him, Mary
met him in the garden.
Hugh did not see that he could be of any use in the case, and wanted
to be quit of Kuryong for good. Seeing Mary day after day, he had
become more and more miserable as the days went by. He determined
at last to go away altogether, and, when once he had made up his
mind, only waited for a chance to tell her that he was going. The
chance came as she left the office after consulting with Pinnock.
"Miss Grant," he said, "if you don't mind, I think I will resign
my management of this station. I will make a start for myself or
get a job somewhere else. You will easily get someone to take my
place."
She looked at him keenly for a while.
"I didn't expect this of you," she said, bitterly. "The rats leave
the sinking ship. Is that it?"
His face flushed a dull red. "You know better than that," he said.
"I would stop if I could be of any use, but what is there I can
do?"
"Why do you want to leave?"
"I want to get away from here--I want to get out of the hills for
awhile."
Mary knew, as well as if he had told her, that what he wanted was
to go where he could forget her and see whether absence would break
the chain; and triumph lit up her eyes, for it was pleasant even
in the midst of her troubles to know that he still cared. Then she
came to a swift decision.
"Will you do something for me away from the hills, then?" she said.
"Where?"
"Up North. I want some one to find that man Considine that your
brother and Mr. Carew met. You know how important it is to me.
Will you do it for me?"
Hugh would have jumped at the chance to risk his life for her
lightest wish.
"I will go anywhere and do my best to find anyone you want," he
said; "When do you want me to start?"
"See Mr. Pinnock and your brother about that. They will tell you
all about it; and if you do manage to find this man, why, you can
talk about leaving after that if you want to. Will you go for me?"
"Yes. I will go, Miss Grant; and I will never come back till I find
this man--if he is alive."