Jimmie,” he murmured; and then a man pushed up from behind, and caught Jimmie by the arm.
He was a big man, and the swag on his back had not bowed him, nor cramped the free swing of his limbs. Something in the carriage of his head was familiar to Randal. Then the face showed as Jimmie wrenched himself free.
“Ted Douglas!” said Randal in amaze. “Ted Douglas, by all that’s crazy! Ted—oh, you fool! You silly fool! Did you think he was going to be worth the finding?”
For one moment the pure joy of Ted’s face shone in the sunlight. Then Jimmie broke from him, screaming in frenzy. Ted sprang after. And then words came to Randal which brought him across the street to struggle through the heated massed bodies.
“Thief!” yelled Jimmie. “Murderer! Thief! He’ll kill me! Catch him!”
The howl in answer put fear into Randal for a breath. The yellow faces took on another look; and somewhere, flashing across Randal’s sight came the glint of a knife. He heard the drover shout warning from the verandah, and he put his head down and beat his way toward Ted. Then remembrance of Effie caught him and sickened him, and he would have slung free of them all but that there was no longer any choice left. The mur-
