An Outback Marriage

The old man looked round him in silence. "Serve me damn well right,"

he said at last. "I ought to have got the other side of the buffalo!"

Not another word did he say, as he transferred his saddle to one of

the blacks' horses. But in the camp, that night, the old man came

over to Hugh holding a paper in his hand.

"I've got something for you," he said. "Here's the certificate of

my weddin' with Peggy Donohoe. The parson gev us each one. That

ought to do you, oughtn't it? I'll come down with you, as soon as

you like, and give all the evidence you want. I'll chance how I

get on with Peg. I'll divorce her, or poison her, or get shut of

her somehow. But after what you done to-day I'm on Grant's side,

I am."

And off he stalked to bed, while Hugh talked long with Tommy Prince

and the buffalo-shooters of the best way to get down to the wire

and send the news of his success. He went to bed the happiest man

south of the line; and next day, saying good-bye to his hospitable

friends, he started off with Considine and Tommy on the road to

the telegraph, and thence to civilisation.