"Then, don't investigate. Hover near, and let Melbourne go. In a few days you can come back with the proper story."
"But if she should find it out?"
"She shall not. I'll see to that. You will go away to-morrow, ostensibly to Melbourne. You can stop in Perth. There are many places where you can be entertained for a week there. I'll let you have all the money you want to fight the tiger there. We've got it here by the thousand, and she won't miss a few guineas. You do this for me, won't you, Jem?"
"Certainly."
Merle and Jem went back into the ranch house, and in a little while the sounds of song and music came out of it and floated away on the night air.
Far away across the ranch foxes barked and the hares played in the soft moonlight which had fallen on the grass.
The sheep had been housed for the night and the ranch guard set.
The statue-like figures of men stood here and there, and the new ranch guard was taking its first night on the reservation.
Merle Macray and Jem listened to the ranch queen's playing and now and then exchanged glances of satisfaction.
A few yards from the main building stood the house in which the new guards hired by Jot in Perth were quartered.