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RACES AND A WIN.
After the great case was over life at Kuryong went on its old round.
Mary Grant, now undisputed owner, took up the reins of government, and Hugh was kept there always on one pretext or another.
Considine and his wife stayed a while in the district before starting for England, and were on the best of terms with the folk at the homestead, Peggy's daring attempt to seize the estate having been forgiven for her husband's sake.
Mary seemed to take a delicious pleasure in making Hugh come to her for orders and consultations.

She signed without question anything that Charlie put before her, but Hugh was constantly called in to explain all sorts of things.

The position was difficult in the extreme, although Peggy tried to give Hugh good advice.
"Sure, the girl's fond of you, Mr.Hugh!" she said, "Why don't you ask her to marry you?
See what a good thing it'd be?
She's only waitin' to be asked." "I'll manage my own affairs, thank you," said Hugh.

"It isn't likely I'm going to ask her now, when I haven't got a penny." He was as miserable as a man could well be, and was on the point of leaving the station and going back to the buffalo camp in search of solitude, when an unexpected incident suddenly brought matters to a climax.