He had got a job there as boundary
rider. I suppose he counted on the shearing season to set him up. But he
wasn't the sort of chap who ever gets on. And when Mercer met you on his
way out from the old country it was something of a shock to him to hear
that you were on your way to marry Robin Wentworth.
"Of course, he ought to have told you the truth, but instead of that he
made up his mind to take the business into his own hands and marry you
himself. He cabled from Colombo to Wentworth to wait for him at Bowker
Creek, hinted that if he went to the coast he would have him arrested,
and said something vague about coming to an understanding which induced
Wentworth to obey orders.
"Then he came straight here and pressed on to Rollandstown, taking
Beelzebub with him to show him the short cuts. It's a hard day's ride in
any case. He reached Bowker Creek the day after, and had it out with
Wentworth. The man had been drinking, was unreasonable, furious, finally
tried to shoot him.
"Well, you know Mercer. He won't stand that sort of thing. He thrashed
him within an inch of his life, and then made him write and give you up.
It was a despicable affair from start to finish.
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