“The trackers’ names, please,” requested Bony softly.

“Moongalliti, the king, and Ludbi, one of his sons,” Morris answered.

“Had you ever had occasion to use them before?”

“Yes. Once a stockman’s child was bushed. They found her, but too late. The mite was dead.”

“In comparing their activities on the two occasions, would you say that on the second the trackers were loath to work?”

“Well, yes,” Sergeant Morris admitted. “You see, they knew when Marks left Windee, knew that six days had passed before his abandoned car was found, and remembered those two windstorms. They wouldn’t move and I can’t blame them.”

“Well, well!” murmured the half-caste, rolling his fifth cigarette with slim, pink-nailed, black hands. “Go on.”

“As I stated, the horse parties were out more than a week scouring the country, and they found absolutely no trace of Marks. Considering the nature of the country, ridges of sand a dozen miles all round, excepting in the direction of the homestead, ridges which a windstorm-and there were two of great velocity and of hours’ duration-will move several yards, it would really be improbable for them to have found any trace of Marks.

“Although it was not hot weather, Marks would have circled and circled until he dropped, and if he died at the foot of a ridge on its eastward side, the wind would have blown the ridge on him and buried him beneath tons of sand. Circle he doubtless would do, being a city man.

“To me the only mystery is why he drove his car off the track for ninety yards before he abandoned it. But it may be explained by the fact that he lookedan habitual drinker, and in fact got drunk one night in Mount Lion.”

“What condition was he in when he left Windee?” Bony asked.

“Well-slightly drunk,” the sergeant replied disapprovingly. “At lunch Mr Stanton produced a bottle of port, and Marks drank most of it. Drink, I believe, is the foundation of the whole affair. I think he went to sleep in the car, and it ran off the road, just missing two trees, and was eventually stopped by the heavy sand. He probably slept till dark, woke up wondering where he was, and looked about for the track. Forgetting to turn on the headlights in his muddled state, he lost touch with his car and wandered away in a fruitless search for it.”