Sisters

e was also cut off from the lovely Deborah, now wandering about her extensive grounds with another y

n, and we had to feel our way along with the cast 'o the lead. We got ashore at Williamstown, on sailors

aid Guth

his strong, square face set like a ma

apiece. Cheap enough, too, compared with the gold prices. But gold was not thought of for ten year

ething to the effect th

e nicest lot of fellows that ever came together to make a new country. We were as happy as kings. All young men. I w

ed the guest, arrested in his mental w

seen it often,

close myself; I

The Pennycuicks and the Careys ha

antly related t

who had determined to have it so from the f

-ruddy face, had shyly drawn near, and taken a chair at her father's elbow, where she sat very quietly, busily tatting. Plain though her face was, she had beautiful hands. Her p

nd the cloth was the parson's perquisite. The funeral hangings used to keep him in coats and trousers. And they used to deal out long silk hat-scarves to all the mourners-silk that would stand alone, as they say-and the wives made mantles and aprons of them.

Mary. "I have not had a new

s got to marry a millionaire, o

ng man. His eyes went a-roaming once more, to discover the white gown afar off, trailing unhee

ther. He had a devil of a stepfather, and no home to speak of. We were mates at school, and we m

say that

t have had a penny. She pawned all she could lay her hands on for him, we found out afterwards-Billy was cut up about that-and got ill-used by Heggarty for it

We loaded up with all the necessaries, and hired three good men, and travelled till we found country. Took us about five months. At last we came here, and put our pegs in, and I started off to Melbourne for the license-ten pounds, and leave to rene

rah's side. He was a tall, graceful and most distinguished-looking young fellow; but Guthrie Carey was

uff, Billy and I, and set the whole thing up; and all our furniture was our sleeping-bunks and a few stools and a table. We washed in a tin bowl on a block outside the door. Not so particular about tubbing and clean shirts in those days. Our windows were holes of a handy size for gun barrels, and the shutters we put up o' nights were squares of bark hung on to nails by strips of green hide

! I am deeply

ash being scarce, he would sometimes have to take land deeds for them, and she'd be wild with him for it. But what was the consequence? Those bits of paper that she thought so worthless that it's a wonder she took the trouble to save them, gave her city lots that turned out as good as gold mines. She sold too soon, or she'd have made millions-and died of a broken heart, they say, when she found out that mistake. Still, she left a lot more than it's good for a young f

Mary gently

f work as long as he lives. And I wish Deb wouldn't waste her time listenin

ck indoors, and said it was. Guthrie

heavily out of his big cane chair, hollowed like a b

inute," he half whispered. "I'

th a bit of cardboard with a shy air. He had never shown it to his family, and doubtless would not have shown it now if he had not been growing old and soft and sentimental. It was a prim and niggling little water-colour drawing of English Redf

, by her-your aunt," said Mr Pennycuick, gloat

what relation, but a long way farther off than t

e a Carey at all was enough for him. It was his excus

se; the usual yellowing ball glove, the usual dance and invitation cards, and faded letters, with their edges frayed; a book-marker with an embroidered 'Friendship', mixed up with forget-me-nots, in coloured silks upon perforated card, backed by a still gleaming red satin

passed it over, and Guthrie turned it this way and that, until he caught the outlines of a long aquiline face between bunched ringlets

he murmure

her. And I've never shown it to a

xpression. F

e, and as beautiful. Gentle

ked them dark and flashing and spirited, like Miss

old man maundered on. "Surely you mu

but he shook a denying head, and dropped another hint of his own

g to the open drawer again. "Strictly between ourselves, of course-and on

he big valentine, gett

aged him, while inwar

horse to a tree, crept up that nut-walk-you know it?-and round by the east terrace to the porch, and laid my valentine on the door-step, and clanged the bell, and hid behind the yew-fence till the man came out to get it. Then I went home. And last thing at night there was a clatter-clatter at the door at Redford, and I dashed out to catch whoever it was-her brother she sent-but wasn't quite smart enough. If only I'd seen him. I should have known-as I ought to have, without that; but I didn't. It never occurred to me that she'd send the answer so soon, and she had disguised her writing i

f a tiny Cupid's wing. With bent head and puckered eyelids, Guthrie peered under, an

een it. This was her answer. And I never got it, sir, till she was married to another man-and then by the merest accident. Then I couldn't even have the satisfaction of telling her

he day before, this story would have moved him to pour out the tale of his own untimely and irrepar

at a time, while you are at work and full of affairs; but it comes back-especially when you are old and lonely, and you think how dif

lf, he had reached that stage which Mr Pennycuick came to when he began courting

overb. True enough. But one might write it this way, with even more truth: "It is bett