“And such a nice one about my humming-top—­how it goes whiz—­whiz,” said Hubert.

“And Peggy told Alice and Miss Melville about the fire, and all about you long ago—­long before she saw any of us,” said Emily.

“She made up a pretty story to amuse them just as Alice does for us when they were sad and dull—­only Peggy’s story was all true, and Alice’s are mostly not.”

Brandon’s quick eye could observe the faintest additional flush pass over Elsie’s already crimson cheek, and guessed that Peggy’s revelations had been a little too true and minute.  What motive had she to conceal anything about him when she was relating her own experiences to divert the minds of the two poor girls in their troubles and perplexities?  Was this the solution of his refusal in the railway carriage?  If it was. he should try again.  He had been a fool, an idiot, to give up so readily at the first nay-say.  Now, it was too late; his passage was taken out for himself and Edgar, and he was to sail on the morrow; but if things looked decently well at Barragong on his return he must write, though he was no great scribe.

“Shall I not call Jane?” said Elsie, who felt embarrassed by his looks and manner, and dreaded his saying anything particular before a group of the sharpest children in the world.  “She is extremely busy, but if you have come to bid her goodbye, she must see you for that.”

“You used to talk of going to Australia—­to Melbourne, I mean—­with your sister and Peggy, when she returns.”

“We hope to be able to do so,” said Elsie.

“Then I will see you again—­I must see you again.  Don’t call your sister yet—­don’t.”

Here Brandon was interrupted by the entrance of Miss Harriett, whose curiosity as to where Emily had taken her friend had led her to the nursery, a place she seldom visited.

“Why, Emily, what a thing to bring Mr. Brandon into the nursery!  You are a dreadful girl!  I must tell Miss Melville of this.”

“I have only come to bid goodbye to some friends,” said Brandon.

“They should have come to you in the drawing-room, only those children are so fond of their liberty that they prefer the nursery, where they can torment Alice to their hearts’ content, to anything like restraint in the drawing-room.  What a litter the place is in!  I do wish we could get a nurse.”

“I must see Miss Melville, too, and bid her goodbye,” said Brandon.

“She is in the housekeeper’s room,” said Harriett.  “As you have been introduced by Emily into the nursery, perhaps you will let me take you there.”

“Goodbye, then, Miss Alice,” said Brandon.

“Goodbye,” said she.

Brandon could not drop a word of his intention to Jane, for Harriett Phillips was at his elbow when he made his adieu; but somehow Elsie treasured up his parting looks, and embarrassed expressions, with as much fidelity as if he had made an open declaration of love.  Many a woman’s heart lives long on such slight food as this.  And the next day, Brandon was on board, and soon on the high seas, on his way back to his sheep-stations and his troubles.