The conversation then dropped, and in a little time Harry made some excuse for leaving them, and returned to the house alone, promising, however, that he would not start for his night’s ride till after the party had come back to the station.  “There is no hurry at all,” he said; “I shan’t stir for two hours yet, but Mickey will be waiting there for stores for himself and the German.”

“That means a nobbler for Mickey,” said Kate.  “Either of those men would think it a treat to ride ten miles in and ten miles back, with a horse-load of sugar and tea and flour, for the sake of a glass of brandy-and-water.”

“And so would you,” said Harry, “if you lived in a hut by yourself for a fortnight, with nothing to drink but tea without milk.”

The old lady and Mrs. Heathcote were soon seated on the grass, while Medlicot and Kate Daly roamed on together.  Kate was a pretty, modest girl, timid withal and shy, unused to society, and therefore awkward, but with the natural instincts and aptitudes of her sex.  What the glass of brandy-and-water was to Mickey O’Dowd after a fortnight’s solitude in a bush hut, with tea, dampers, and lumps of mutton, a young man in the guise of a gentleman was to poor Kate Daly.  A brother-in-law, let him be ever so good, is after all no better than tea without milk.  No doubt Mickey O’Dowd often thought about a nobbler in his thirsty solitude, and so did Kate speculate on what might possibly be the attractions of a lover.  Medlicot probably indulged in no such speculations; but the nobbler, when brought close to his lips, was grateful to him as to others.  That Kate Daly was very pretty no man could doubt.

“Isn’t it sad that he should have to ride about all night like that?” said Kate, to whom, as was proper, Harry Heathcote at the present moment was of more importance than any other human being.

“I suppose he likes it.”

“Oh no, Mr. Medlicot; how can he like it?  It is not the hard work he minds, but the constant dread of coming evil.”

“The excitement keeps him alive.”

“There’s plenty on a station to keep a man alive in that way at all times.”

“And plenty to keep ladies alive too?”

“Oh, ladies!  I don’t know that ladies have any business in the bush.  Harry’s trouble is all about my sister and the children and me.  He wouldn’t care a straw for himself.”

“Do you think he’d be better without a wife?”

Kate hesitated for a moment.  “Well, no.  I suppose it would be very rough without Mary; and he’d be so lonely when he came in.”

“And nobody to make his tea.”

“Or to look after his things,” said Kate, earnestly.  “I know it was very rough before we came here.  He says that himself.  There were no regular meals, but just food in a cupboard when he chose to get it.”

“That is not comfortable, certainly.”

“Horrid, I should think.  I suppose it is better for him to be married.  You’ve got your mother, Mr. Medlicot.”