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肩書を与える: The Other Man Author: Mary Gaunt * A 事業／計画（する） Gutenberg of Australia eBook * eBook No.: 1402251h.html Language: English Date first 地位，任命するd: June 2014 Most 最近の update: June 2014 This eBook was produced by: Maurie Mulcahy 事業／計画（する） Gutenberg of Australia eBooks are created from printed 版s which are in the public domain in Australia, unless a copyright notice is 含むd. We do NOT keep any eBooks in 同意／服従 with a particular paper 版. Copyright 法律s are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the copyright 法律s for your country before downloading or redistributing this とじ込み／提出する. This eBook is made 利用できる at no cost and with almost no 制限s どれでも. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the 条件 of the 事業／計画（する） Gutenberg Australia Licence which may be 見解（をとる）d online.
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CHAPTER I.—A NEW HOME.
CHAPTER II.—THE GRANTS OF KOORINGA.
CHAPTER III.—MRS. GRANT'S PICNIC.
CHAPTER IV.—"I SHALL CULTIVATE HIS ACQUAINTANCE."
CHAPTER V.—"A CHANCE MEETING."
CHAPTER VI.—"YOU OUGHT TO TELL THOSE GIRLS YOU'RE A MARRIED MAN."
CHAPTER VII.—ONE SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
CHAPTER VIII.—"A DAY IN BALLARAT."
CHAPTER IX.—MAITLAND TELLS A STORY AND RUTH MAKES A MISTAKE.
CHAPTER X.—DOLLY'S ENGAGEMENT.
CHAPTER XI.—DOLLY'S WEDDING DAY.
CHAPTER XII.—THE TRUTH AT LAST.
CHAPTER XIII.—DREARY DAYS.
CHAPTER XIV.—TWO YEARS AFTER.
CHAPTER XV.—A DISTURBANCE IN THE FAMILY.
CHAPTER XVI.—THE DOCTOR'S WOOING.
CHAPTER XVII.—TELLING DOLLY THE NEWS.
CHAPTER XVIII.—THE FOREST FIRE.
CHAPTER XIX.—A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
CHAPTER XX.—SAVED!
CHAPTER XXI.—POOR ALICK FINLAYSON.
CHAPTER XXII.—A MISTAKEN LOVE.
CHAPTER XXIII.—"I MUST GO AWAY."
CHAPTER XXIV.—OVERHEARD.
CHAPTER XXV.—TO MELBOURNE.
CHAPTER XXVI.—ALONE.
CHAPTER XXVII.—EVERYTHING COMETH TO HIM 世界保健機構 WAITS.
It had been raining all the morning—dull, dreary, 冷淡な, 侵入するing rain, as it does rain in the west of Victoria in the winter time, and though it had 中止するd に向かって the afternoon the 激しい clouds still hung low and 脅すing. Now, about 5 o'clock, just as the sun was setting he had made a final struggle, and pierced the cloud bank in the west in long level lines, showing the blue sky beyond 辛勝する／優位d with clouds golden and rosy red. It was watery 日光, though, that gleamed hopelessly in the shallow pools on the roadway, without much 約束 of warmth in it, and the road was only a 在庫／株 大勝する, bounded on either 手渡す by ugly wire 盗品故買者s, which stretched away in 平行の lines across the stony plain far as the 注目する，もくろむ could see. A lonely, dreary prospect—the stony plain and the ugly 盗品故買者s; there were hardly any trees, only a clump here and there which had been 工場／植物d for 避難所 for the 在庫／株; and the grass was short, brown, and dingy, for it was the middle of June, the depth of winter, and in the south-west of Victoria the new grass does not begin to spring till August.
Away in the distance the 薄暗い hills bounded the horizon; here an 孤立するd bald hill rising 突然の from the plain, indeed part and 小包 of the plain itself 軍隊d 上向きs by some primeval 激変, and there a rugged forest-覆う？ 範囲, its rough 輪郭（を描く）s 軟化するd by distance and the damp, 霧がかかった atmosphere. Not a bird or beast was 明白な, sheep there must have been, of course, but these were all 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集めるd together for warmth wherever a scanty 避難所 might be 設立する from the bitter 冷淡な 勝利，勝つd. The only 調印する of life on all the dreary landscape was a two seated buggy slowly drawn along a somewhat zig-zag course, to 避ける the 不正行為s of the road, by a pair of rough, grey, grass-fed ponies. It was a somewhat dilapidated 人出／投票者数. The harness was brown and 割れ目d with age, the ponies were unkempt and ungroomed; and the buggy, underneath the 塗装 of mud, to which it was momentarily 追加するing, showed yet other 層s, which spoke only too plainly of economy in the 事柄 of 洗浄するing. It was a light, low buggy, without a hood, certainly not built to carry luggage; yet at the 現在の moment it 含む／封じ込めるd, 大いに to the inconvenience of its occupants, a portmanteau and two or three 捕らえる、獲得するs, which 要求するd all their attention to keep from 揺さぶるing out. They were four in number—three women and a lad about seventeen. Two of the women seemed somewhat out of place, wrapped up as they were in sealskins and furs, with 激しい 隠すs drawn over their 直面するs to keep off the cutting 勝利，勝つd; but the driver, who 扱うd the 略章s as if she knew what she was about, as indeed she did, went in for no such feminine 新規加入s. Her 人物／姿／数字 was square and 厚い-始める，決める, and her 直面する, hard and 天候 beaten, might have belonged to any woman between the ages of 20 and 40; and though most people might have been inclined to lean rather に向かって the latter, Ann 認める was in reality but little over five-and-twenty. As she herself would have said, she had no time to give to vanities, and so made her plain hard 直面する plainer and harder by 栄冠を与えるing it with a knitted 黒人／ボイコット cap, while she kept out the 冷淡な by enveloping herself in a 黒人／ボイコット and purple woollen shawl, which was crossed in 前線 and tied behind in a 会社／堅い knot, which as yet it had 反抗するd the 成果／努力s of the 勝利，勝つd to undo. The daintily 覆う？ girl beside her thought the whole 衣装 unbecoming, not to say hideous, and had been mentally wondering ever since they had met at the 鉄道 駅／配置する at Gaffer's Flat whether she was not making some mistake—this surely could not be her cousin, the daughter of the rich 無断占拠者 who was lord over a hundred square miles of pasture land, and 価値（がある） they said at least ｣7,000 a year.
Ann 認める made some 成果／努力s to entertain her and play the hostess, and pointed out the hills in the distance with the end of her broken whip.
"There's old Saddleback—dear old Saddleback," she said in hard 積極的な トンs—トンs meant to be friendly but which only 後継するd in 存在 影響する／感情d, not to say patronising. "I always know when I see the hollow of his saddle that we're 近づく home."
"Oh," sighed the other girl wearily, "are we 近づく home?"
"Yes, only two more miles. Gaffer's Flat's twenty miles from Kooringa—just a pleasant 運動 I call it."
"Do you? 井戸／弁護士席, yes, I daresay it is in the summer," said her cousin politely—every bone in her 団体／死体 was aching; "but—but—the 天候 is rather 冷淡な and wet for 運動ing just at 現在の, don't you think so?" And she shivered, and drew her cloak more closely 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her.
"冷淡な, Ruth!" said 行方不明になる 認める, 厳しく, "when you've been with us a little you'll soon learn not to 支払う／賃金 attention to the 天候. Heat or 冷淡な, I let nothing 干渉する with my 義務."
"I'm sure it's very good of you," murmured Ruth, trying to settle the portmanteau, which a 激しい 揺さぶる had flung against her 膝s. "I'm afraid I shouldn't see many 義務s that called me out on a day like this."
"The Lord sends the 義務s," said Ann, smugly. "It's our blessed 特権 to 成し遂げる His will."
"I'd call it anything but a blessed 特権 to 運動 forty miles on a day like this. I've been thinking all along, Ann, how very 肉親，親類d it was of you to come for us yourself, and not to send a man."
"There are no idle men at Kooringa," said Ann; "each has his 任命するd work." And for the moment Ruth 沈下するd, feeling horribly snubbed, and more sure than ever that between her and her cousin there was and never could be anything in ありふれた.
They drove on in silence; the sun sank beneath the horizon, the golden glory died out of the skies, a 激しい もや crept up, driven by the 冷気／寒がらせる north 勝利，勝つd, and Ruth drew her cloak more closely 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her in the 不明瞭 and sighed audibly—a sigh which her sister behind her echoed wearily.
The road was getting worse; the horses splashed through shallow pools of water invisible in the 不明瞭, and the wheels sank deeper and deeper in the 苦境に陥る. "Willie" was ordered by his sister to get 負かす／撃墜する and open another gate, and then she turned to her guests and 発言／述べるd curtly—
"Were on Kooringa now—dear Kooringa."
"Dear Kooringa" Ruth thought must be principally remarkable for 石／投石するs to 裁判官 by the way in which the unfortunate occupants of the buggy were 存在 揺さぶるd about.
A few moments later the horses drew up of their own （許可，名誉などを）与える opposite a long, low building surrounded by a wide verandah. There were lights in two of the windows, but most of the house was wrapped in 不明瞭.
"This is the house," said Ann; "jump out." And she proceeded to give vent to a 一連の wild war-whoops, at first producing no 影響 whatever, but which at last resulted in the door 存在 flung open by a 群れている of tumultuous children, who seemed to Ruth in the 不明瞭 to be all about the same age and size. They made straight for the buggy, out of which she and her sister with the 援助 of Willie were engaged in taking out their さまざまな 包むs and 小包s, and, 関わりなく their pinafores, began climbing up over the muddy wheels.
"Ah, children," said Ann 認める, "you're glad to see sister 支援する, aren't you? Come Ethel, come Rosy. Where's my little brother Teddy; and Vera—where's Vera darling?"
非，不，無 of them paid the least attention to her blandishments, nor did they take any notion of the newcomers. The hall was but dimly lighted by a flat candlestick, in which a tallow candle was guttering in the 勝利，勝つd, and the two girls stepped inside to 避難所 a little from the chilly night 空気／公表する.
"Dolly, dear," whispered the 年上の, taking off her 隠す and giving her sister's 手渡す a 安心させるing little squeeze. They were so 冷淡な, so 哀れな, so tired, that the younger girl was on the 瀬戸際 of 涙／ほころびs. Outside Ann's 発言する／表明する could still be heard playing the kindly 年上の sister.
"How many of you are coming 負かす／撃墜する to the stable with me? All? Take care, then, Teddy; Rosy must not 宙返り／暴落する out; Vera must sit on sister's 膝; Willie 持つ／拘留する——"
The little 陳列する，発揮する of 国内の affection was suddenly 削減（する） short by the 外見 of a tall, thin, angular woman in a 抱擁する kitchen apron （権力などを）行使するing a long gravy-spoon. Ruth thought at first she was the cook, but a second ちらりと見ること showed her it was Mrs. 認める, her cousin's wife and the mother of Ann and, she supposed, of these children.
"Oh, my dears," she said, 前進するing and kissing them kindly, "you've arrived, have you? I'm glad to see you, very glad. You'd like to go to your room now, wouldn't you? Now, what are those children doing out there? Ann, Ann," she called at the 最高の，を越す of her 発言する／表明する. "I won't have those children out in the 冷淡な. Rosy's got chilblains, and you know I was up all last night with Vera with the croup. Come in, you children, this minute."
"It isn't 冷淡な, mother," said Ann 積極性. "I told them to come."
"And I tell them to come in," said Mrs. 認める. "It's raining, and I won't have them 負かす／撃墜する in that muddy yard."
"It's not raining," shouted her daughter out of the 不明瞭. "Come, children."
"Children," 固執するd Mrs. 認める in the same トン, "come in this minute."
And Mrs. 認める dashed out into the 不明瞭, and presently returned 運動ing before her with the 援助（する） of the gravy-spoon the little flock. Once having seen them 安全な inside she banged the door and ordered them 支援する into the school-room.
They とじ込み／提出するd off, shy little bush children, their fingers and the corners of their dirty pinafores in their mouths, looking shyly and furtively out of the corners of their 注目する，もくろむs at the strangers. The smallest went last, a fair-haired, waxen-complexioned little girl, with glorious 深い grey 注目する，もくろむs and long dark 攻撃するs, a 示すd contrast to the 残り／休憩（する） of the children, who, ruddy and rosy as they looked, were perhaps somewhat too rudely healthy for beauty. This small girl's coarse holland pinafore was 深く，強烈に 示すd where she had leaned against the muddy spokes of the wheel, and her 激しい leather boots looked as if she had sounded unknown depths of liquid mud. Mrs. 認める caught sight of her as she passed の近くに under the candle, and laying violent 手渡すs on her she drew her 支援する by her short skirts.
"Vera, you naughty child, wherever have you been?"
"In the mud," said the little maiden, raising one 極端に muddy boot with the toe of the other and 熟視する／熟考するing it calmly.
"In the mud, indeed? Yes, and whatever will become of you if you go on like this?" And Mrs. 認める 強調d her 発言／述べるs with a little shake.
Vera transferred her attention from her muddy boots to her mother's 直面する with the same 空気／公表する of calmly 熟視する／熟考するing someone else's misdoings.
"'Spects God won't love me and I'll go to hell," she 発言／述べるd, 新たな展開ing her skirts out of the 拘留するing 手渡す and walking off with childish dignity in the wake of the others.
"Was there ever such a child!" said Mrs. 認める perplexedly. "Now, my dears," she 追加するd, turning to the two tired girls, "you'd like to go to your room, wouldn't you? Do you think you and I can carry your portmanteau between us, eh, Ruth? Ah, that's 権利. Dorothy, you carry the basket, and we can come 支援する for the hat-box. Now, this way."
She led them 負かす／撃墜する 狭くする passages, unlighted save for the guttering tallow candle she had brought from the 前線 hall, up half a dozen steps, 負かす／撃墜する four more, through a room where were two unmade beds, until finally she dropped her end of the portmanteau and, flinging open a door, said—
"Here we are, girls. I put you both together in the spare room. I thought you'd be happier. The boys sleep in this room, but they're not often in it, and if they are you've only got to knock and they'll let you through."
She put the candle 負かす／撃墜する on the chest of drawers and dragged in the trunk which Ruth had wearily let 減少（する）.
"Now, girls, tea'll be ready in half an hour, but you'll hear the bell. You've got everything, I think. 井戸／弁護士席, my scones 'll 燃やす if I stop any longer," and she bustled out and banged the door behind her.
Ruth began slowly to take off her 包むs. She was a tall slender girl, whose ユダヤ人の 指名する would more fitly have become her dark-haired, dark-complexioned younger sister, for though she had dark 注目する，もくろむs and eyelashes she had the fairest of complexions and golden hair. Dorothy, on the other 手渡す, much as she 似ているd her sister, was a decided brunette. They were pretty girls both of them, but which bore off the palm it was difficult to say. Ruth's beauty was certainly of a rarer, more 精製するd type than her sister's, and yet many people were to be 設立する who thought she was not to be compared to Dorothy.
At the 現在の moment that young lady was slowly unwinding her 隠す, and when that was 遂行するd began with stiff, 冷淡な fingers to unbutton her sealskin, 明らかに lost in such 深い thought that she paid no attention to surrounding 反対するs.
"Oh, Dolly, dear," said Ruth, ひさまづくing 負かす／撃墜する and beginning to unstrap their trunk, "how do you think we'll like it?"
For all answer Dorothy flung herself 負かす／撃墜する on the bed and buried her 直面する in the pillows.
"Oh, Ruth, Ruth," she cried, "if we've got to live here for the 残り／休憩（する） of our lives I'd just as soon be dead."
All their lives Ruth and Dorothy 認める had been accustomed to 慰安, not to say 高級な, for their father had been in the 政府 service, had received a good income, and had spent it lavishly, and the girls had 手配中の，お尋ね者 for nothing. Unfortunately, Thomas 認める had made very little 準備／条項 for his daughters' 未来, and when he died, a month before my story opens, the two girls 設立する that all they had in the world only 量d to ｣60 a year. Sixty 続けざまに猛撃するs a year is hardly enough for two young ladies accustomed to every 高級な to live upon, and the two 行方不明になる 認めるs began to look about them, and to wonder if they could not かもしれない turn their expensive education to good account. Then （機の）カム Mr. 認める, of Kooringa's 申し込む／申し出, a kindly 申し込む／申し出, couched in the kindliest 条件. 血 was 厚い than water, he wrote; his cousin Tom had been his nearest of 肉親，親類, and he would be only too delighted to give his children a home. His 世帯 was a large one. They would find brothers and sisters in his children, a mother and father, he hoped, in his wife and himself. Two lonely girls could not live in Melbourne by themselves; would they come?
And Ruth had 受託するd gratefully. She had never seen this cousin, did not know any of the Kooringa 認めるs, but she 受託するd his 申し込む／申し出 gratefully, and this bitter dreary day in June saw them arrive at their new home.
It was depressing, certainly. Put as 勇敢に立ち向かう a 直面する upon it as she would she could not but sympathise with her sister's 涙／ほころびs. If this evening was to be taken as a 見本 of their 未来 life she wondered how indeed they were to manage to 存在する. She looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the room, dimly illumined by the one candle. It was not 不正に furnished, and yet over the whole there was a comfortlessness that was painfully evident. To begin with, the 床に打ち倒す was covered with Indian matting, which, though it is perhaps better than the 明らかにする boards, is certainly 冷淡な and cheerless in the depth of winter; the bed was hung with most funereal curtains; the looking glass, perched high on a chest of drawers—for there was no dressing-（米）棚上げする／（英）提議する—had lost one of its supports, and was propped up on that 味方する by a pile of tracts and a hair-小衝突 that had seen better days; a hard sofa stood in the window, and in the opposite corner was a broken-負かす／撃墜する child's cot, which had 明らかに seen good service and was now passing a serene old age as a receptacle for the superfluous family bedding. The fireplace was filled with faded bracken which 崩壊するd at a touch, and the 塀で囲むs were adorned in lieu of pictures with familiar and 井戸／弁護士席-worn texts, 選ぶd out in all the colours of the rainbow.
Ruth 注ぐd some water into the 水盤／入り江. It was icy-冷淡な, and she rubbed her 手渡すs hard with the stiff coarse towel to try and 回復する 活気／アニメーション to her frozen fingers, but she only 傷つける them, and there was a lump in her throat as she stood gazing out of the curtainless window into the dreary night. Away in the distance faintly gleamed a light—the light from the men's hut—and then it 消えるd. Was it the rain outside that shut it out, or the 涙／ほころびs that filled her own 注目する，もくろむs? She put up her 手渡す and 小衝突d away those 涙／ほころびs determinedly and defiantly. She was no mere girl, she told herself, to break 負かす／撃墜する and weakly cry just because she was 冷淡な and uncomfortable. Dolly might do it, but then Dolly was only a girl still, though she was but a year younger than the 年上の sister, who had cared for and loved and 保護物，者d her all through their motherless lives. She crossed over to the bed and put her 手渡す on her sister's shoulder.
"Dolly, Dolly, dear, don't cry so."
Dolly 解除するd up her 涙／ほころび-stained 直面する.
"井戸／弁護士席, Ruth, isn't it wretched?"
"Yes, dear, but don't cry—please don't cry, or you'll make me cry, too."
"Can we live here?" her sister asked, sitting up on the bed and putting the question with desperate earnestness.
"Dear, we'll have to. What else can we do? What in the wide world is there for two girls like us to do?"
"Other girls earn their own livings, and and—we have ｣60 a year between us."
Ruth knelt 負かす／撃墜する by her sister's 味方する, and put her arm 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her waist.
"And we have spent more than that on our 着せる／賦与するs alone—much more. Just look at these furs. Besides, how do girls earn their living? Governessing, I suppose, is about the only thing we could do. And what sort of governesses should we make? I couldn't teach—I couldn't—I'm sure I couldn't. I wonder am I 価値（がある） ｣20 a year to anybody. Oh, and Dolly, you don't want to part from me, do you?"
Dolly put a caressing 手渡す on her sister's shoulder, and 解除するd up her 直面する to be kissed.
"No, dearie, no, we couldn't part, could we? We've always been such mates. Better dependence—humiliating dependence—and the 認めるs than to be parted altogether," and she 強調d her 決定／判定勝ち（する） with another kiss.
"Yes, dear, yes."
"You know," she went on, 元気づける up, as Dolly always did after she'd had a good cry and 完全に ventilated her grievance, "after all, we always made our own happiness. The house was comfortable, and we had plenty of good things to eat and plenty of 着せる／賦与するs, but there was Dad—and, 井戸／弁護士席 Dad wasn't a model father."
"Hush, Dolly."
"I won't hush. You always hush me when I talk about it, but was he a model father, now?"
"Plenty of 着せる／賦与するs, plenty of good things to eat, and a comfortable home," repeated Ruth; "井戸／弁護士席, really, Dolly——"
"I didn't say a comfortable home. I said house—most emphatically house—house—house. Home is やめる another thing. I don't think we had a comfortable home. 本気で now, Ruth, do you 行方不明になる father?"
Ruth hung her 長，率いる.
"井戸／弁護士席—perhaps—not as——"
"There, I knew it," said Dolly, getting やめる cheerful and 勝利を得た. "How could you かもしれない. Did he ever in his life speak a 独房監禁 word to us if he could help himself? Did he love us, do you think?"
"I suppose so."
"He had a funny sort of way of showing it. Do other fathers shut their daughters up, I wonder, and not let them have a 選び出す／独身 friend—man, woman, or child. Do other fathers never 演説（する）／住所 a word to their daughters unless it is to growl at something that has gone wrong that is as much their fault as the man in the moon's?"
"Oh, Dolly, don't talk like that."
"井戸／弁護士席, but it's true. And it is cruel, whatever you may say, to bring us up in 高級な all our lives and then turn us 流浪して with barely enough to keep 団体／死体 and soul together."
"He was our father."
"So he was; so I won't say anything more about him; but, oh, Ruth! his relations are worse than himself. However are we to live in this awful 穴を開ける? At least, Dad was a gentleman; but Ann, and Mrs. 認める, and those children—Ruth, aren't they just awful?"
"I wonder did we 推定する／予想する too much," pondered Ruth. "Perhaps we have seen so little of the world. Perhaps they wouldn't strike other people as strangely as they do us."
"H'm; I don't know. They're awfully pious, aren't they? How'll you and I get on with a pious family, Ruth, when Scripture and manners were 完全に left out of our education? What do you suppose we'll be 推定する／予想するd to do?"
"Help in the Lord's work by teaching in Sabbath-school," 引用するd Ruth. "At least, that's what Ann told me on our way here."
"What a prospect. But I'm hungry. What time's dinner!"
"Dinner? Tea, you mean. It's a movable feast, I believe, held some time between six and eight. Come now, Dolly, since we've decided to make the best of it, suppose you take off your things, 小衝突 your hair, and let's go and be introduced to our new family."
Five minutes later the two girls stood timidly before a 急速な／放蕩な-の近くにd door, and Ruth raised her 手渡す and knocked.
"It mightn't be the 権利 room after all," she said. "I'd better knock."
"Come in," said someone from the inside, "Come in," and they 押し進めるd open the door and entered.
The dining-room at Kooringa was a long low room （人が）群がるd with furniture. No one would have dreamt of calling it a handsome room, though some of the furniture had evidently cost money. It was not even a cosy room, for the linoleum which covered the 床に打ち倒す was a very poor 代用品，人 for a carpet, and the blindless windows, over which it had occurred to no one to draw the curtains, let in the dreary night, and made the room seem 冷淡な and comfortless, even though there was a roaring 解雇する／砲火／射撃 on the hearth. At the first ちらりと見ること Ruth decided that never in all her life had she seen such an untidy room, but she had no time to look 一連の会議、交渉／完成する, for a grizzled rough old man struggled up out of a shabby arm-議長，司会を務める as they entered, and 迎える／歓迎するd them kindly enough.
"井戸／弁護士席, my girls," and it struck her at once that his accent was not that of an educated man; it was so different from her father's cultivated トンs, "井戸／弁護士席, my girls; welcome to Kooringa. Take a seat now and warm yourselves till tea's ready."
They drew up two 茎 議長，司会を務めるs to the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, and while he asked Dolly questions about their 旅行, Ruth took 在庫／株 of the room. A long dining-（米）棚上げする／（英）提議する ran 負かす／撃墜する the middle of it, covered with a course white cloth 概略で laid for tea. A ありふれた earthenware flower マリファナ turned upside 負かす／撃墜する formed a stand for a kerosene lamp, which smelt so abominably she 設立する herself wondering if her new 親族s could かもしれない have any noses, and 一連の会議、交渉／完成する this were 範囲d tumblers of さまざまな sorts and sizes, which did 義務 as jam マリファナs. The cutlery, crockery, and plate were all of the plainest, commonest description, and the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する 欠如（する）d those adornments in the way of flowers which she had always considered necessary 新規加入s to a meal. At the その上の end of the room, 封鎖するing a window, stood a handsomely carved American 組織／臓器, the 最高の，を越す of which was covered with cheap Bibles and hymn 調書をとる／予約するs piled up in the most hopeless disorder and 洪水ing on to an old horsehair sofa, out of which the stuffing was protruding. There were two bookcases in the room, but the upper halves were carefully locked, while the lower were stuffed so 十分な of papers, principally, it seemed, tracts, that they, too, 洪水d on to the 床に打ち倒す. Indeed, the 認める family seemed to have a difficulty in stowing away their 非常に／多数の 所有／入手s. The sideboard and the dinner-waggon were so laden with 完全に foreign 構成要素 that they themselves were hardly distinguishable, but the mantel-shelf was first favourite. Each member of the family had 明らかに put something 負かす／撃墜する there, till now there was not an 利用できる square インチ of room.
A clock stood in the middle—a handsome bronze clock which ticked away busily—but something 手渡す gone wrong with the 手渡すs, and they both hung 負かす／撃墜する together, hopelessly pointing to half-past 6. Two candlesticks in the form of mailed 軍人s stood at each end, but one had been 一時的に 消滅させるd by a child's sun bonnet, and the other, 存在 broken somewhere about his middle, leaned drunkenly against the 塀で囲む in a manner hardly in keeping with the ferocious 表現 of his countenance. Besides these three articles it was difficult to say what there was not on that mantelpiece. Packets of letters supported the clock on either 手渡す and protruded from behind it; on 最高の，を越す was a small white jar 含む／封じ込めるing about a teaspoonful of honey and a large 薬／医学 瓶／封じ込める 示すd "Lotion" and "毒（薬）." There were three or four other 薬／医学 瓶／封じ込めるs at intervals on the shelf, mostly half empty and corkless. There were two or three half-finished socks with knitting needles 大（公）使館員d, an old slipper, evidently belonging to Mr. 認める and in the last 行う／開催する／段階s of decrepitude, two 半端物 children's shoes, a half-empty マリファナ of marmalade, a crust of bread and half a jam turnover, three candle ends, four skeins of mending cotton, a reel of thread, a slouch hat, a pair of broken shears, a rusty 刺激（する）, a マリファナ of vaseline, several crumpled newspapers, and さまざまな other 半端物s and ends, such as broken shoelaces and discarded hair 略章s. There were no pictures on the 塀で囲むs, and the only pretence at adorning them and breaking the monotony of the 明らかにする plaster was a large でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れるd text over the fireplace, "God Bless Our Home."
"Want your tea, my girl, eh?" said Mr. 認める. "井戸／弁護士席, 持つ／拘留する on a bit. We're only waiting till the others come in."
"Out on such a day as this," murmured Ruth.
"A 祈り 会合 and mothers' 会合 at Dog 脚 Gully," said Mr. 認める. "We never neglect the Lord's work. I pray we never may."
A moment later "the others" （機の）カム in. Two women wrapped up in wet woollen shawls and the very muddiest ulsters Ruth had ever seen. One was a tall, strapping, buxom young woman, about her own age, and so like Ann it was hardly necessary her father should introduce her as his second daughter Lily. The other was a little shrivelled-up old maid of fifty, with an aquiline nose, and a sharp 発言する／表明する, whom Lily introduced as "our Auntie."
"Just an 可決する・採択するd auntie, you know," she 追加するd. "Her real 指名する's 行方不明になる Kennedy. But we like her, and she likes us, and we're all so earnest in the same work, that she lives with us, and is our Auntie. Aren't you, dear?"
"Yes, and yours, too," said 行方不明になる Kennedy, bestowing on each girl a frozen つつく／ペック, which Dolly afterwards 宣言するd nearly turned her to 石／投石する.
"Tea, tea, tea," said Mr. 認める, rapping with a knife-扱う on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する to call attention to his wants. "We'll have tea now you've come."
"Oh, Cousin John——"
"Call me 'Uncle,' my girl. It sounds better."
"Oh, uncle," said Dolly, "I was only going to ask you not to hurry them for us. We can easily wait while they change their things."
"Change," said the florid Lily, somewhat contemptuously, "change, that's just one of your town notions. We don't spend much time on titivation here, I can tell you. We'll just slip out of our wet ulsters and we're ready. （犯罪の）一味 the bell, Auntie."
行方不明になる Kennedy 掴むd an old cow bell, which was evidently past service in the field, and rang it as loud as it would （犯罪の）一味. She and Lily slipped off their wet muddy outer 衣料品s and flung them on 最高の，を越す of the Bibles and hymn 調書をとる／予約するs, just as Mrs. 認める, 耐えるing a 抱擁する tray of scones, and followed by her 非常に／多数の family, appeared on the scene.
"I've had no end of bother with these scones," she said somewhat fretfully. "Ann, where's a plate for them?"
"Oh, never mind," said Ann. "Here, （疑いを）晴らす a space and the tray'll do as 井戸／弁護士席 as anything else. Now children—children—don't make such a noise, but take your places 静かに if you can. Children—children—what will your new cousins think of you?"
There were such an array of them—twelve in all—範囲ing from Will, a 広大な／多数の／重要な hulking fellow of seventeen, who thought himself a man, 負かす／撃墜する to the fairy-like little Vera, whom they had before noticed. Seven girls and five boys. Ruth wondered if she should be ever able to remember them all. All, with the exception of Vera, were like their two 年上の sisters, stolid, healthy-looking country children, two or three of whom were curiously unlike in features to their brothers and sisters.
"You see you have plenty of cousins, Ruth," said Mrs. 認める, smiling as her family shuffled into their seats, not without much 口論する人ing and bickering.
"Yes, I had no idea, Aunt, you had so many children."
"井戸／弁護士席, they're not all 地雷. You see, your uncle, he has 見解（をとる）s, and he don't 認可する of 孤児s. He thinks when all the world's true Christians there'll be 非，不，無. They'll all be 可決する・採択するd into other families that can afford to keep them."
"And you ——, how good of you," murmured Ruth, hardly knowing what to say, and wondering if the 可決する・採択するd 孤児s minded 存在 spoken about thus 公然と.
"Good, oh, not at all," said Mrs. 認める, "four of these are 可決する・採択するd, and they're very good children, too, ar'n't you, Teddy?" and she laid her 手渡す on the shoulder of a smiling, good-humoured 黒人／ボイコット-注目する，もくろむd boy of thirteen.
Mr. 認める rapped the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する again with his knife-扱う.
"Mother, mother," he called out, as if his wife were somewhere out on the run and not at the opposite end of the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, "mother, mother, we want a blessing."
"Vera," said Mrs. 認める, "say grace."
This child, too, was evidently one of the 可決する・採択するd 孤児s, so different was she in 直面する and 人物／姿／数字 from her brothers and sisters. As the youngest there she was called upon to say grace; but there was a mutinous 表現 upon the pretty little 直面する, and she did not at once obey.
"Vera," repeated Mrs. 認める, "say grace."
"Don't like my tea," said Vera.
"What's that got to do with it, Sis?" asked Willie, bending over her kindly.
The child turned her 直面する away.
"Don't like veal," she said again; "shan't say no grace," and though Mrs. 認める 治めるd what she called a "good sound smack," Vera 固執するd to her 決意. The 主要な／長／主犯 dish on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する was a fore-４半期/4分の1 of 冷淡な boiled salt veal, and Dolly kicked her sister under the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する in 記念品 that she was in perfect （許可，名誉などを）与える with her little cousin, and didn't like veal in that form either.
"Vera, you get no tea till you say your grace," said her mother.
"Don't want no tea—don't like it," 抗議するd Vera.
"Vera," said Ann, solemnly, unctuously Ruth though, "the Lord will never love little girls who are so wicked as not to thank Him for their good food."
"'Tain't good," 抗議するd Vera. "The Lord wouldn't like that veal for tea, I know."
Ruth and Dolly, trying to be 感謝する to their earthly benefactors for the unsavoury delicacies on their plates, 完全に sympathised with the child, but it was evident no one else did, for "Vera" （機の）カム in トンs of 変化させるing degrees of horror from all 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, and Mrs. 認める 敏速に 急襲するd 負かす／撃墜する on the 違反者／犯罪者, laid her across her 膝s, and 治めるd condign 罰 there and then with a very 相当な slipper, taken off for the 目的. Then she placed the child on a 議長，司会を務める, with her 直面する to the window curtain, and returned to the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する with the virtuous 空気／公表する of a woman who has done her 義務.
"Vera is very strange just at 現在の," she said, half-apologetically to Ruth, after she had 注ぐd out tea all 一連の会議、交渉／完成する. "She has only been with us two months, and her father was a curiously careless man about some 事柄s. However, in time I 信用 we shall bring her into the 倍の and make her one of the Lord's own little lambs."
"Shan't be a little lamb," said Vera, from her place of 罰; "I'se goin' to be a pwincess."
"Vera!"
"I is. My muvver was a pwincess, an' I'll be one, an' wear a white wilk dwess wif goldie thweads on it, an'——"
Vera's imagination was 明らかに good for another half-hour had not Ann left her seat and shaken her with truly Puritan vigour.
Mrs. 認める looked at her eldest daughter. The family might be very pious and given over to Christian 作品, but it was evident to the strangers that mother and daughter were not in （許可，名誉などを）与える.
"Come here, Vera," she said.
Ann let her go reluctantly.
"Vera, will you be good?"
The little maid pursed up her mouth and nodded.
Mrs. 認める 解除するd her up on to the high 議長，司会を務める.
"Now, say your grace."
"Thank God, for all his mercies," said Vera, and 受託するd the 冷淡な veal without another word.
"Girls, girls—Ruth, Dolly—where are you?"
Mr. 認める's 発言する／表明する was a good strong one when she chose to raise it, which she did pretty often, and it rang through the house in strident トンs that made the two girls pause in their unpacking.
"Snakes alive!" she cried, flinging open the door, "What a mess! You'll never get straight, will you? And what a lot of 着せる／賦与するs! Whatever do you want with so many dresses?"
"井戸／弁護士席," said Dolly demurely, "we wear them as a 支配する."
"Do you? Oh, 井戸／弁護士席, they'll last a good bit here. We don't bother about much extra dressing. You'll soon find we've too much to do for that. But I say, would you girls like to come for a little picnic? The father and Willie have gone out 召集（する）ing, and I thought if you liked we might take their 昼食s to them."
Dolly looked out of the window doubtfully. A furious 勝利，勝つd was howling 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the house, 涙／ほころびing at the windows, shrieking 負かす／撃墜する the chimneys, bending the tall slender gum saplings in the 農園 by the lake nearly 二塁打. It was certainly not an 招待するing day for a picnic, and she would have liked to 拒絶する／低下する the 招待, but Ruth answered for them both.
"Thank you, aunt; we'd like to go very much. When'll you start?"
"Now," said Mrs 認める. "Put on your things and come and help me put up the 昼食."
Ruth would have liked to 逆転する that order, but she did as she was 企て，努力，提案, and they joined their aunt in the dining-room, where she was standing over a fore-４半期/4分の1 of veal, the fellow to the one they had had last night. Dolly made a wry 直面する at her sister, and was caught in the 行為／法令／行動する by little golden-haired Vera, who was also looking on.
She said nothing for the moment, but drew a 議長，司会を務める up to the sideboard and, peering through the heterodox collection of goods collected there, 調査するd her own fair little reflection in the glass, 明らかに with much satisfaction.
"How do you do, Vewabella?" she said, nodding her 長，率いる. "Hasn't seen you for a long time. Is you やめる 井戸／弁護士席?"
Verabella in the glass nodded 支援する in friendly fashion to Vera on the 議長，司会を務める, and answered,
"やめる 井戸／弁護士席, thank you."
"Cousin Dolly doesn't like veal," went on Vera confidentially, and Dolly shivered, wondering what would come next, when Mrs. 認める, suddenly turning 一連の会議、交渉／完成する, caught sight of the child whom she had not 明らかに noticed before.
"Vera, Vera," she said, "how often am I to tell you not to be so silly? Come 負かす／撃墜する this minute."
But the little girl 投機・賭けるd to stay where she was a moment longer.
"Is your mother cwoss, Vewabella?" she asked, and receiving a confirmatory nod in the glass, 追加するd, "cos 地雷 is, vewy," and she pursed up her lips as if to 伝える that it was a desperate 状況／情勢.
"Ruth," said Mrs 認める はっきりと, "解除する that child 負かす／撃墜する."
Ruth put a gentle arm 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the little one.
"Come, dear," she said. "Mother doesn't like you to do that. Come."
For a moment Vera 強化するd her 支援する and resisted, then relenting, suddenly buried her 直面する in the girl's soft sealskin.
"O-o-o-h," she said. "Hasn't you got a nice pussy. Is you goin' to wear your pussy?"
"Yes, indeed, my dears," said Mrs. 認める, "those sealskins are much too good for a place like this. Now look at me."
Whether she considered her 外見 called for 賞賛 Ruth could not say. Her rough ulster was coated with mud up to the waist, the 必然的な woollen shawl adorned her shoulders, and on her 長，率いる was perched a 乱打するd 黒人／ボイコット silk bonnet, adorned by way of ornament with a wisp of rusty 黒人／ボイコット ostrich feathers, out of which the curl had long since 出発／死d.
"Your ulster—it is a little muddy," hesitated Ruth, "shall I 小衝突 it for you?"
"Lor no, my dear. If I 小衝突d it whenever it got muddy I might always be at it. I just keep it for days like this. It'll do very 井戸／弁護士席 as it is. Who's to see? Now then, girls, are you ready? Vera, do you want to come? Run along, then, and get your things on. I'm not going to take any plates or knives or forks. They're only a nuisance. One knife'll do to 削減（する） the bread and meat. I suppose you two won't mind drinking out of the same cup, will you?"
Ruth laughed, and the two girls helped their aunt to carry out the さまざまな 小包s to the buggy which stood at the 前線 door. It was the same buggy they had arrived in the night before, with just the extra 塗装 of mud 乾燥した，日照りのd on, not an aristocratic or distinguished-looking conveyance, but, said Mrs. 認める, "やめる good enough for the plains."
Not that it was all flat country either, for the house stood on a gentle swell which sloped 負かす／撃墜する to the shores of the lake, the waters of which could be seen gleaming grey between the trunks of the bluegums which John 認める had 工場／植物d nearly sixteen years before to form a 避難所 for the 在庫／株. It was along the 利ざや of the lake their way lay, a lake about a mile long and half as 幅の広い, its surface now ruffled into tiny white breakers by the 猛烈な／残忍な north 勝利，勝つd, but still 反映するing faithfully the dull dead grey sky 総計費. And beyond the lake was the 明らかにする level treeless plain, and the girls felt that a more unpromising time or place for a picnic could hardly have been chosen. But they did not say so; indeed, all 試みる／企てるs at conversation were soon given up, for the 勝利，勝つd blew the words into empty space, and Ruth, who sat behind with Vera, drew her sealskin cap 負かす／撃墜する over her 注目する，もくろむs and her jacket up to her ears and was soon buried in her own thoughts, wondering mournfully how she could かもしれない live the life that lay before her. By and by a 強く引っ張る from the little girl at her 味方する and a wild shout from her aunt made her aware that they had almost arrived at their 目的地, some lonely sheep-yards about nine miles from the house. Soon （機の）カム borne on the 勝利，勝つd the mournful bleat, bleat of the 脅すd sheep, the shouts of the men, the barking of the dogs, and, worse than all, the peculiar aroma which always …を伴ってs that useful animal the sheep, and which was now multiplied a thousandfold. They drove 権利 up to the yards, and Mrs. 認める, jumping out, called on the girls to help her unhitch the horses, and that done proceeded to 運ぶ／漁獲高 out from under the seat a bundle of 支持を得ようと努めるd, which she had brought out for the 目的 of lighting a 解雇する／砲火／射撃. It was no 平易な 事柄 in the teeth of such a 強風, but by dint of all three of them standing together and forming a breakwind they at last got it started and the billy in a fair way to boil, and were at liberty to turn their attention to the sheep and the folks they had come to see.
There were three men at work in the yards, Mr. 認める, his son Willie, and a tall young fellow whom he called Marsden. The sheep the girls thought uninteresting. They were foolish, 脅すd creatures, 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集めるing together in helpless fashion in the dirty yards, their woolly coats wet and evil-smelling after last night's rain.
"How horrid they smell, uncle," said Dolly, leaning over the 盗品故買者, "and how 脅すd they are. What on earth are you doing to the poor things?"
"Just 召集（する）ing and 草案ing, my girl. Cutting their hair and paring their nails and tidying them up a bit. Now, Marsden, Marsden—that one there by the 盗品故買者. 運ぶ／漁獲高 her up."
Dolly looked puzzled, and the man he had called Marsden, dexterously catching a sheep and dragging it up to where they stood, took upon himself to explain.
"You see," he said, and both girls started, for rough, not to say dirty, as he looked, the 発言する／表明する was that of a gentleman, "their horns いつかs grow into their 注目する，もくろむ's and their hoofs grow too long, so we have to catch them and 削減（する） them. That's what your uncle means."
"Poor things," said Dolly again, looking 負かす／撃墜する into the frank unshaven 直面する turned に向かって her own; "it 脅すs them so and makes them so dirty."
"Dirty," he laughed, and blushed through the sunburn on his cheeks, ちらりと見ることing 負かす／撃墜する at himself somewhat ruefully; "dirty—that's a （民事の）告訴 we all を煩う. The yards are 膝 深い in mud as it is, and the sheep churn it up and spatter everything."
He made a dash and caught an old wether, dragging him over in spite of 抵抗 to show Dolly how perilously 近づく to the poor animal's 注目する，もくろむ the 広大な／多数の／重要な curly horn was growing. He had just opened his knife, and was 準備するing to 削減（する） off the tip, when Vera, who had been 調査するing her own small 直面する with much satisfaction in a 勝利，勝つd-blown pool of water, joined them, and clambering over the 盗品故買者 関わりなく her 着せる／賦与するs すぐに precipitated herself on to Marsden.
"Oh, Woger, Woger, my Woger," she cried. "I hasn't seen 'oo for ever so long."
Her 予期しない 猛攻撃 was 悲惨な. The old wether in sudden fright 解放する／自由なd his 社債 with one despairing 成果／努力 that sent the knife ーするつもりであるd for his 救済 深い into Marsden's 手渡す, and bounding away to 捜し出す 避難 in the middle of the flock, he knocked the little girl flat on her 支援する in the filthy mud of the sheep-yard. Marsden 選ぶd her up and 始める，決める her on the 盗品故買者.
"My dear little girl," he said in remonstrance.
"Oh—oh—oh," sobbed Vera, 支払う／賃金ing no attention to Mrs. 認める's voluble reproaches, "Oh—oh—oh—he's 傷つけるd hissell—I see—see the bluggy——"
Indeed the 血 was 落ちるing in 広大な／多数の／重要な red 減少（する）s from the fingers of his left 手渡す. He took out his handkerchief and began winding it 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the 削減（する）.
"Let me," said Dolly, impetuously, "Oh do let me. I'll 貯蔵所d it up for you 適切に."
"What's that," asked Mr. 認める, "a 削減（する）? 井戸／弁護士席, look out you don't get 毒（薬）d, that's all."
She unwound the handkerchief and proceeded to wash the stranger's 負傷させる very gently in the pool of water which had been Vera's looking-glass.
It was an ugly gash 権利 across the palm of the 手渡す, and Mrs. 認める （機の）カム and 検査／視察するd it dubiously.
"My! Marsden," she said, "you'll have to go to the doctor and get that sewn up. What a naughty child that Vera is! It's all her doing."
"Oh, don't 非難する her please," he entreated, "it was the merest 事故."
"The merest 事故—yes; but if it gets 毒（薬）d," she went on lugubriously—"I've seen men lose an arm for a いっそう少なく thing."
"Now, Mr. Marsden, you're our 患者," said Dolly, who, sorry as she was for the 事故, 完全に enjoyed the 状況／情勢, "and you must obey us. 患者s always do what their nurses 企て，努力，提案 them. Now, Ruth, 持つ／拘留する that, like a good girl, I …に出席するd an 救急車 class once, Mr. Marsden, so I 保証する you you may 信用 me."
"I am sure of that," he said fervently, more fervently perhaps than the occasion 令状d, but when two pretty girls play the Good Samaritan to a good-looking young man a little extra fervour is perhaps excusable.
"There," said Dolly, "there, that's done. Now you certainly can't do any more work to-day. You'd better go home."
Roger Marsden rose to his feet.
"Indeed," he said, looking from one to the other—Mrs. 認める had retired to a little distance, and was engaged in wiping 負かす／撃墜する the repentant Vera with a wisp of grass—"You are too 肉親，親類d to me. How am I to thank you?"
"Take care of your 手渡す and get 井戸／弁護士席," recommended Dolly. "Can't you come up to the house to-night and let us put proper 包帯s on. You certainly せねばならない have proper 包帯s put on, and you can't put them on yourself."
"No," he assented, "that's true enough, but don't you know it is as the 法律 of the Medes and Persians on this 駅／配置する; no man is 許すd to come 近づく the house except to evening 祈りs. All communications are carried on by means of Tom Sing, the Chinaman."
"Come to 祈りs, then," recommended Dolly, "and we'll see about the 残り／休憩（する）. But goodness me, what are those 法律s for? I counted seven maid-servants at 祈りs last night, and two of them are awfully pretty. I should have thought the men would find it rather jolly."
"井戸／弁護士席, so they do," began Marsden 厳粛に, and then broke off with a laugh in which the two girls joined, and which made them laugh there and then. "So they do," he went on, "but you see Mrs. 認める, or the boss either for that 事柄, doesn't 認可する of—of—of——"
"Carryings on," finished Dolly; "and don't they carry on, then?"
"井戸／弁護士席, yes, I'm afraid they do; you see, there's the 農園 and the hillside; and—and—the girls can always come out if the men can't go in."
"Of course," said Dolly, as if she had done it a hundred times herself. "And now you come up to 祈りs and we'll look after you. I don't suppose we'll have to こそこそ動く out into the 農園s to tie up your 手渡す, will we?"
"井戸／弁護士席, I don't know," he said, getting bolder. "If I come into 祈りs they might 取引，協定 leniently with me. They call this the 'Hallelujah 駅／配置する,' you know."
"Oh, do they," said Dolly, "then——"
"Marsden, Marsden," called Mr. 認める.
"To-night then," said Dolly, 持つ／拘留するing out her 手渡す impetuously, and he shook 手渡すs with both of them and turned away.
It was but a trifling 出来事/事件, but somehow it 慰安d the two girls. The tall fair young fellow with the 肉親，親類d blue 注目する，もくろむs and sunburnt 直面する seemed every bit as out of place の中で his surroundings as they themselves were.
"Thank goodness," said Dolly, "I really am sorry for that man, but somehow I feel better, don't you, Ruth?"
"井戸／弁護士席, yes," said Ruth, who was not so impulsive as her sister, "but there's lunch to be got through yet."
"There's a good 取引，協定 to be got through, I see with 悲しみ," said Dolly, "but I begin to think we shall manage it."
"Now, Dolly, what a girl you are! Just because a decent-looking young man speaks civilly to you—you——"
"My dear," said Dolly, slipping her arm through her sister's, and giving it a friendly little squeeze, "that young man was a perfect godsend. Words cannot 表明する——-There, there's the old lady calling us. I suppose we must go and 補助装置 at this sumptuous repast. I'll give you my 見解（をとる）s later on."
It certainly was the funniest picnic they had ever 補助装置d at. The 勝利，勝つd was still blowing ひどく across the shelterless plain, and, to form some slight breakwind, Mrs. 認める flung a rug across the wire 盗品故買者, and held it in its place by 激しい 石／投石するs. To leeward of this they sat and ate their humble meal, which was served in the most 原始の of fashions. Mrs. 認める, as the possessor of the only knife, placed the fore-４半期/4分の1 of veal on a newspaper in 前線 of her, and proceeded to dispense "chunks" all 一連の会議、交渉／完成する. She 削減（する） up her own 株 with the carving knife. Willie and his father 削減（する） theirs into small 封鎖するs with their pocket-knives, and Vera went on the good old 原則 that teeth and fingers were made before forks, while Ruth and Dolly looked at their 部分s in some 狼狽. It had not occurred to them, even when they saw the 原始の 手はず／準備 for the picnic, that they would be 推定する／予想するd to take a bone in their fingers and gnaw off the meat.
At last, when a good 部分 of the veal and all the bread and butter had disappeared, old 認める 選ぶd the last crumbs off his waistcoat and solemnly returned thanks.
"And now I suppose, uncle," said Ruth, "you'll have your smoke. However will you light your 麻薬を吸う in such a 勝利，勝つd?"
"Smoke? Smoke?" Old 認める scratched his 長，率いる. "This is a temperance 駅／配置する, Ruth, I don't smoke myself, nor do I 許す anyone else on the place to do so. It is 簡単に an abominably disgusting habit. It is——"
"Father," put in Mrs. 認める—she had evidently heard all this before, and was perhaps a little tired of it—"what are you going to do now Marsden's laid up."
"It is a 裁判，公判," said her husband resignedly—Ruth thought her father would have said it was a "d——d nuisance," and though she had not been given to admiring her father, she really felt that on this occasion his 表現 was より望ましい. "It is a 裁判，公判. We can't do any more here, but it is the Lord's will, and it's not for me to complain. Willie, saddle up those horses, and we'll go home."
"And we'll go too, girls," said their aunt.
"井戸／弁護士席, they are queer people," said Dolly when they 設立する themselves once more 安全な in the privacy of their own room. "Ar'n't they queer, Ruth? I wonder what that young Marsden thinks about it. He's a gentleman, don't you think so?"
"Yes," said Ruth, "his manners are good, but—but what's he doing here?"
"収入 an honest living, I imagine," said Dolly. "Now, Ruth, don't you 乱用 the young man, for I've taken a fancy to him. He's a perfect godsend, as I told you before, and I ーするつもりである to cultivate the 知識."
"井戸／弁護士席, we'll see to-night if he comes into 祈りs," said her more 用心深い sister.
"一方／合間 we may 同様に draw the family out upon him at tea," 示唆するd Dolly.
The tea-（米）棚上げする／（英）提議する this evening received two 新規加入s in the 形態／調整 of what Mrs. 認める called the 駅／配置する-experience young men. One was a tall, lank 青年 of twenty, by 指名する Edward Clegg, gawky and red-haired, and the other, Arthur King, was a dark-haired little boy of fifteen, small for his age, and sadly in want of a good wash. They both appeared tongue-tied in the presence of their "boss," and gazed shyly at the two pretty girls who, sitting 味方する by 味方する, formed such a 示すd contrast to the 天候-beaten daughters of the 認める family.
Lily and Ann had been over to Mullin's Hill, a small 郡区 about ten miles away, helping at a 祈り 会合. They had been "特権d" to 会合，会う a captain (feminine) and two other members (masculine) of the 救済 Army whom she had brought in her train, and were so 十分な of their afternoon's experiences that at first all Dolly's 試みる／企てるs to draw them on the 支配する of her new friend were a dead 失敗.
"It was a blessed time," said Ann, 演説（する）／住所ing Ruth 特に as the least frivolous of the two; "a blessed time, Ruth, and truly I felt it was 特に blest to us. Three souls were called to repentance and 救助（する）d to the Lord; and really I felt my soul leap within me when I looked at the captain's 直面する. She is not a young woman, but as she prayed aloud I saw that the beauty of holiness was in her 直面する. Ah, that is the true beauty, Ruth, the beauty of holiness."
"All the same," put in Dolly boldly, "I'd like to have physical beauty; and if I had it and was then damned because of it I'd think it very 不公平な—and cruel. Yes, I would."
"Dorothy!" Ann laid 負かす／撃墜する her scone and held up both her 手渡すs. "You are wicked, you are blasphemous. You are as wicked and lost as the 鉄道 navvy I spoke to to-day."
"Why, what did he say?" asked Ruth curiously.
"He was passing in 前線 of the Mechanics' 学校／設ける, and I heard him ask another man 'What all the —— howling was about.'" (Ann was not troubled with any 誤った modesty, and gave his 表現 in 十分な.) "Of course I stopped and spoke to him. I spoke to him 本気で. I implored him to wash and be clean, and he said he was clean, and the only use he had for water at 現在の was to put a little whisky in it. Such depravity is terrible, isn't it? But what can you 推定する／予想する when the engineer in 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 is just as bad himself. He is just a beer-drinking sot."
Ruth had learned in the last twenty-four hours that to argue against the objectionable manner in which her new-設立する 親族s rammed their 宗教的な 有罪の判決s 負かす／撃墜する the throat of every passing stranger was worse than useless, so she 単に said—
"鉄道 at Mullin's Hill? That'll bring it やめる の近くに, won't it? What's the engineer's 指名する?"
"I don't know. Matson—Mayland."
"Maitland," said young Clegg. "刑事 Maitland, I know, because he's a 広大な／多数の／重要な chum of Marsden's. My, how bad Marsden's 手渡す is!"
Dolly pinched her sister. The conversation of its own （許可，名誉などを）与える had taken the turn she most 願望（する）d.
"That's bad. I'm sorry for that," said Mrs. 認める, not in 言及／関連 to Marsden's 負傷させるd 手渡す, but to his friendship with the objectionable engineer of the new 鉄道. "I was in hopes Marsden was turning over a new leaf."
"Why, Aunt, what's the 事柄 with him?" asked Ruth, 勧めるd thereto by a 軽く押す／注意を引く from her sister.
"井戸／弁護士席, my dear, he is not a true Christian yet; anybody can see that. But we were in hopes—at least Ann said——"
"His 事例／患者 is hopeless if he gets with that Maitland," snapped that young lady.
"But what's the 事柄 with him?" 固執するd Ruth. "He seems a gentleman."
"He was a son of Dr. Marsden—Dr. Marsden of St. Kilda, you know," explained Mrs. 認める, who 明らかに had a little more in ありふれた with the outside world than her daughter Ann. "When the old man died he didn't leave much—but what he did the son soon spent, 賭事ing and drinking, I believe. He was 定期的に travelling on his uppers when he （機の）カム here—not a red cent to bless himself with. Oh, yes, he's a gentleman, if you call that 存在 a gentleman."
"I loves Woger," 発言／述べるd Vera, "an' he loves me. I'm goin' to mawwy him."
"Oh, I didn't understand it had gone as far as that, Vera; let me congratulate you," laughed Dolly.
When the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する was （疑いを）晴らすd all the women brought out their work and the men pored over the newspaper, and Dolly 設立する a moment to whisper to her sister—
"There, I told you it was all 権利. I told you he was a gentleman. I shall cultivate his 知識."
"I don't know," said Ruth, dubiously; "they didn't speak 井戸／弁護士席 of him."
"Would you have liked him if they had?" pouted Dolly. "I'm sure I should hate a man they 賞賛するd," which was so 正確に／まさに Ruth's feeling that she decided to say no more on the 支配する.
"Oh dear," said Dolly, "I wish 祈り time would come."
At half-past 8 Mr. 認める 倍のd up his paper.
"Ann," he said, "（犯罪の）一味 the bell for 祈りs."
Ann pulled up the window and let in the 冷淡な night 空気／公表する, which blew keen across the lake, rung the old cow-bell lustily, and then retiring to the passage outside, rang it again. Lily 分配するd bibles and hymn-調書をとる／予約するs and took her seat at the American 組織／臓器, and the 残り／休憩（する） of the family seated themselves 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the dining-（米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, hardly in decorous silence, for they squabbled in undertones over their places and 調書をとる／予約するs, and then the servants とじ込み／提出するd in. After the maids （機の）カム the solemn Chinaman, Tom Sing, and behind him—Ruth looked for him 熱望して—young Marsden. She could hardly believe her 注目する，もくろむs, so 広大な／多数の／重要な was the change in him. Tall, upright, cleanly shaven all but a moustache, and 井戸／弁護士席 dressed, he looked every インチ a gentleman—the only gentleman, she thought, in the room. He blushed furiously as he caught her 注目する，もくろむ, and then, after stealing a ちらりと見ること at Dolly, who was demurely looking 負かす／撃墜する, 明らかに became 吸収するd in the Bible that was 手渡すd to him.
After Mr. Grunt had read the Bible aloud （機の）カム a long extempore 祈り, in which each member of the family was prayed for 分かれて and by 指名する. Last night Ruth had grown crimson when her uncle prayed aloud that she and her sister might see the error of their ways, and be brought to a sincere repentance for the levity of their 行為／行う. To-night, however, she heard the 祈り for herself and Dolly with equanimity, and only felt her cheeks tingle when her uncle について言及するd Roger Marsden's 指名する—thanked God 公然と that he, too, was turning his 直面する heavenward, and praying that he might be guided and kept in that 宗教上の path which he had that evening chosen. Then they rose to their feet and sang two hymns of Moody and Sankey's with rousing choruses, which was the only part of the whole service to which the children paid the least attention. When Mr. 認める had pronounced a blessing, he rose up 井戸／弁護士席 満足させるd with himself and 前進するd に向かって the newcomer.
"井戸／弁護士席, Marsden," he said, "I'm glad to see you here. I'm glad to see that at last you have been brought to think on your immortal soul."
Marsden 紅潮／摘発するd 怒って, but he turned it off with a laugh.
"井戸／弁護士席, I think it's my mortal 手渡す I'm 関心d about just at 現在の, sir," he said pleasantly. "行方不明になる 認める," and he ちらりと見ることd at Dolly, "kindly 約束d to put fresh 包帯s on for me."
"If thy 権利 手渡す 感情を害する／違反する thee," began Mr. 認める solemnly; but Dolly, 製図／抽選 her work basket に向かって her, interrupted him ruthlessly.
"It isn't his 権利 手渡す, uncle; it's his left—and as for cutting it off, he very nearly did do that. What we want to do is to mend it up again."
"Dorothy, his immortal soul is——"
But Dorothy felt she had had やめる enough of her uncle's 宗教 for one night, and 決定するd to stop his flow of language.
"It's no good, uncle," she said, "it's really no good. Don't you see you せねばならない let him alone for a bit. How is the good seed sown this evening to take root if you go prodding it up in this manner just to see if it's grown."
Her uncle regarded her doubtfully. He could not divest himself of the idea that she was laughing at him while using his own pet forms of speech. Still, によれば his lights, there was nothing to complain of in the speech, so he took a turn slowly up the room, while Dolly drew some old linen from her basket and began 包帯ing Marsden's 手渡す, the whole family looking on.
"We went to school with a Marsden once, when we were little girls, didn't we, Ruth?" said Dolly. "Don't you remember Charlie Marsden?"
"I have a brother Charlie," said Marsden, looking 負かす／撃墜する on the pretty dark 直面する so の近くに to him; "he went to 中国 five years ago."
"Did he?" said Dolly. "Poor Charlie, I hope he's making his fortune. I liked him so much. If I remember rightly, though, the affection was not 報いるd. I believe he preferred Ruth."
"P'非難するs it wasn't my brother."
"He was a son of Dr. Marsden's of St. Kilda."
Marsden nodded.
"So am I," he said.
"Are you really? 井戸／弁護士席 then, we must be friends," said Dolly, "because I loved your brother so much."
Before the young man could reply to this outspoken 申し込む／申し出 of friendship, Mr. 認める （機の）カム up and 演説（する）／住所d him again.
"You won't be much good の中で the sheep, Marsden, for a week or two to come. You can ride, can't you? 井戸／弁護士席, I think I'll send you 負かす／撃墜する to Titura. The overseer wants a week's holiday, and I told him I'd send a man 負かす／撃墜する to take his place. There's not much doing there just at 現在の, and I think you can manage. You'd better be ready to start at 6 to-morrow morning, and take the old grey 損なう. Do you understand?"
"Yea, Sir," said Marsden, "I'll go."
"And do take care of your 手渡す, now," said Dolly. "It's really very cruel of you, uncle, to 奪う me of my 患者 when he was getting on so 井戸／弁護士席. Good night, Mr. Marsden, good night. Mind that 手渡す's 井戸／弁護士席 before you come 支援する."
That night Ruth took her sister to 仕事 once more when they were 安全な in each other's 武器, warm and cosy under the 一面に覆う／毛布s, which Dolly 宣言するd was the only cosy place in the whole house.
"Dolly, dear, I don't want to be unkind, but really—really, do you think it wise or 権利 to—to be so friendly with a young man as you were with—with——"
"Roger Marsden, I suppose you mean. Ruth, I told you before I meant to be friends with him. Charlie Marsden's brother, too."
"But, Dolly dear—we are so lonely—there's no one to care for us—and we せねばならない be careful. We know nothing about this young man, except that he looks nice. Dolly, I don't want to be a prude, but to make friends with a man whom they all say is—井戸／弁護士席, rather a bad lot."
Ruth got it out at last, and felt virtuous. The fact of the 事柄 was she felt rather drawn to the young fellow herself, and was only 乱用ing him and 警告 her sister from a strict sense of 義務 and an uneasy feeling that she, as the eldest, was 責任がある all shortcomings.
"You dear old thing," said Dolly, giving her sister a loving 抱擁する. "I'm やめる sure there's no 害（を与える） in us two girls 存在 nice and friendly to our old schoolmate's brother. If he's 負かす／撃墜する on his luck, so much the more he needs us. And I'll be his friend and so'll you—you know you will. Come, Ruth, 約束 to be friendly. Don't be silly and prudish."
"I 約束," said Ruth in sleepy トンs. "Dolly, I'm so sleepy—do let's go to sleep."
"Having settled the 事件／事情／状勢s of the nation satisfactorily, we will," and Dolly nestled 負かす／撃墜する beside her sister and was sound asleep long before the 年上の girl had decided whether she had done 権利 or not.
Before the week was out Ruth felt that she, too, would 喜んで have welcomed 支援する Roger Marsden. The 天候 was depressing. It was raw and 冷淡な; and the rain—it rained every day. But the 天候 made no difference to the 認める family. Mrs. 認める and Ann and Lily and auntie, went out 運動ing every day. Each day in the week saw them 始める，決める off in pairs to some small hamlet or 郡区 where they taught Scripture in the 明言する／公表する schools, held mothers' 会合s, 祈り 会合s, temperance 会合s, and indeed, did their best to do good after their own fashion. Mr. 認める, Willie, and the two 駅／配置する experience young men were out on the run all day, and the nine children left at home to their own 資源s ran 暴動 and worked their wicked will on everything, doing 正確に／まさに as they pleased, and setting the maid servants at 反抗. Not that the servants took much notice of them. They, too, did much as they pleased in the absence of their mistress, and the way in which the work of the 世帯 was done often made Ruth, who prided herself on 存在 a good housekeeper, 停止する her 手渡すs in horror. The two girls had nothing to do, and 設立する time hang very ひどく on their 手渡すs. Almost since she could remember, Ruth had kept her fathers house. He had been crotchetty, particular, and unlovable, but the 成果／努力 to keep things nice and to please him had kept her mind and 手渡すs 雇うd. They had been 許すd few 知識s and no friends, but Dolly had helped her sister and they were on the whole not unhappy. But now all this was changed. The very atmosphere of Kooringa was uncongenial, the living was coarse and rough, the 年上のs were absent all day and their only company was the nine children 範囲ing between the ages of fifteen and five, who, in spite, of the advantages of 存在 brought up in a godly 世帯, were veritable imps of 不明瞭 and demons of mischief. Their governess had left the week before the girls arrived, but though Mrs. 認める said every day she must get another, as yet she made no move in that direction. There were no 調書をとる／予約するs to be had—at least 非，不，無 except tracts and mildly 宗教s stories—for the modern novel was not 認める into the house, and even Dickens and Thackeray were kept under lock and 重要な and only given out by Mr. 認める himself with solemn words of admonition and 警告. There were 列／漕ぐ／騒動s upon 列／漕ぐ／騒動s of sermons 利用できる, but Ruth did not yet feel equal to 取り組むing sermons, and the newspaper only reached her in an expurgated form, for her uncle very much 疑問d the 知恵 of 許すing women to read the papers at all, and in any 事例／患者 took care that the women of his 世帯 only saw it after he had ruthlessly 削減（する） away what he called "anything objectionable." They had never gone on these 探検隊／遠征隊s with their aunt and cousins, partly because no one had 表明するd a 願望（する） for their company and partly because neither of the girls cared to go.
But 一方／合間, with nothing to do but needlework and nothing in the world to look 今後 to, they both 設立する it terribly dull, and the ten days that had passed over their 長，率いるs since they had come to Kooringa might have been ten months or ten years so long did they seem.
Dolly said as much one dull afternoon, as she sat stitching over the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 in the big untidy dining room, listening to the ゆすり which the younger sons and daughters of the family were making in the nursery next door. Only Vera stayed with them sitting on the hearthrug gazing pensively into the 解雇する／砲火／射撃.
"Oh," sighed Dolly, "how long's this to go on, Ruth? I feel as if I'd been here years and years and years. Do you see any grey in my hair yet? If you don't it'll be there soon. You don't know how old I feel."
"I wis I was old," sighed Vera. "When I's old I's going to mawwy Woger."
"Oh, dear; so matrimony's the end you have in 見解（をとる）. 井戸／弁護士席 it strikes me 強制的に that we'll be old maids, eh Ruth? It seems we're born to blush unseen. It's a pity, too, for, Ruth, you really are a very pretty girl, you know. Don't you wish somebody'd come along, somebody nice, you know, and make love to you and marry you?"
"Oh, hush, Dolly. You shouldn't talk like that. If we are to be married, we will be, I suppose."
"To a major in the 救済 Army or the 地元の preacher at Gaffer's Flat, who's a grocer by 貿易（する）. I thought he turned an appreciative 注目する，もくろむ on you last Sunday. You'll let Kooringa have sugar and tea cheap, of course—at cost price, I suppose. But really I don't think I'd like the grocer—he's got a red nose."
"Dolly—please."
"He 見本s his schnapps too often, I 推定する／予想する. But who shall I marry? It's a 事柄 for serious consideration."
"Hush, Dolly, don't be silly. Of course you'll marry some day—some nice good man I hope."
"I hope 心から he won't be too good, but, my dear, where's he to come from?"
"Oh, 負かす／撃墜する the chimney if he can't come any other way."
"He tan't tum that way," put in Vera, "there's ony a teeny, teeny 穴を開ける up there, and Woger's goin' to mawwy me when I'm growed up. I wis I was old," and the little damsel sighed again ひどく.
"Never mind, dear," said Dolly, pulling the long fair curls, "the years 'll soon mend that and Roger's sure to wait."
"You can mawwy him, too, if you like," said Vera condescendingly.
"Thank you very much, Vera. Then that 事柄's settled. Ruth, do you hear. I'm going to marry Roger Marsden by 表明する 許可 of Vera 認める, and now its only half-past 3, and what on earth am I to do with the 残り／休憩（する） of the afternoon?"
Ruth crossed the room, and stood （電話線からの）盗聴 on the window looking out on the 暗い／優うつな prospect.
"It's not raining now," she said. "Suppose we go for a walk. Vera, will you come, too."
But Vera 拒絶する／低下するd. The cosy 解雇する／砲火／射撃, and the peace and 慰安 確実にするd by the absence of all 年上のs was not lightly to be foregone, and the two girls 始める，決める off by themselves. The 空気／公表する was damp and raw, and underfoot it was like a sponge. Still there was no 勝利，勝つd, and they were 井戸／弁護士席 shod and 井戸／弁護士席 wrapped up, and the きびきびした walk 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the still grey lake put Dolly in a more amiable でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる of mind by the time they reached the little creek which formed its 出口 on the other 味方する from the house.
Coortnong Creek was the only picturesque bit of scenery about Kooringa for the plains opened out here in a 法外な gully, at the 底（に届く） of which flowed the creek まっただ中に 激しく揺するs and ferns and mossy 石／投石するs, while here and there grew patches of stunted lightwood, always pretty trees—more 特に here on these plains where trees were 目だつ by their absence. It was 冷淡な and 荒涼とした now on this wintry day, but they went 負かす／撃墜する to the banks of the creek and in mere idleness flung 石／投石するs into the 泡，激怒することing muddy waters.
"I believe," said Dolly, "I could cross やめる easily. Look at those 石／投石するs sticking up out of the water."
"井戸／弁護士席, they look rather slippery, I think," said her sister. "Besides, where's the use of 危険ing a wetting? There's nothing to be seen there."
"Two dead sheep, and I believe there's another behind those trees."
"But you don't want to look at dead sheep, or, if you do, I daresay we can find plenty on this 味方する."
"井戸／弁護士席, there's a man just coming over the rise there behind those trees. It's Mr. Marsden, I'm nearly sure. I'm going to cooey——"
"Nonsense, Dolly, don't do any such thing. What will he think of you?"
"It's all 権利," and Dolly with a sigh of 救済. "He sees us; he's coming. That's best after all. There! See how easily he crosses the 石／投石するs. Oh, Mr. Marsden, how do you do? I'm so glad to see you."
Young Marsden shook 手渡すs with both girls and seemed 平等に delighted to see them.
"Who would have thought of 会合 you out on such a day!" he said.
"井戸／弁護士席, we were tired of 存在 in the house—that's the truth, and I was so bad-tempered, poor Ruth 主張するd on my coming out just to give her a little peace."
Marsden looked unbelieving, for Dolly's 直面する was 花冠d in smiles now, and Ruth said—
"Oh, she wasn't やめる so bad as that. Only we do have a lot of spare time on our 手渡すs. Aunt and the others have gone to a 祈り 会合."
"They 一般に are at a 祈り 会合, aren't they?" asked Roger with a twinkle in his 注目する，もくろむs that made the girls laugh.
"井戸／弁護士席, I believe they have some faint hope that in the 薄暗い 未来 I may be brought into the 権利 path, but Dolly's the つまずくing-封鎖する, she's so terribly flippant."
"Yes," said Dolly. "But, Mr Marsden, how is your 手渡す?"
"My 手渡す, thanks to you, is やめる 井戸／弁護士席."
"I'm so glad," said Dolly.
"Do you want to cross the creek?" asked Marsden.
"井戸／弁護士席, we were thinking about it," said Dolly, "only Ruth's afraid of 落ちるing in. And really I don't know that there's anything to be 伸び（る）d by crossing. What are you going to do?"
"A horrid unsavoury 職業 I've got on 手渡す. Do you see those dead sheep over there? 井戸／弁護士席, all of them have to be skinned, and if they're too far gone to be skinned the wool has to be plucked off."
"Oh, how horrid!" said Ruth, while Dolly 示唆するd—
"Help us across the creek, and let's see how you do it."
Accordingly he helped first one and then the other across the slippery stepping 石／投石するs, and then went to work, the two girls settling themselves 負かす／撃墜する の中で some 石／投石するs to windward of the sheep to be operated on.
"You see," said Marsden, settling to work somewhat unwillingly, and 速く filling a 解雇（する） with the dead wool, "one of the 楽しみs of a roustabouts life."
"Never mind," said Dolly, consolingly, "there's bound to be something disagreeable in everybody's life. I was growling over 地雷 most abominably just now, and yet you see there are なぐさみs. Ruth made me come for a walk much against my will, and Providence directed that we should 会合，会う you."
"Thank you." The young man blushed and smiled. "It's 肉親，親類d of you to put it that way."
"If it's not 存在 rude," 発言／述べるd Dolly, "what made you come here?"
"Poverty," said Marsden, "bitter, grinding poverty."
"You needn't be ashamed of that," put in Ruth, "that's just our 事例／患者. We're very nearly as poor as church mice. We've got about enough to dress ourselves, and that's all."
"I thought your father was a 井戸／弁護士席-to-do man," said Roger, and then blushed and was angry with himself for what he called 調査するing into other people's 事件／事情／状勢s, but to the girls the 発言／述べる seemed やめる natural, and Ruth 単に answered—
"Oh, yes, so he was, but most that he had died with him; but I thought your father was a rich man."
"And left you a fortune which you dissipated in riotous living によれば our uncle," put in Dolly.
Marsden smiled grimly.
"And am worse off than the Prodigal in consequence. I'm sure I'd rather tend swine than pluck dead sheep. My father did leave me between four and five thousand 続けざまに猛撃するs, but I unluckily 投資するd it in 株 in a big squatting company in Queensland and thought I was going to treble it. I didn't 賭事 and I didn't drink, but the 干ばつ （機の）カム and the sheep died, I suppose; anyhow, I 港／避難所't seen a penny of income, and since my father didn't give me a profession, I'm 減ずるd to this unsavoury 占領／職業 for a 暮らし."
He spoke very 激しく, and both girls felt sorry for him; but Dolly, as usual, 設立する her tongue first.
"Never mind," she said, cheerily, "better days'll come soon. I suppose it sounds awfully ungrateful to our relations, but we really are worse off than you, because we can't do anything to earn our own livings. But who, then, on earth are those men on horseback?" she exclaimed. "I hope it's not Willie or uncle. Somehow, I fancy they mightn't やめる sympathise with our 利益／興味 in sheep plucking."
They were on a little rise on the banks of the creek, just わずかに elevated above the surrounding plain, and in the distance, just entering the big paddock, two horsemen were plainly to be seen.
Marsden looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する at them.
"I think it's Dr. Finlayson and Maitland, from Mullin's Hill. I 推定する／予想する they've come to look for me. May I introduce them?" he asked; 追加するing, as he saw a shade of 疑問 on Ruth's 直面する, "Indeed, I would not ask you but they are gentlemen and good fellows."
"Introduce them, of course," said Dolly. "It'll be 広大な／多数の／重要な fun. Now, Ruth, what are you looking so anxious about? I want to 会合，会う that beer-drinking engineer. I've heard so much bad about him."
"But he isn't bad," said Marsden, 熱望して. "I shouldn't ask you to know him if he was. He's a very nice clever young fellow, and he isn't beer-drinking—at least, of course, I mean——"
"Oh, we understand," said Dolly, "he isn't temperance, thank goodness. Now we'll have to mind our propers. Ruth, put on your Sunday-go-to-会合s manners to 会合，会う Mr. Marsden's friends."
The two men 棒 up at a きびきびした trot.
"I say, Marsden," began the 真っ先の, and then catching sight of the two girls, raised his eyebrows in astonishment. They both dismounted, however, and coming 今後 were introduced in 予定 form by Marsden. The doctor, Alick Finlayson, was a tall, raw-boned Scotchman, with lantern jaws and red hair, and a painfully shy manner. He blushed and stammered like a schoolgirl, and soon dropped out of the conversation, while his companion, 刑事 Maitland, the engineer, seated himself on a 石／投石する by Ruth and was soon chatting away with her, as much at his 緩和する as if he had known her all her life. He was a 示すd contrast to his friend, for while the doctor was an undoubtedly plain man, all the world 投票（する）d 刑事 Maitland, with his 正規の／正選手 features and beautiful dark 注目する，もくろむs, a handsome fellow. True, his mouth showed 調印するs of 証拠不十分 and vacillation, but it was hidden by his moustache, and as a pleasant smile showed a 列／漕ぐ／騒動 of milk-white teeth the defect was lost on Ruth, who truly thought him the best-looking man she had ever seen.
They had come over, he explained, to fetch Marsden 支援する to have dinner with them. They had been at the Melbourne Church of England Grammar school together as boys, and felt it their bounden 義務 to look after him, because if he joined the 救済 Army he would be lost to them for ever.
"I don't think he'll join the army just yet," said Ruth with a smile, looking across to where Marsden was sitting listening intently to Dolly's graphic descriptions of life in her 現在の home. "But were you at the Grammar school together? And Dr. Finlayson, too." She was sorry for the 静かな man who stood aloof and tried to draw him into the conversation. "I should have thought he would have been a Scotch College boy, and would have hated you with a bitter 憎悪."
"It せねばならない have been so certainly, 行方不明になる 認める," said the doctor, "but my parents were oblivious of their 義務, and sent me to school with these fellows. その結果 I'm an anomaly—Scotchman is written all over me and yet by all the traditions of my school I'm bound to hate the Scotch College."
"What a shame," laughed the girl. "It's just a 事柄 of prejudice. Now my uncle thinks that the only place where a boy can get a really good education is a 私的な school kept by a 確かな strict Plymouth brother of his 知識."
"Willie went there," said Dolly joining in the conversation.
"All the same, Willie is an awful young scamp," said Maitland. "He's eternally over at McShane's playing billiards, and a shanty of that description can scarcely be a 安全な place for a lad of his years."
"Poor boy," said Ruth, pityingly. "I don't wonder he wants a little excitement. He can't be always 利益／興味d in 祈り 会合s and Sunday-school 扱う／治療するs."
刑事 Maitland, looking at her 直面する, thought Kooringa would not be half a bad place to live in 供給するd she were by his 味方する, and though he did not say so, he 発揮するd himself to entertain her and make her forget the flight of time with such success that the short day began to draw to a の近くに before she thought about the time at all.
Ruth woke up to the fact at last, and started to her feet.
"Good gracious me," she said, "I やめる forgot the time. It's nearly five, and it'll be やめる dark before we get home."
"Don't be in such a hurry," murmured Maitland, "I 港／避難所't spent such a pleasant time in ages, and who knows when I may get the chance again."
Ruth blushed—she was 未使用の to compliment, and the 暗示するd flattery pleased her.
"I'm glad we've met," she said 簡単に, "and I hope we'll 会合，会う again, but indeed we must go home now. Come, Dolly."
"Bother," said that young lady with flattering 強調; "I suppose we must. Mr. Marsden, are you coming in to 祈りs to-night?"
"井戸／弁護士席, I was thinking of going over to Maitland's （軍の）野営地，陣営, but——"
"Oh, yes, do go," said Dolly. "You'll have fun, won't you; and you can tell us all about it next time we 会合，会う."
"And when will that be?" asked Marsden, and Maitland 補足（する）d it, "Yes, when will that be?"
"I'm sure I don't know," said Dolly.
"Don't you think Mrs. 認める would take it as a delicate compliment if we called on her," 示唆するd Maitland.
"井戸／弁護士席, you might," said Marsden. "I'm her servant, you see, and she mightn't やめる see the necessity of it if I did."
"Besides," said Ruth innocently, "she's so often away. Now to-morrow all four of them are going off to 持つ／拘留する a 祈り 会合 at Dog-脚 Flat."
"How far off is that?" asked Maitland. "It must be nearly twenty miles from here."
"Seventeen," 訂正するd Ruth, and Maitland made a mental 公式文書，認める that they would be away all day.
"Now," said Ruth, "we must really go. Mr. Marsden, will you help us over the creek again."
"Marsden's 手渡すs are dirty," 示唆するd 刑事 Maitland, "you'd better let me," and Ruth went with him, but Marsden, not to be outdone, washed his 手渡すs in the running stream, and helped Dolly across while the doctor as usual stood in the background.
"Shall I see you home?" asked Marsden, 持つ／拘留するing her 手渡す perhaps a trifle longer than was necessary.
"No," she said, "no, I think you'd better not."
"And when shall I see you again?"
"Come to 祈りs," she 示唆するd mischievously.
"Thank you; and see how closely you …に出席する to your devotions."
"井戸／弁護士席, we go for a walk every day."
"To-morrow I have to go to Gaffer's Flat, worse luck; but the next day I have to be 負かす／撃墜する at Davey's 押し寄せる／沼地 seeing after the lambs. It's not a mile from the house—do you think your walk might happen to be in that direction?"
Dolly looked at his eager 直面する with a demure smile.
"That's making an 任命, isn't it," she said. "And, oh dear, I couldn't かもしれない do that. But if Ruth walks in that direction I can't help it, can I?"
Then she snatched her 手渡す away.
"Ruth, Ruth, we'll be so late. No, Mr. Maitland, you mustn't come with us. The proprieties at Kooringa might be shocked if you did. Besides, we'll have to run. Good bye, good-bye." And catching 持つ／拘留する of her sister's 手渡す the two girls 始める，決める off at a sharp pace through the 深くするing twilight に向かって the house.
That evening Dolly 率直に told her aunt and cousins of their 会合 with the three young men, and was solemnly 警告するd by Ann against the danger of 持つ／拘留するing communion with the ungodly.
"I know nothing of Dr. Finlayson," she said, "but that Maitland I have heard James Wilson speak of as a bad man. Willie will tell you how he 断言するs at the navvies, and he has always a 麻薬を吸う in his mouth; and as for young Marsden, we all know how wickedly careless he is in 事柄s connected with his soul, so different from James Wilson."
"I loves Woger," put in Vera, feeling as if an 不正 had been done to her favourite.
"But Mr. Marsden is a far better workman than James Wilson, isn't he?" asked Dolly, anxious, like Vera, to vindicate her friend.
"Wilson has the true 支配する, the true 支配する," said Mr. 認める, shaking his 長，率いる, solemnly, as he served out slices of 冷淡な mutton, "and what are the things of this world to the man who knows he has eternal life? Mere snares and delusions, mere snares and delusions."
Impetuous Dolly opened her mouth again, but a 警告 look from her sister stopped her. Ruth seemed herself to have grown very worldly wise since she had entered this family, and she saw at once that if they were to continue their pleasant friendship with young Marsden, or, indeed, with anyone else whom the 認めるs considered outside the pale, the least said about them the better. At the 現在の moment beyond a word or two of 不賛成 they passed the 事柄 over and said nothing about the girls' doings the day before, 存在 完全に taken up with the consideration of the 広大な／多数の／重要な 祈り 会合 to be held at Dog-脚 Flat.
Ann had taken 冷淡な, was afraid she would not be able to go, and was terribly 苦しめるd thereat.
The 年上のs of the family looked with commiserating 注目する，もくろむs on Ann, but no one said a word save Ruth, who really was sorry for her 失望, and 投機・賭けるd to hint from her own simple creed that "everything was for the best."
Ann was out of temper, and did not receive the なぐさみ in the spirit in which it was 申し込む／申し出d, and 不平（をいう）d out, just as though she had been an ordinary bad-tempered mortal with no spiritual advantages whatever—
"Much you know about it."
"I'm sorry for you, though," said Ruth gently, while Dolly, not to be outdone, 発言／述べるd 厳粛に—
"I believe it's a wile of the Evil One to get rid of you."
Ann looked at her doubtfully. The phraseology was her own, and the idea was after her own heart, but she 疑問d Dolly's 誠実, and she dared not cross swords with her. Once or twice already she had been worsted in an 遭遇（する） of that description, so she 単に said curtly—
"Probably so, but I shall go if possible and disappoint him."
However, the Evil One probably hugged himself and chuckled over his victory, for on the morrow Ann had lost her 発言する／表明する 完全に, and her 冷淡な was really so bad that the other three started without her. They 申し込む／申し出d to take Ruth, but she 受託するd in such a half-hearted manner that Lily 敏速に told her she had better stay at home, such a lukewarm adherent would only 弱める the 原因（となる）, and she 喜んで returned to the dining-room where the 無効の was sitting crouched over the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, a rusty 黒人／ボイコット shawl over her shoulders and an 平等に shabby purple one muffling her 長，率いる. Dolly made a 直面する as her sister entered, expressive of her extreme distaste for Ann's company, and then, though Ruth did remonstrate, 主張するd on her coming out for a walk, which she took care should fill up all the morning.
In the afternoon, though, there was no help for it; Ann's presence had to be put up with, and when the dinner （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する was （疑いを）晴らすd she betook herself to the American 組織／臓器, which she began to play for the first time since she had come to Kooringa. First she played hymn tunes as more ふさわしい to the 器具, but 徐々に her fingers wandered off into other things, old Scotch and Irish 空気／公表するs to which she softly crooned the words.
"I didn't know," said Ann in a hoarse whisper, which was all her 冷淡な 認める of, "you played or sang. I hope you'll know some day the awful wickedness of wasting your time on your own bodily 慰安s and amusements."
"Oh, bother, Ann!" said Dolly. "What on earth were we put into this world for?"
"Not to sing profane songs."
"井戸／弁護士席, but when one's got a good 発言する／表明する why shouldn't one use it. And my 製造者 kindly gave me a very decent contralto, and it's been 井戸／弁護士席 trained too. Ruth's got a good 発言する／表明する, too. I wonder you never noticed us at 祈りs. Now just listen to this."
And she began singing, （疑いを）晴らす and loud, Blumenthal's "Across the Far Blue Hills, Marie." Ruth left her sewing at the window and crossing the room joined in with her sister, and Ann listened in stolid silence. They went from one song to another, their （疑いを）晴らす young 発言する／表明するs harmonising and blending, and for once perhaps since they had come to Kooringa were 完全に happy.
They had been singing and playing for about an hour, when the smutty little girl who was called a kitchen-maid, but who frequently waited at （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and answered the dining-room bell—the servants at Kooringa never seemed to have any 直す／買収する，八百長をするd position, but 交流d 義務s at will—押し進めるd open the door and lolling against the door-地位，任命する, 発言／述べるd—
"There's two gen'lemen as wants Mrs. 認める."
The two gentlemen made their 外見 すぐに, and, 大いに to Ruth's astonishment, she saw they were Dr. Finlayson and Mr. Maitland. Very distinctly she remembered having told the latter that her aunt and cousins would be away all day—could he have forgotten it—she hardly thought so. However, he 前進するd confidently into the room, followed by the doctor.
"How do you do, 行方不明になる 認める?" he said. "Your maid tells me your aunt and cousins are away. Still, when we heard you were here we 投機・賭けるd to come in."
"I'm sure we are very glad to see you," said Ruth truthfully, "but one of my cousins is at home. Ann," she said, turning に向かって the ungraceful 人物／姿／数字 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集めるd over the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, "these are the gentlemen I told you about—the gentlemen we met yesterday—Mr. Maitland, Dr. Finlayson."
It certainly was hard on Ann. Her plain, hard 直面する was plainer than usual by 推論する／理由 of the unbecoming 冷淡な; she could hardly raise her 発言する／表明する above a hoarse whisper, and whether she liked it or no, she was 存在 introduced to the man she had told Ruth she 特に 反対するd to. She dragged the purple shawl more closely 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her 直面する and 用意が出来ている for the fray.
"I'm making the 鉄道 across a corner of your father's run, 行方不明になる 認める," said Maitland, "and it seemed only civil I should call on him, 特に after I met your cousins yesterday."
"I don't see the necessity myself," said Ann. "We have made it a practice never to 持つ／拘留する communion with the mammon of unrighteousness."
"Indeed, 行方不明になる 認める. I hardly understand you. 持つ／拘留する communion with the mammon of unrighteousness; I beg your 容赦, but what on earth is the meaning of that?"
Ann 公正に／かなり glared at him from beneath the purple shawl. The soft manner and pleasant smile which won Ruth 悪化させるd her intensely.
"Men like you," she said in her hoarse whisper, "are the mammon of unrighteousness."
"I'm sorry," he said, smiling, "to have fallen under your displeasure, for I'm afraid you don't mean that as 賞賛する. Really, 行方不明になる 認める, I'm not such a bad fellow, and I should like you to think better of me than that. Tell me what my offence is and I'll try and mend it."
"You are a man of the world," said Ann, 軟化するing a little. "How long since you have thought of higher things? How long since you have been in the house of God at all?"'
"井戸／弁護士席," said 刑事 Maitland good-humouredly, "if you mean by that how long since I have been to church I won't be so very bad in your 注目する，もくろむs. I was in Ballarat last Sunday, and went to S. Alphius—twice, too; I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to hear the wonderful preacher they've got there."
"Mammon of unrighteousness, mammon of unrighteousness," said Ann, 粘着するing to the phrase as to a talisman. "You call S. Alphius the house of God? I call it a popery shop—a place where the real spiritual life is sacrificed to the grossest materialism."
Maitland sighed. He was getting 疲れた／うんざりした of this conversation.
"You have the courage of your opinions, 行方不明になる 認める," he 発言／述べるd. "I'm sorry I can't 説得する you to think 井戸／弁護士席 of me." Then feeling he had done his 義務 he turned to Ruth and 発言／述べるd, "You were singing as we （機の）カム in."
But Ann had not done with him yet.
"Mullin's Hill," she said, "thanks to you and your men is now a 沈む of iniquity."
Maitland sighed again. It was evident he wasn't going to have a chance of speaking to Ruth this afternoon, but he took up the cudgels in defence of his men.
"They're not bad fellows," he said, "a bit rowdy perhaps when the drink's in them, but not bad fellows take them on the whole."
"There it is," said Ann solemnly. "Mr. Maitland, do you know anything of the 悪口を言う／悪態 of strong drink?"
Ruth looking at Maitland saw him 紅潮／摘発する to the roots of his hair. Over all his 直面する the hot 血 急ぐd painfully, and she felt that, somehow or other, Ann's 無作為の 軸 had gone straight home. The self-所有するd young fellow looked wretchedly 有罪の and uncomfortable, and she hardly knew why, but with an impetuosity worthy of Dolly herself, she 急ぐd to the 救助（する）.
"Oh, Ann," she said, "where's the good of bothering about strong drink. Now, really, Mr. Maitland doesn't look as if he went on the spree every Saturday night, does he? But I should think he was thirsty now. Ar'n't you going to give our guests any tea?"
For a moment Ann did not answer, the 歓待 she had been bred in struggling with her dislike and 不信 of strangers, but 歓待 伸び（る）d the day.
"Tell Jane to bring some tea, then," she said somewhat sullenly. "We 許す no strong drinks in this house, Mr. Maitland."
After tea Maitland 投機・賭けるd to 示唆する that the girls should sing them a song, which they did, and then it was discovered that the doctor had a very 罰金 baritone 発言する／表明する, and he sang for them, and then Ruth sang by herself, and Dolly by herself, and Maitland, who had no 発言する／表明する, listened appreciatively to them all; and so the afternoon slipped away unnoticed; till the doctor 製図／抽選 his watch out 宣言するd with a start it was past 5 o'clock, and high time they were on their way 支援する to Mullin's Hill.
"Good-bye, 行方不明になる 認める," said Maitland, shaking 手渡すs with Ann. "I shall think over what you said, and I hope you will let me come and see you again."
"I don't know," she said stiffly. "You belong to this world."
"Of course, of course," he said soothingly, hardly knowing what he meant. It was curious how anxious he felt to propitiate the daughter of the house and to make sure this afternoon should not be his last at Kooringa. "But let me come again, you will, won't you," and Ann answered dubiously.
"Come if you like."
She stopped behind in the warm room while Ruth and Dolly hospitably …を伴ってd them to the 前線 door.
"Ann wasn't very 噴出するing, was she, Mr. Maitland?" said Dolly, as her sister, for almost the first time that afternoon, gave her attention to the doctor.
"No, she wasn't," he said lugubriously, and his 注目する，もくろむs wandered, as Dolly was quick to see, to Ruth's fair 直面する.
"Will you come again?"
"How can I?" he asked. "行方不明になる 認める gave me no 激励."
"井戸／弁護士席, I 推定する you don't care much about seeing 行方不明になる 認める."
Maitland looked at her a moment as if in 疑問, then answered emphatically,—
"I don't care if I never 始める，決める 注目する，もくろむs on her again."
"Then I 推定する you'd like to see Ruth and me again?"
"I would indeed," more emphatically still.
"井戸／弁護士席, if you should happen to be riding by Davey's 押し寄せる／沼地 somewhere about 4 to-morrow I shouldn't be at all astonished if you （機の）カム upon us. But if you wish to see Ruth I'd advise you not to say I told you where we'd be or she certainly won't be there."
"Thank you, 行方不明になる Dolly," said Maitland gratefully.
They were on the verandah by this time, and the men unhitched their horses from the verandah 地位，任命する.
"Good bye," said Maitland to Ruth. "I have had such a pleasant afternoon, thanks to you, 行方不明になる 認める—at least, no, your cousin is 行方不明になる 巨大（な）, isn't she? May I call you 行方不明になる Ruth?"
The old ユダヤ人の 指名する sounded pleasantly on his lips, and she answered half shyly—"Yes, yes, I like that much best."
Riding away from the house together in silence both men were probably thinking of the two pretty lonely girls they had 設立する 始める，決める in such uncongenial surrounding. They had admired them yesterday, and both knew they would have lived next door to Mr. and Mrs. 認める for years without ever dreaming of calling on them, but for the 発見 that they had two pretty nieces. Even then the doctor would never have dared to come only his bolder companion had over-説得するd him, and now he was wondering in his own mind whether he had not done a very foolish thing. It was evident Maitland admired Ruth, admired her more probably than even he himself had divined, and knowing as he did all Maitland's sad history, the doctor asked himself again whether he had not done a foolish thing.
Ruth was very 甘い and 有望な and charming, just the sort of girl a man might love and marry. He admired her himself, but she was not likely to 落ちる in love with him—and if she did—井戸／弁護士席, if she did—the 用心深い Scotchman felt his heart （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing at the 明らかにする idea of such a thing—he knew very 井戸／弁護士席 he would 落ちる in love with her, even though he had only seen her twice. But with Maitland it was different. He was a handsome fellow whom all the girls looked at and 法廷，裁判所d, as women will 法廷，裁判所 the man who takes their fancy—he had never been so much taken with anyone as he had with Ruth 認める. And was there not danger for her? She saw no man—she lived a lonely life—was it not more than probable that—that—two good-looking, charming young people, evidently a little taken with each other, and oh, the pity of it—the pity of it—Maitland was not a 解放する／自由な man. The doctor stole a ちらりと見ること at his companion as they trotted along 味方する by 味方する, 選ぶing their way over the stony plain. He thought the handsome 直面する looked 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な and sad, and a 広大な／多数の／重要な pity filled his heart to think so fair a life should be already spoiled. And yet it was no 推論する／理由 why another life as fair should be 廃虚d. Maitland was weak, he knew, fatally weak, and then he asked 突然の—
"Maitland, where's your wife now?"
刑事 Maitland started as if he had been 発射. Had he, too, been thinking of that wife of his?
"Just starting from England, I believe," he said, turning his 直面する away.
"And she—is she all 権利 now?"
"Is a woman who drinks ever 安全な?" asked Maitland, 激しく. Then with a sudden burst of passion he 追加するd—
"Oh, Alick, Alick, that woman has 悪口を言う／悪態d my life. For the last eight years she has made it a hell upon earth for me."
"Poor boy," said Finlayson, pityingly, "poor boy. You were such a boy when you married her."
"I was old enough to know better—やめる old enough—and you 警告するd me. I remember how angry I was. I have made my bed, and now I must not complain if I have to 嘘（をつく） on it."
"You'll live with her again when she comes out?"
"I can't—I can't," he made answer; "Alick, I can't;" and there was imploring 条約 in his トンs, as if he would have said, "For Heaven's sake, don't 裁判官 me 厳しく."
They 棒 on for some time in silence. Vainly the taciturn doctor sought for some word of sympathy, but 非，不，無 （機の）カム to his lips, and at last he spoke out 突然の the thought that had been in his mind ever since they had left Kooringa.
"刑事," he said, "you せねばならない tell those girls you're a married man," and 刑事 Maitland answered never a word.
Slowly the long winter wore away, and summer （機の）カム again at Kooringa. Before October the wide plains were 着せる／賦与するd with emerald green, the neglected garden was rich with flowers, and Ruth could hardly believe it was the same desolate, dreary-looking place she had come to four months before. She did not find it dull now—never—and this 有望な Sunday afternoon, as she lay 十分な length on the grass 星／主役にするing up at the blue sky just flecked here and there with fleecy clouds, she 始める，決める herself to think out the 推論する／理由 why. A 調書をとる／予約する was by her 味方する, but she was too contented to read, too happy to do anything but 嘘（をつく） and think.
For shearing was in 十分な swing at Kooringa, and every man, woman, and child was 深く，強烈に 利益／興味d in it. Even such 部外者s as Ruth and Dolly were drawn into the general whirl. To get shearers at Kooringa was no 平易な 仕事, seeing that the shed was run on temperance 原則s, and no alcohol, タバコ, or 断言するing was 許すd. No man likes to be 制限するd, so that Mr. 認める, 固執するing to his 原則s with the sturdy obstinacy that （機の）カム to him from his 国境 forefathers, had no little trouble with his shed, and when he 解任するd his cook for hard 断言するing—his 解雇する／砲火／射撃 would not 燃やす, and twenty hungry men were clamouring for their midday meal—the women-肉親，親類d of his 世帯 had to come to the 救助（する） and cook till he 取って代わるd him. The new cook had come the day before, the 地元の preacher at Gaffer's Flat had 高度に recommended him, and Ruth felt she had 公正に／かなり earned the 残り／休憩（する） she was taking.
Roger Marsden and Dolly had been with her a few moments ago, and they had strolled along the banks of the lake together until she had sat 負かす／撃墜する, but the other two had gone on, and the 年上の girl 開始 her 調書をとる／予約する smiled as she watched them out of sight. She saw what was coming—plainly—plainly. Roger was poor, of course, very poor, but then he was a good fellow, a very good fellow, riches were not everything, and once he had taken up this 選択 in the Heytesbury forest he was always talking about—井戸／弁護士席, she saw no 推論する／理由 why Dolly should not help make him a home. Things were beginning to look up in Queensland, he had got a small return for his money, and he began to think if only they had a 公正に／かなり good season in the north the squatting company would not be such a bad 投資 after all.
It was wonderful how intimate they had grown with Roger Marsden. He had never come to the house, and yet never a day passed but they met him somewhere. They went for their daily walks and Marsden was sure to appear on the scene いつか or other. They learned to ride and this gave him greater 適切な時期s than ever. At first Ruth was innocently surprised, but at last it began to 夜明け even on her innocence that this could not be wholly attributable to chance, and one day, a very wet day indeed, when even Dolly, anxious as she was, had to 収容する／認める that it was impossible to think of stirring out of the house, she had come upon her 令状ing a 公式文書，認める. They wrote very few letters and had no secrets from one another, so that Ruth was surprised when her sister guiltily drew the blotting paper over it and began sketching 速く.
"There, Ruth, do you think that's at all like a spider? His 脚s are a bit too long, arn't they?"
"Nonsense," said Ruth. "That's not what you were doing when I （機の）カム in. You were 令状ing a letter."
"Only a little 公式文書，認める," said Dolly in extenuation.
"井戸／弁護士席, but why wouldn't you show it to me? Who's it to?"
Dolly was silent for a moment and then said somewhat defiantly—
"Mr. Marsden."
"Mr. Marsden," repeated her sister. "What do you want to 令状 to him for?"
Again Dolly was silent. Then she put her 直面する against her sister's 手渡す coaxingly.
"Don't be angry, dear, please don't. Indeed it isn't any 害（を与える）. But it was so dull here before we knew him and Mr. Maitland. And—and—to see us is the only 楽しみ he has, he says, and is there any 害（を与える） in letting him know where we'll be to-morrow? Don't be cross, Ruth, please don't."
"So that is how it happens he always 会合，会うs us," said Ruth slowly.
"Yes," said Dolly.
"And Mr. Maitland? He 会合，会うs us very often."
"井戸／弁護士席," said Dolly, "Mullin's Hill is a dreadfully dull 穴を開ける for a man to live in. It's natural he should like to see us, and I always felt it would be a 広大な／多数の／重要な pity if he 棒 twenty miles for nothing, and when he asked me where we'd be, why, of course I always told him."
"Oh, Dolly," but Ruth's トンs did not sound either very shocked or very angry. It was 甘い to her to think that Maitland should be so anxious to 会合，会う her.
"I think he looks very sad いつかs, don't you?" said Dolly, seeing that she had not only 利益／興味d her sister but carried her own point, "very sad. Roger Marsden says he was such a nice boy at school—a 広大な／多数の／重要な favourite with everybody. And then he had some 広大な／多数の／重要な trouble—he doesn't know what. Alick Finlayson knows much more of him than Mr. Marsden does."
"Alick Finlayson," repeated Ruth. "And do you make 任命s with Dr. Finlayson, too?"
It was Dolly's turn to 紅潮／摘発する, and she did it with a will.
"No, no," she said, "that would be more in Ann's line. She asks him to tea. I believe she is やめる gone."
It was やめる true. Ann, who had barely 許容するd young Marsden, and who could not speak civilly to 刑事 Maitland, in some mysterious manner had 許すd her heart to be touched by the shy Scotch doctor. Once or twice he had been called in to …に出席する on one of the servants, and Ann had even been known to stay at home from a 祈り 会合 when he might be 推定する／予想するd. She never 試みる／企てるd to 変える him. She never talked 宗教 in his presence, and once a week at least she asked him over to tea, when, as Dolly 観察するd sagely, there was always something decent to eat. And he （機の）カム whenever he could—was eager to come, in fact—but as Ruth saw only too plainly, the attraction was, not staid Ann, but pretty, flippant, careless Dolly; therefore she said pityingly—
"Poor Ann," and then 追加するd. "But how will you send your letter?"
"Tom Clegg will do anything in the world for me."
"Oh, Dolly, I wish you wouldn't flirt so. You flirt with Tom Clegg, poor boy; you flirt with Dr. Finlayson and, worst of all, with Roger Marsden. It's cruel."
"I don't, I don't, I don't," 抗議するd Dolly. "I never flirted with Roger Marsden in my life and I never will," from which Ruth 結論するd that 事柄s between her sister and that young man were likely to be very serious indeed.
They were strangely alone, the two girls, though they lived in the 中央 of a big family. Mrs. 認める and the 残り／休憩（する） were so 占領するd with their own work they hardly had time to bestow on them, and in that work they were never 推定する／予想するd to join. They were the idlers. Nothing was ever 推定する／予想するd of them unless, indeed, in times of 緊急 like that when the shearers' cook 出発／死d. And if Ann crammed her 宗教的な opinions 負かす／撃墜する their throats in season and out of season, and Lily scarcely took any notice of them at all, their uncle and aunt were always 肉親，親類d in their own rough way; and if Ruth endeavoured, as she いつかs did, to thank her aunt for all her 親切, that good lady 敏速に stopped her.
"Hush, my dear, hush; you're very welcome, as I told you the first day you （機の）カム. And as for working, there's no occasion. You and Dolly are just for ornament, and I like to see a pretty thing about me いつかs, and so does your uncle for all he says so little. So long as you're content we're happy; besides, you're a godsend with the children. Mrs. Desmond"—the new Irish governess, a pretty washed-out piece of faded gentility—"tells me she never could 請け負う the children if it wasn't for you. She says you tell them stories."
Impetuous Dolly put her arm 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the angular waist.
"Dear old aunt," she said, "I am sure you work too hard. Don't you think life was meant to be enjoyed just a little."
For a moment Mrs 認める unbent, and returned the caress, then she 押し進めるd her away, not ungently.
"There are many think like you, I know, Dolly," she said; "perhaps—who knows——But for me I have put my 手渡す to the plough and must not turn 支援する, and I look for my reward in the life to come."
The conversation drew the girls a little closer to their aunt.
"Poor old thing," said Dolly pityingly, when they talked it over. "What an awful 警告 not to marry into a pious family. However, she said we might do as we pleased, so I 投票（する） we do, Ruth."
Thus it happened that Dolly wrote 公式文書，認めるs to Roger Marsden and made 任命s with him and 刑事 Maitland in the most unblushing fashion, and Ruth, if she had her 疑問s as to the propriety of the course, was at least a 同意ing party. She was perfectly and utterly happy, and she never asked herself the 推論する／理由 why. Perhaps 深い 負かす／撃墜する in her heart was a latent idea that Maitland had something to do with it, but if so she had not 定評のある it even to herself. Yet waking and sleeping she dreamed of him, and now as she lay on the grass by the lake 味方する waiting for him, for she knew he would come いつか that afternoon, she went over and over again in her own mind all the little 出来事/事件s of their acquaintanceship till she fell sound asleep.
And Maitland—there was not a more 哀れな man in all the 幅の広い 植民地 of Victoria than Richard Maitland. Finlayson's 警告 had not fallen on dull ears. He knew he せねばならない tell the girls he was married, and he fully ーするつもりであるd to do so. He met them at Davey's 押し寄せる／沼地 and when they parted he was looking 今後 to another 会合, and yet he had not told them. A fortnight, a month passed—their friendship had grown closer, and yet he had not spoken. How could he? How could he? And then he asked himself another question, "What need was there for it? They could be friends, 広大な／多数の／重要な friends, but what need was there to tell those fair young girls how he had smirched and spoiled his life? Let him enjoy the 現在の—it could not last long. Ruth was very 甘い and lovable—someone would marry her ere long—Finlayson perhaps." The thought cost him a pang, but he looked it bravely in the 直面する; the 鉄道 would be finished soon and then he must leave the 地区 and their pleasant friendship would be at an end. Where was the good of bothering? But he never told Finlayson how often he went over to Kooringa, nor, indeed, did he ever について言及する Ruth and Dolly 認める at all.
And the doctor himself 持続するd a 控えめの silence. He had fallen hopelessly in love with Dolly; he was wise enough to see it was hopeless, and seeing that he never について言及するd her 指名する, kept away as much as possible from Kooringa and flung himself into his work with an ardour which 伸び（る）d for him a big practice, but which separated him more and more from his friend Maitland. So it happened he never knew how intimate the latter was with the girls and how often he went over to Kooringa.
And long before shearing time Maitland had discovered—what many a man has 設立する out before him—that の近くに friendship between man and woman if both are to remain heart whole and fancy 解放する／自由な, is an utter impossibility.
Heart whole and fancy 解放する／自由な! He had been so, spite of the 社債s that bound him when first he met Ruth. And then almost he thought he must have fallen in love with her the first moment he saw her, but he would not 認める it even to himself, and it was the end of September before he did 認める it. He was 哀れな enough then, and stayed away for a whole fortnight, and when next he met Ruth he read reproach in her 注目する，もくろむs, and muttered something about having been ill and very busy, and ended up by 約束ing Dolly, who 宣言するd volubly they had both 行方不明になるd him dreadfully, that he'd never do it again. He せねばならない tell her, he せねばならない tell her. It was not likely she would ever care for him as he cared for her, still he was not behaving 公正に／かなり to her. She did like him, and he was deceiving her—he せねばならない tell her at once, or he せねばならない go away. He was not やめる sure whether he ought not to do both, and yet he did neither. Each day he said, I will do it to-morrow, or I will not see her to-morrow, and yet when he took her 手渡す to 企て，努力，提案 her good-bye, and she asked him, "You will come again?" he could not resist the 招待 in her 注目する，もくろむs and on her lips, and then 悪口を言う／悪態d himself again and again for a fool and a madman.
He ought not to see her—he ought not to see her, he told himself so a thousand times, and yet that Sunday afternoon he 機動力のある his horse as usual and 棒 over to Kooringa.
As soon as he （機の）カム in sight of the little lake he dismounted, and, tying the reins to the stirrup, let the old 在庫／株 horse go, and walked on till he （機の）カム on Ruth lying 急速な／放蕩な asleep, her cheek pillowed on her 手渡す. He sat 負かす／撃墜する on the grass beside her and watched her. How pretty she was, how pretty, how dainty, how fair, and to think—to think.
刑事 Maitland, looking at his own life and seeing more 明確に in her presence what shipwreck he had made of it, covered his 直面する with his 手渡すs and groaned aloud.
Ruth rubbed her 注目する，もくろむs sleepily, then 開始 them wide, caught sight of him and sat up with a start.
"Oh, Mr. Maitland," she said. "What must you think of me? I believe you caught me asleep."
Maitland 回復するd himself, and took her outstretched 手渡す.
"井戸／弁護士席," he said, and he had worked himself up to such an extent that he was a little surprised to find he could speak 自然に, "what of that? It's a drowsy afternoon, and after all I am late."
"Yes, you are," said Ruth, with just a touch of coquetry in her トンs; "it was very good of me to wait for you at all, even though I did go to sleep."
"Very good," he acquiesced, as if he were 重さを計るing every word she said.
"What made you late?" she asked.
"I don't know," he said, "I don't think I should have come at all."
He was only playing with the truth; he knew he could not tell her, not now at least, not now; let him have one more happy afternoon, and he flung himself 負かす／撃墜する at her feet and began idly plucking up the grass by the roots.
"It's very unkind of you to say that," she said lightly, "when you knew I was waiting for you."
"I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to come," he said 真面目に. "Heavens, how I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to come."
She 紅潮／摘発するd and looked conscious under his earnest gaze. He had never spoken so to her before, and while his 良心 told him he was a brute and a coward, her heart ぱたぱたするd with 楽しみ, though she turned it off lightly as a woman will.
"井戸／弁護士席, you did come," she said, "and I am glad. Dolly and Mr. Marsden have gone for a walk 負かす／撃墜する by the creek. They 辞退するd to wait any longer; it just shows you how 許すing I am."
"You went to sleep."
"井戸／弁護士席, I didn't till I'd finished '陸軍大佐 Enderby's Wife.' There was nothing else to do then."
"And how do you like it?" he asked 選ぶing up the 調書をとる／予約する and turning over the leaves.
"Oh, very much, very much indeed. Poor 陸軍大佐 Enderby, arn't you sorry for him? But Jessie, she is a—a——"
"You cant find words bad enough for her."
"No. I hope she's not true to life. I do hope there are no women like her in the world. Do you think there are?"
"At least she was 甘い and lovable," he said with a 激しい sigh, "and that is something."
"Oh, no, no, no. She's altogether horrid. Do you know any women like her?"
"井戸／弁護士席, I shouldn't recognise them if I did, you see; that's a necessity of the 事例／患者, but there are many very strange things in this world of ours."
"It's a very nice old world, isn't it?" said Ruth, "though people 乱用 it so."
She looked so happy, so innocently happy—he could have flung himself 直面する downwards on the earth and groaned aloud, but he only said—
"I don't think you know much of the world, 行方不明になる Ruth."
"No, I don't," she said, "I wish I did. How can I shut up here? I never see anything or hear anything or learn anything. You are my only link with the outside world. I'm very happy here, and yet いつかs, when I think it over, I seem to be wasting my time fearfully. I shall be twenty-four next February, and I know so very little; there couldn't be a more ignorant girl anywhere."
"Ignorant? I don't see that. You are a most 遂行するd young lady. You play and sing beautifully, you make your own dresses, and you tell me you can cook. What more do you want?"
"Oh, I didn't mean in that way. But I am ignorant. Dolly and I live in a little 狭くする world of our own, with our own little 悲しみs and our own little griefs, and we know nothing of the ways of the world. I want to know something of the other men and women who live in this world—something of their joys and 悲しみs. I want to understand more. Don't you see? I'm just beginning to realise that I know nothing whatever."
He looked up at her. She was not looking at him, but was gazing out across the water, her lips just parted in a smile. What was she longing for? What peace, what happiness could a greater knowledge of the world bring her?
"Ah, my child, my child," he said sadly, "the knowledge that you want is only 伸び（る）d at bitter cost. Be content child, be content."
She looked 負かす／撃墜する at him wonderingly.
What could he mean? He turned his 直面する away and rose to his feet.
"Here come the other two," he said. "I'm afraid it's getting late."
That night when he entered his little sitting-room at Mullin's Hill his old chum Alick Finlayson rose up out of his 平易な 議長，司会を務める, where he had been smoking and reading The Argus.
"Hallo!" he said. "Where have you been, 刑事? I've been waiting for you the last two hours."
刑事 muttered something inaudible, and the doctor went on—
"I've come to apologise. I hope no 広大な／多数の／重要な 害（を与える）'s done, but I must cry peccavi. The 地位，任命する brought me a newspaper yesterday, which I didn't open till to-day, and there in the 倍のs was this letter, 演説（する）／住所d to you."
Maitland took it and read it. It was very short.
"Nothing wrong I hope?" said his friend.
"No." Maitland's 発言する／表明する sounded hoarse and husky. "It doesn't make any difference, I suppose. It's from—from my wife. The Killarney's in, and she says she'll be in Ballarat on Monday."
"刑事, 刑事, old chap!" Englishmen are never demonstrative, but the doctor gripped his friends 手渡す as one who would say, 'I understand—I pity.' "刑事, it's hard lines on you."
"My God, my God!" said 刑事, giving way for a moment. "I wish I were dead—I wish I were dead."
"Aunt," said Dolly, next morning at breakfast, "we せねばならない be thinking of our summer things. It's getting やめる hot."
"Yes, my dear," said Mrs. 認める, "I thought about that. I ordered two rolls of print from town last week, and there's any 量 of calico in the 蓄える／店. The children want new dresses, poor things, but really I'm so busy I don't know which way to turn. I must try and get a sewing girl out from Ballarat."
"Oh, Auntie," said Ruth, "if you'll 信用 us, Dolly and I'll make the girls new frocks."
"井戸／弁護士席, my dears, you're very good and you really do work so much better than Ann or Lily."
Ann looked 悩ますd, but Lily laughed good-humouredly. The world was going 井戸／弁護士席 with Lily. James Wilson, the 経営者／支配人 at Titura, a man after Mr. 認める's own heart, had come 法廷，裁判所ing his buxom daughter, his affections had been 報いるd, and everything had been comfortably settled the week before, and Lily, therefore, happy in herself, heard with equanimity her mother 賞賛する her cousins.
"That's true," she said. "I always hated sticking in the house sewing."
"井戸／弁護士席, there're two sorts of print—pink with white 位置／汚点／見つけ出すs and white with pink," said Mrs. 認める, calmly. "The pink せねばならない 控訴 you, Dolly, and the white'll do for you, Ruth."
Ruth saw a look on her sister's 直面する which showed her she hardly relished appearing in the same uniform as the 残り／休憩（する） of the 認める family.
"You are very 肉親，親類d, Auntie," she said, "but Dolly and I never thought of using your stuff. We thought, perhaps, you might let us go into Ballarat some day this week and lay in a 在庫／株 of summer things."
"Certainly," said Mrs. 認める, "you can go into Ballarat to-morrow if you like, Ruth. You'd better stop the night at Mrs. Young's, and we'll send into Gaffer's Flat for you on Wednesday."
What woman does not delight in a day's shopping? Ruth and Dolly did, at any 率, and enjoyed to the 十分な their day's 遠出. Their purse was slender, it was true, but then their wants were few. When young ladies make their own dresses, do their own millinery, go to no balls and parties, and 支払う／賃金 no calls, a little money goes a long way; besides which, much to their astonishment, their aunt, just as they were starting, had put a five-続けざまに猛撃する 公式文書，認める into Ruth's 手渡す.
"There, my dear," she said, awkwardly, "you just take it and spend it. I was young myself once, and I liked pretty things. Maybe it was wrong, but I did. Lily and Ann, they don't, but you and Dolly do, so just you go and enjoy yourselves."
And they did enjoy themselves. They made their simple 購入（する）s and gazed at the wonders of dressmaking and millinery 陳列する，発揮するd in the drapers windows with keenest enjoyment, for the woman who takes no 利益／興味 in her dress must certainly have something radically wrong with her. At last they decided to put off その上の shopping till they had refreshed themselves with a cup of afternoon tea.
They turned into Lydiard-street, and Dolly stopped opposite a confectioner's.
"Here you are," she said.
A woman stood 権利 in the doorway leaning rather helplessly against one of the door-地位，任命するs. She was a middle-老年の woman, with a 幅の広い red 直面する that might have been handsome in a masculine way twenty years before, but now was coarse and bloated. Her 注目する，もくろむs were half の近くにd, and her mouth fell open in an imbecile leer, showing that she had lost her 前線 teeth. Her dress was a 有望な red cashmere, trimmed with some 肉親，親類d of gold braid that glittered in the sun, but one 味方する was all covered with dust and dirt, as it she had fallen ひどく; while her bonnet, which was gay and loud, hung on to the 支援する of her 長，率いる by a pair of crumpled red 略章s.
The woman looked at them with filmy 注目する，もくろむs.
"My dears," she said huskily, "I'm so ill; oh dear, so ill. The 苦痛—it takes my breath away"—and she put her 手渡す to her 味方する.
"Poor thing," said Ruth; "she must be ill."
"She looks very horrid though," whispered Dolly.
"Call me a cab," muttered the woman, putting her 長，率いる on one 味方する. "Oh dear! Oh, dear! I'm so faint, and I'm not used to 存在 alone."
The girls looked at one another, and then 支援する at the gorgeously dressed woman. If she were ill, really ill, they would have 喜んで helped her, but they had a natural dislike to 存在 mixed up in a street scene, and the girl behind the 反対する in the shop made no movement to come to her 援助（する）, but looked at her with evident disfavour.
"Shall we call a cab?" hesitated Dolly doubtfully.
A tall policeman （機の）カム along the street and stopped opposite them. He, too, paused a moment, then laid his 手渡す on the woman's arm.
"Come," he said curtly, "isn't it about time you was agoin' home?"
"Oh, policeman," said Ruth, turning to the 後見人 of the peace with a feeling of 救済; "is the poor thing ill, do you think?"
"Drunk as a lord, 行方不明になる," said the policeman, turning a good-humoured smiling 直面する on her. "She's been in the sun, she has."
The girls drew 支援する.
"There ain't no 原因（となる） for you to be alarmed, ladies," he said. "Come, missus, you '広告 best be going home."
The woman turned on him.
"Been in the sun, have I?" she 叫び声をあげるd. "I'll teach you to take away a lady's character," and she 注ぐd out on him a string of the vilest 乱用 Ruth had ever heard.
For a moment the two girls stood 在庫／株 still, and, turning to make their escape, （機の）カム 直面する to 直面する with 刑事 Maitland.
"Oh, Mr. Maitland," cried Ruth in her delight, "that awful woman!"
But he looked white and 厳しい, and passed her by almost as if he had not seen her.
"I'll take 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of her, constable," he said, and Ruth hardly recognised his 発言する／表明する, so changed did it sound. "Here, call me a cab, will you, please?" and he slipped some silver into the man's 手渡す.
The woman changed her トン, and, clutching at the door-地位，任命する, again began whimpering—
"刑事, 刑事, you always were hard on me. 刑事, 刑事," and the policeman 抗議するd—
"But she's drunk and disorderly, sir. I'd better lock her up, affrightening these ladies."
"Never mind," said Maitland, "call a cab, like a good fellow. I'm the proper person to look after her. For Heaven's sake, don't let's have a scene if we can help it."
The last words 解任するd Ruth to her senses.
"Come, Dolly," she said, entering the shop, "let's order our tea."
From the window she watched the drunken woman 存在 bundled into a cab by Maitland and the policeman.
"She's a nice one, she is," said the girl behind the 反対する. "I wonder what that gentleman has to do with her."
Ruth wondered too, and Dolly spoke out her thoughts as they sat over their peaches and cream.
"I wonder what Mr. Maitland had to do with that woman? He didn't look as if he liked it, either."
"I thought he looked rather ill," said Ruth.
"Yes, he did. Did you know he was coming to Ballarat?"
"No," said Ruth. "We agreed to 会合，会う at Davey's 押し寄せる／沼地 this afternoon. And then, when I 設立する we were coming into Ballarat to-day, I sent him a 公式文書，認める by Willie."
"I wonder if he （機の）カム into town because we were coming?" said Dolly.
正確に／まさに what Ruth had been wondering, only she did not like to put her thoughts into words even to her sister, and only said—
"Oh no, of course not. I 推定する／予想する it was something to do with the 鉄道."
"Anyhow," 示唆するd Dolly, "he's sure to come 支援する once he's seen us here. We'd better wait a little," and Ruth, nothing loth, agreed with her suggestion.
But he never （機の）カム, and when the town clock chimed 5, Ruth, more disappointed than she cared to own, decided it was no use waiting any longer, and they had better go on with their shopping.
But it had lost its charm. Dolly 急落（する），激減（する）d into it again with just the same zest, but Ruth kept asking herself why had not 刑事 Maitland spoken to her, and what had he to do with that drunken woman who had most distinctly called him "刑事?" They might 会合，会う him in the streets next morning, they would be in Sturt-street, and if he were there he would very likely see them; but then—but then the chances were against it.
But whether he wished to see them or not, they did not 会合，会う, and at twelve the two girls laden with their 購入（する）s started for home, and at Gaffer's Flat Willie met them as he had done four months before. They were glad to see him, and he 迎える／歓迎するd them with a grin of welcome, and 宣言するd he was glad they were 支援する, for the house wasn't the same without them.
"Mother 'll be glad you're 支援する, too; mother will," he said. "I think she gets a bit tired of all the psalm-singing herself いつかs, for all she sticks to it so."
"I took your letter over on Monday night," he went on, "but I didn't get a chance to tell you about it yesterday morning."
"Yes."
"Maitland wasn't there. He'd gone in to Ballarat."
Ruth said nothing, but the pleasant little 城 she had built 崩壊するd to 廃虚s at once. He had not gone to 会合，会う her, then; and Willie 追加するd, "So of course I couldn't give him your letter. He'd left a 公式文書，認める for me though in 事例／患者 I called, and inside was one for you. Here it is. I couldn't give it to you yesterday."
"Why not?"
"Oh, I daresay. And have father and mother and Ann and all the 残り／休憩（する） of them clamouring to know what I was doing at Mullin's Hill. You know as 井戸／弁護士席 as possible I have to こそこそ動く out of my bedroom window when they think I'm in bed."
"That's rather—rather——-"
"Now, Ruth, don't you begin preachee-preachee. I guess you wouldn't like me to tell father how often you girls 会合，会う Marsden and Maitland. Why, last week I saw you both in the 農園 in the moonlight talking to Marsden. You wouldn't like me to tell that. I 推定する／予想する the others thought you had gone to bed."
"So we had," said Ruth 熱望して. "We had, indeed. Only you see, Mr. Marsden was so busy with the shearing we hadn't a chance to speak to him in the daytime. He had something particular to tell us, so he just walked up and 負かす／撃墜する outside our window till we saw him and went out to him."
"You got through your window, too, I'll bet."
"井戸／弁護士席, there's no other way out of our room. The boys were in bed. We oftener use the window than the door."
"Oh, I'm not 説 it's wrong. Only don't preach to me. If father wasn't such an old donkey you could 会合，会う both Marsden and Maitland indoors, and I shouldn't have to こそこそ動く over to Mullin's Hill when I 手配中の，お尋ね者 a 麻薬を吸う of タバコ or a glass of beer."
True enough, Ruth thought as she read Maitland's letter. It was very short.
"Dear 行方不明になる Ruth," he began. "I am so disappointed I shall not be able to come over to-morrow. I find I have to be in Ballarat on that day on most important 商売／仕事, which I 恐れる will 占領する me the greater part of the week.
"I am the more disappointed, for my work here is so nearly done that I'm afraid my pleasant times are nearly at an end.
"心から, I am, yours,
"RICHARD MAITLAND."
Then he 追加するd a postscript.
"May I come over on Sunday?"
Short as the letter was it had cost him a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 of thought. What 権利 had he to 令状 it at all? What 権利 to 表明する 失望? And yet what else could he do? Even though he were married, he had no 権利 to 扱う／治療する this girl who had been 肉親，親類d to him churlishly. He had made an 任命 with her, he must at least apologise for not keeping it. He wrote at least a dozen 公式文書，認めるs and tore them all up, and 倍のd up the last in sheer despair.
He ought never to see Ruth again. He would get Finlayson to explain everything to her, and go away and never see her again. Then again he remembered how intimate they had become. It would be unkind, cruel, to leave her to be told by a stranger—and never to see her again, never to see her again—if it were only to say good-bye he must see her again once more, so he 追加するd the postscript "May I come over on Sunday?" And Ruth, reading his letter, began to count the hours till she should see him.
When they arrived at the house their aunt and all the children met them very much as they had done on the evening of their first arrival.
"井戸／弁護士席, here you are, 支援する again, girls," said their aunt. "I'm sure I'm glad to see you."
"We never thought you'd be home so 早期に," said Ruth, kissing her.
"井戸／弁護士席, my dear, I stopped away from the mothers' 会合 just to be home when you （機の）カム. I'm afraid I neglected my 義務. Children, don't be mauling your cousins now."
"You're a dear old thing," said Dolly, "and we'll be far more 感謝する than a dozen mothers' 会合s. Come along and see what we've bought."
Mrs. 認める had a little struggle with herself. She was woman enough to want to see the things, but 恐れるd that it was carnal-minded of her to take an 利益／興味 in such frivolities. Neither Ann nor Lily 存在 by, womanliness 伸び（る）d the day, and she followed the girls into their room.
Sunday （機の）カム at last, a 有望な and glorious Sunday as the last had been, and once more Ruth sat on the 利ざや of the lake waiting for 刑事 Maitland, and, as usual, Roger Marsden and Dolly had impatiently 宣言するd they could not wait, and had strolled away together. It was curious how very eager they were for one another's company now. They saw a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 of each other, and yet it never seemed to be enough.
As for Ruth, how she wished Maitland would come! She felt as if it would be impossible for her to pass another day without seeing him. Why was he so late? She rose to her feet impatiently, and looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する. Three o'clock—half-past three—oh, why did he not come? Why should she wait here? She had half a mind to go home. But no, she must wait for Dolly, even if Maitland did not come. And she must see Maitland—she must; what would the 残り／休憩（する） of the week be like if she did not see him to-day?
At last she heard the sound of muffled hoof-（警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域s on the grass behind, and looking 一連の会議、交渉／完成する saw him ride up to the woolshed, dismount, fasten up his horse, and come に向かって her.
He had come, then, at last; then—at last—at last—at last—and she rose to her feet and 迎える／歓迎するd him calmly, all the more calmly, perhaps, that she had been so wildly desirous of his presence a few minutes ago.
It is a curious thing how people will go 一連の会議、交渉／完成する an important point. It is there in their hearts; it is the thing they most ardently 願望（する） to speak upon, and yet they will waste their time talking of the most trivial 事柄s. So it was now. All the week Ruth had been 十分な of the scene in Ballarat; she had 推測するd till she was sick on the 関係 of that woman to Maitland, the woman who had called him 刑事 with an 空気／公表する of proprietorship. She was too young to be his mother, he had told her he had no sister—what was she then? Perhaps she had nothing to do with him at all—was just a woman he had known and 保護するd out of pure 親切; but if so why had he not sought them out afterwards? All this she had made up her mind to ask him on the first 適切な時期, and now that it had come she was 事実上 dumb, or at least talked about things which 利益／興味d her not at all, save that it was, she 定評のある it now, even to herself, a keen 楽しみ just to talk to him.
"You are late," she said, as he took his seat beside her.
"Yes," he said, "I am sorry. 許す me. You have a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 to 許す," he 追加するd.
"Of course; 特に if you ask me like that. I don't think the offence is as terrible as all that."
He turned away his 直面する, and then lay 負かす／撃墜する at 十分な length on the grass. What would she say when she knew everything? Would she 許す him that too? And he must tell her this afternoon; but there was all the afternoon before him—he would put it off a little; there was no hurry, no hurry; and he lay on the ground and 星／主役にするd up at the blue sky, and they discussed every 支配する under the sun save the one that was nearest their hearts. At last Maitland made up his mind with a mighty 成果／努力,
"行方不明になる Ruth," he said, "I have something to tell you; something I ought to have told you long ago. For pity's sake, don't think more hardly of me than you can help because I 港／避難所't."
He stole a look at her 直面する. It was 紅潮／摘発するd and agitated.
"Yes," she said, "yes."
"My child, I—I——"
"Oh, here come those children," said Ruth; "you せねばならない have told me before." And then, finding her courage as she saw her 適切な時期s slipping away, "And I have been wanting to ask you about—about—that woman."
The children were の近くに at 手渡す now, five of them. He saw he should have no chance of answering her question, and was weakly thankful for the 一時的休止，執行延期.
"What woman?" he asked.
"Why that one—surely you remember—the awful drunken creature you put in a cab and drove away with."
She put no direct question, but plainly as words could say her 発言する／表明する and her 注目する，もくろむs asked, "What was she to you?"
Now was his chance. Even with those children の近くに upon them he could have spoken the four little words which would have told her the truth. He had only to say, "She is my wife;" but the children were upon them, and he could have said no more. What he wished to say he hardly knew himself. What he could say in extenuation, in explanation, he did not know, but at least he was not strong enough to blurt out the 明らかにする untarnished truth and leave her to think what she might of him, to 耐える it, if it cost her anything, as best she might.
"It was a disgraceful 商売／仕事," he said, turning his 直面する away, and it seemed to him some other man was speaking, so 緊張するd did his own 発言する／表明する sound in his ears—"a terrible 商売／仕事. I was so sorry you should see it."
"But since we did," she began.
"Ruth, Ruth," and three little girls and two boys flung themselves 負かす／撃墜する on the grass beside her, "you said you'd tell us a story."
"Not now, dears; don't you see I'm talking to Mr. Maitland."
"Yes, but you said 'by-and-by' when we asked you before," said Ted.
"What am I to do?" asked Ruth, 控訴，上告ing to Maitland. "I suppose I must tell them the story as I 約束d. You might have come earlier, you know, if you had cared to," she 追加するd a little reproachfully. She was bolder now that the children were there, and said things she would never have dared to say if they had been alone.
"It wasn't because I didn't care," he said 真面目に; "but there, tell them the story and send them away. I have something I must say to you."
Ruth's heart began to （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 危険に, but she asked calmly—
"What sort of a story am I to tell you?"
"Wolves and 耐えるs and Indians," said Ted.
"About a faiwy pwincess and the wolf what's in the woodhouse," 示唆するd Vera.
"Shut up," said Ted in 軽蔑（する）. "Go on, Ruth."
Thus exhorted Ruth began and told them the story of Jacob and Esau, his brother, and how the younger by （手先の）技術 and 詐欺 deceived his blind old father and robbed the 年上の of his birthright.
"It was a shame," said Ted, flinging a 石／投石する with all his might into the lake, "a beastly shame. If I'd been Esau I'd have chawed Jacob up that time they met afterwards, wouldn't you, Ruth?"
"Esau was a good man, and so forgave his brother, dear. It was the best way."
"All the same, I wish there'd been a fight. I wouldn't have forgiven him."
"It was 権利," said Ruth again.
Maitland raised his 長，率いる. He had been lying on his 直面する, his 長，率いる pillowed on his 武器, but she knew by some subtle instinct that no words of hers escaped him. Now he asked—
"Would you, do you think! Would you?"
"Would I what?"
"許す if anyone deceived you?"
"How can I tell?" she said. "It depends so much on whether I cared or not. But no, I don't think I could 許す, and then I never could think the same of the person who did it."
"Anyone you loved, for instance?"
"Dolly," said Ruth, thinking of the only creature in the world who belonged to her. "Oh, if Dolly were to deceive me it would break my heart, I think."
"Or anyone who loved you?"
"But—anyone who loved me wouldn't deceive me."
"Ah, little you know, child, little you know."
"Mustn't call Wuth child," said Vera.
The other children, finding the conversation no longer 利益／興味d them had wandered away 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the lake, but this one still kept her seat nestling up to Ruth. Maitland 手配中の，お尋ね者 her gone, and yet he welcomed her, because he thought how utterly impossible it was to make the 発覚 with her sitting by listening with all her ears.
"You were going to tell me when the children （機の）カム up all about that—that woman," said Ruth, thoughtfully. She felt she could not let this go on any longer.
"Yes, but the 推論する／理由 why I should not still 持つ／拘留するs good, doesn't it?" he said, ちらりと見ることing at the child.
"Not at all. Tell it in some other person's 指名する. Our friend won't know who you're talking about."
It was an 開始 and he 掴むd it 熱望して. In another man's 指名する he could tell his story, and tell it far better with the child sitting there to 行為／法令／行動する as a check on him, should he be tempted to go too far.
"It's not a pretty story," he said, 製図／抽選 his 手渡す across his 乾燥した，日照りの lips, and wishing once again he had been dead and buried before ever he had seen her, "but you せねばならない have known it long ago—only, only 許す me—I never had the courage to tell you—but I hope—I think no mischief has been done except to the unfortunate man himself."
"Yes," said Ruth, her 直面する 十分な of eager 利益／興味 and sympathy. "Yes, go on."
"井戸／弁護士席, it's a little over nine years ago now. About that time a young fellow 指名するd Thomson was …に出席するing lectures at the University, do you understand?"
"Yes," she said, wondering who Thomson could be.
"He wasn't 井戸／弁護士席 off; he couldn't afford much; so he lived in a rather uncomfortable 搭乗-house in Carlton. You can't 推定する／予想する much for a 続けざまに猛撃する a week; and he didn't, but 株d his room with a chum and made the best of it. They had very little amusement, for they couldn't afford to go out much, and both were 猛烈に anxious to get on in the professions they had chosen. 自然に it was dull, terribly dull, but they looked for their reward in the days to come. Then to this dingy 搭乗-house （機の）カム one day a young woman—a young 未亡人 she called herself—指名するd Lester. She was rather good-looking—not very—but still passable. You saw that woman on Tuesday—井戸／弁護士席, you can imagine what she was before drink had coarsened her 直面する, and, though she was probably over thirty, even then, years older than Thomson, he, young fool that he was, fell in love with her. Now he knows she made a desperate 始める，決める at him, but then he thought her everything that was charming. There was some excuse for him, just a little, I think—she lived in the same house with him—he saw no other woman, and it was pleasant of an evening to go into the shabby sitting-room and listen to her singing and playing on the 割れ目d old piano. He thought he was musical in those days, the young donkey, and she flattered him to the 最高の，を越す of his bent. She had a little girl, too—rather a nice little thing, about that child's size—and after she had been singing a very sentimental song she used to take little Emmie in her 武器 and kiss her and cry over her and call her her poor 孤児d darling, and then she would look over at the young idiot on the sofa opposite looking on sympathetically at the little 国内の 演劇 存在 制定するd for his 利益, and sigh—
"'Ah, Mr. Thomson. It's a terrible thing to be left alone in the world.'
"Don't think I'm defending him. He was a young fool. He walked into it with his 注目する，もくろむs open. His chum 警告するd him over and over again; he himself felt instinctively that there was something that did not （犯罪の）一味 true about the woman, he knew much was put on, but he saw also it was put on for his 利益—he was just at the age to be flattered by the attentions of a woman older than himself, he stifled the inward 監視する, he paid no 注意する to his chum's 警告s, he quarrelled with him in fact, and then the flirtation grew 急速な／放蕩な and furious. He certainly had no 意向 of marrying her then, but she sought him and he let himself drift. Then little Emmie fell sick—typhoid the doctor said—worse and worse she grew, till at last she died. The mother was frantic. I don't know whether she really cared—I suppose she did—but she carried on like a mad thing. She was alone in the world—the only creature that had loved her was dead, &c.—till young Thomson, like the fool he was told her not to cry, not to break her heart, for she should never feel herself alone while he was alive to take care of her. Even then he never meant to marry her, but she was a clever woman, she understood how to manage him, and before the week was out she had him hard and 急速な／放蕩な. His chum （機の）カム 一連の会議、交渉／完成する once more and begged him 真面目に not to make a fool of himself—to 削減（する） and run if there were no other way out of the 商売／仕事. And he took the high horse—he was a gentleman, he was a man of honour, he had passed his word to marry this woman, and marry her he would, and marry her he did, too—three days later at the registry office in Carlton. He was so miserably poor that I have often wondered since why she 手配中の，お尋ね者 him; perhaps she loved him after her own fashion. But that very day he 設立する out what a terrible mistake he had made. He …に出席するd lectures as usual and when he （機の）カム home he 設立する his wife—his new-made wife—roaring drunk, 涙／ほころびing 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the house half dressed, banging everything and everybody with a half empty brandy 瓶／封じ込める."
Maitland paused and moistened his 乾燥した，日照りの lips. Did she understand who Thomson was—why he was telling her this tale—did she understand? If she did, it was evident she did not care for him, for, though she was 深く，強烈に 利益／興味d she sat 静める and 静かな, though the sweat stood on his forehead, and his mouth was 乾燥した，日照りの and his 発言する／表明する husky.
"井戸／弁護士席," he went on, "there's not much more to tell. She was his wife—irrevocably his wife. He had put on the 社債s himself, and no one on earth could break them. He must make the best of it, and a very bad best it was. She was drunk at least once a fortnight—how she had kept straight during the six weeks of their 法廷，裁判所ing, I'm sure I don't know; but she never did it again. They were turned out of the 搭乗-house; they went to another, and in a month had to leave that. He never dared 信用 her with money, and even when she had 非，不，無 she would pawn her 着せる／賦与するs for drink. No one knows the 悲惨 of his life for the next three or four year but himself; but he won his degree at last, and then an old uncle dying and leaving him a little money he managed to live apart from his wife. For two or three years he lived happily enough; he made it up with his old friend—they were chums once more—he was getting on in his profession, and いつかs even he forgot the 存在 of the woman who had spoiled his life. Then again, she （機の）カム to him 約束ing reformation, begging and praying to be taken 支援する. What was he to do? After all, he had married her of his own 解放する／自由な will, and he took her 支援する. She was an idle slattern, but she kept straight enough for a year or two; then this year she broke out again. He was doing pretty 井戸／弁護士席 at his profession by now, so in sheer desperation he sent her home to England by a temperance ship. She was not to land, but was to come straight out again. During her absence"—Maitland's 発言する／表明する was getting very husky now, and he 設立する it harder than ever to go on—"during her absence Thomson and his chum by the purest chance were introduced to two pretty girls. Again his chum 警告するd him, and again he paid no 注意する. Every day he said, 'I will never see her again'—いつかs he managed to stay away—いつかs he said to himself, 'I will tell her to-day I am married, and then she will hate and despise me,' but he never did. Don't think more hardly of him than you can help, for indeed his life is not 価値（がある） living. I don't suppose she gives him a second thought, but he—he loves the ground she walks on; and the Killarney was in the bay last Saturday, and—that woman—you saw her on Tuesday."
He stopped and hid his 直面する on his 武器 again.
He had done it at last, and did she understand? She was very 静かな and still, and the suspense was more than he could 耐える. He could hear his own heart （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing wildly, and almost fancied she must hear it, too. Evidently she had never cared for him, and he had fancied that day in Ballarat in the momentary glimpse he had of her that he had read love in her 注目する，もくろむs. It was best not—much best—he would not have her 苦しむ as he was 苦しむing. Then he raised his 直面する again, and Ruth said with infinite pity in her トンs—
"Poor fellow, poor, poor fellow. Of course, I know whom you mean. So that is his story. I always thought there was something, he is so 静かな and 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な, and seems to try and keep out of one's way—but I am not worried about her, I'm glad to say, because——you see you see——"
Maitland looked at her in astonishment. She had not understood him after all then, and for one moment a 広大な／多数の／重要な 急ぐ of gladness filled his heart. He followed her 注目する，もくろむs and saw she was looking across at her sister and Marsden, who were の近くに upon them. She surely could not think he was in love with Dolly—but no, it had evidently not struck her he was telling his own story at all—did she think it was Marsden's—and then it （機の）カム upon him with a flash—she thought he meant Alick Finlayson. He had thought him in love with Ruth, but he might very かもしれない be mistaken, it might be Dolly after all. He could have cried aloud in his 苦痛 and 悲惨. He had tried to do his 義務—late in the day though it was—he had tried to tell her, and in the telling he had only shown himself how dear she was to him, while she only thought he was telling Alick Finlayson's story. It was worse than ever now. How could he tell her?
The other two （機の）カム up and Marsden stirred him gently with his foot.
"井戸／弁護士席, I like you, Maitland," he said, "is this the way you've spent the afternoon. It must have been awfully entertaining for Vera and 行方不明になる Ruth."
Marsden was in the wildest spirits. Dolly sat 負かす／撃墜する demurely by her sister's 味方する, and Roger 掴むd Vera and 投げ上げる／ボディチェックするd her up in his 武器.
"井戸／弁護士席, my poppet," he said, "I hope you're beginning to think about the marriage festivities."
"Oh, Woger," cried the little girl, putting her 武器 一連の会議、交渉／完成する his neck, "you said I was too little, an' you'd have to mawwy some one else fwist."
"Did I, did I really? Was I so ungallant as all that? Who shall I marry then?"
Vera looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する and 調査するd the two girls 批判的に.
"Mawwy Dolly," she 示唆するd in all good 約束.
"A very sensible idea, upon my word," said Marsden, sitting 負かす／撃墜する 厳粛に and looking at Dolly's blushing 直面する, "Vera, you're a very discerning young person. 行方不明になる Ruth, I have something to tell you. Maitland I don't think I'll mind you, because you're a friend of the family, but—井戸／弁護士席—井戸／弁護士席."
"井戸／弁護士席 what?" asked Ruth.
It is curious what difficulty a man has in explaining to a woman's family that he has asked that woman to be his wife.
"The fact of the 事柄 is," he said 猛烈に, "I have just asked your sister to be my wife, and she said 'Yes.'"
"Oh," gasped Ruth. She had not 推定する／予想するd that communication やめる so soon and it 公正に／かなり took away her breath. Then she 回復するd herself, gave Dolly's 手渡す a 祝賀の little squeeze, and held out her own to Marsden.
"Indeed," she said, "I am very glad—very glad. I hope you'll both be very happy."
Maitland rose up and held out his 手渡す too.
"You're a lucky dog, Marsden," he said. "You always were, but I believe you deserve it. 行方不明になる Dolly, I've known him all my life, and I 保証する you he's a 動揺させるing good fellow."
It seemed to him terribly hard. He had just been reviewing his own wasted, spoiled life, and his old schoolmate （機の）カム and all unconsciously flaunted his happiness in his 直面する.
"We regard you in the light of a 厳しい parent, Ruth, you know," said Dolly, blushing and finding her 発言する／表明する at last, "and we've been awfully afraid of what you'd say."
"Is you goin' to mawwy, Dolly?" asked Vera, who had been 熱望して looking from one to another, puckering up her small 直面する in an 成果／努力 to understand.
"Yes, yes; I hope so," said Marsden, kissing her. "You see," he went on, "it's no good stopping here. I've got on pretty 井戸／弁護士席, certainly. Started last May as rousabout, and now I'm overseer; but there's not the faintest prospect of getting any higher with a true Christian like James Wilson stopping the way, and I don't suppose anyone would take a man from the Hallelujah 駅／配置する. See this is what I thought of doing. That blessed old 投資 of 地雷 in Queensland is 現実に looking up. At 現在の it 約束s to 支払う／賃金 me a hundred a year; it isn't much, but it's better than nothing. Now, I think of taking up land in the Heytesbury Forest. It's awfully rich land and only wants （疑いを）晴らすing. Dolly"—he ぐずぐず残るd over her 指名する half shyly—"says she won't mind 存在 a selector's wife, and though I don't suppose we'll ever be rich, still in time to come we せねばならない be comfortably off. It's not much to 申し込む／申し出, but——"
"But I'm 満足させるd," said Dolly, shyly. "And I'm the most important person. Ar'n't I, Ruth?"
"Yes, dear," said Ruth, "and, as 厳しい parent, I wonder what I せねばならない say. Dolly's happy, and that's the main thing."
"You evidently wer'n't 削減（する） out for a 厳しい parent if that's all you think about," said Maitland. "The foolish happiness of the young folks is not, as a 支配する, the first thing to be considered."
"Yes, it is—of course it is. How horridly mercenary you are. 井戸／弁護士席, Mr. Maitland, since I 認可する, what's the next thing to be done?"
"について言及する it to your uncle and aunt?"
"Yes, I suppose so. They have been very 肉親，親類d to us in their own way, though they have left us a good 取引，協定 to ourselves. I think it was the kindest thing they could do."
"They're sure to 反対する to me on the 得点する／非難する／２０ of my godlessness," 不平（をいう）d Marsden.
"I'm not so sure of that," said Ruth. "They don't regard Dolly as a saint. Do you know, young people, it's getting awfully late, and I think we せねばならない be going home. We'll be late for tea, I'm sure."
"I'll come with you," 示唆するd Marsden, "and 取り組む the old gentleman at once. Nothing like striking while the アイロンをかける's hot. Let's start;" and Dolly and he, with Vera 粘着するing to his 手渡す went on ahead.
"I must go, too," said Ruth, looking up at Maitland, as they stood 味方する by 味方する.
"I hate to let you go," he said, turning and walking with her, "I hate to let you go."
The sun was 沈むing low now, sending his long level beams 権利 across the lake. The gum-trees in the 農園 cast long lean 影をつくる／尾行するs on the grass, but the sunbeams ちらりと見ることd from the still glassy lake, and brought out lines of gold in her fair hair and a 有望な colour into her fair 直面する. How dainty she was—how lovable, how bewitching and yet she could never be anything to him. He walked beside her in silence, and she, stealing a ちらりと見ること at him in the evening light, thought that, like her, he was silent only because, like her, his heart was 十分な and he was utterly happy. He loved her—he had said no word, but it was written in his 直面する, and who shall 非難する her if she read it there. Between friends silence is いつかs the very truest 調印する of friendship, and she had no 疑惑s in her heart, when she turned by the garden gate to 企て，努力，提案 him good-bye. She hardly dared raise her 注目する，もくろむs to his 直面する, so conscious was she of a vague something between them that had never been there before—something that had been born of the long 静かな afternoon together, and that one 熱烈な, "I hate to let you go."
"I shall be late home," he said, with his 手渡す on the gate, so that she could not pass.
"Yes," she said, and then 追加するd, raising her shy dark 注目する，もくろむs for one 簡潔な／要約する second to his 直面する, "When will you come again?"
He had meant to tell her this afternoon—he had told her to the best of his ability, and now she did not understand, and it was harder than ever.
"May I 令状 to you?" he asked. "Willie will bring the letter."
"Yes, of course—only—I hope you'll come soon. I shall have a lot of daisy 選ぶing to do now, and I think you せねばならない help me."
She was sure he cared to be with her, so very sure just at this moment that she did not mind asking him to come, and he was miserably conscious that if he stayed a moment longer he would betray himself. He said nothing in answer to her question, he literally could not, and she 追加するd, "I must go—we have walked so slowly I shall be late as it is. Good bye, then, for the 現在の."
He opened the gate and let her pass through; then as it の近くにd again he leaned over and took her 手渡す as if to say good bye.
"There is a 障壁 between us," she said, feeling the silence a little uncomfortable.
"There is indeed," he answered 激しく; and then 追加するd, still 持つ／拘留するing her 手渡す, "My child, you won't think hardly of me, will you?"
"Why should I?" she asked in surprise; "of course I won't."
"No—but—I—I oh, for—God's sake—don't think I did it on 目的."
"What do you mean?" she asked, and before he could answer Ted dashed through the trees,
"Oh, I say Ruth, do come in. The old tuft and Marsden are going it 大打撃を与える and 結社s. Oh, I say, it is a lark. The old man said something about Dolly, and Marsden went at him like a house on 解雇する／砲火／射撃. My! you'd better come in! You'd better not stand spooning here, or you'll catch it. Tea's ready."
"I'm coming," said Ruth. "I really must go," she 追加するd, though she would have given a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 for five minutes. He had been going to tell her something. What was it? She felt the 手渡す that held hers trembling violently.
"Come on. Mother told me to call you."
Ted turned his 支援する for a moment, and Maitland bent his 長，率いる over the 手渡す he held and kissed it passionately.
"Good bye," he murmured, and she could almost have sworn he 追加するd "my darling" under his breath; but half 脅すd, half pleased, she snatched her 手渡す away and, with her heart （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing madly, ran through the neglected garden up to the house.
On the verandah stood her aunt and uncle 直面するing Roger Marsden and Dolly, while さまざまな other members of the 認める family peeped through windows and out of doors, and evidently listened with 利益／興味. The old gentleman was scratching his 長，率いる, as he always did when perplexed. Roger looked 紅潮／摘発するd and angry, and Dolly was on the 瀬戸際 of 涙／ほころびs.
"What's this I hear, Ruth?" he asked when he saw her.
"Only that Mr. Marsden and Dolly want to get married," she said, wondering if he could hear her heart （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing as plainly as she could herself. "Is there any 反対? You have been so good and 肉親，親類d to us, uncle, ar'n't you pleased at the prospect of getting rid of one of your 重荷（を負わせる）s?"
"You were never a 重荷（を負わせる）," he said, kindly enough, "you know you were always welcome to the bit and sup we could give you, but I'm 関心d about Dolly here. She is stiff-necked." Dolly showed a disposition to giggle, and moved her 長，率いる about as if to 証明する to him his mistake. "She is stiff-necked," he went on, "she will not even look at the path of grace, and she wants to marry one in outer 不明瞭."
"I belong to the Church of England, sir," said Marsden coldly.
Ruth went up to her uncle, and put her 手渡す on his arm.
"Dear uncle," she said, "there are lots of good people in this world who don't think 正確に／まさに as you do."
"Ruth," he said solemnly, "there is only one straight and 狭くする gate, and few there be that find it."
Ann put her 長，率いる out of the dining-room window.
"The way of the transgressors is hard," she said sepulchrally and apropos of nothing at all.
"Indeed, Ann, you are 権利," said her father approvingly.
"井戸／弁護士席 then, uncle," pleaded Ruth, "if you think they are transgressors, don't make it any harder for them. Give your 同意 to their 約束／交戦. Mr. Marsden isn't very rich, but I know you're the last man in the world to care about riches."
"Wiles of the Evil One," said old 認める, smacking his lips with satisfaction.
"I wish I had some, though," said Roger; and Ruth frowned at him.
"Very 井戸／弁護士席 then, uncle," she said, "you have nothing against his poverty, have you; and since Dolly doesn't mind, you don't 反対する to the 約束／交戦, do you?" again trying to bring him to the point.
"I can see no blessing on a godless union," he said, shaking his 長，率いる.
"井戸／弁護士席, but they may marry if they like?"
"I have nothing to do with it. Lily and James Wilson are going to be married in December."
"Then we can be married at the same time, I suppose," said Roger 熱望して. "Thank you, sir; thank you very much. I 港／避難所't many 準備s to make; they'll be all made by that time."
"How do you ーするつもりである to keep your wife?" asked Mr. 認める, coming to 商売／仕事 at last, like the canny Scot he was at 底（に届く）, and then he listened while Roger 詳細（に述べる）d his 計画（する）s.
"H'm, h'm," he said when he had done, "it's not so bad. I must be getting a new overseer, I see. Come in to tea then, and afterwards we'll make it a 支配する of earnest 祈り."
The days rolled on 速く. Christmas （機の）カム and went, the grass on the wide plains, so green and fresh in October, begun to be sere and yellow, the waterholes and creeks 乾燥した，日照りのd up, day after day the sun rose and 始める，決める in a cloudless sky, the 空気／公表する quivered with heat, for it was midsummer, and the 6th January was 直す／買収する，八百長をするd for Dolly's wedding day. It was Lily 認める's wedding day, too, but that was やめる a 第２位 consideration in Ruth's 注目する，もくろむs. Her sister was going to be married, the sister she loved so intensely, the only creature she had to love, and they were to be parted for the first time in their lives. She tried to put a 勇敢に立ち向かう 直面する on it for Dolly's sake, but it was very hard work.
When first the 約束／交戦 was settled Dolly had been so blissfully happy that neither of them had thought of the parting coming nearer every day; and then, too, on that first day Ruth's mind had been 十分な of Maitland—he loved her she was sure; hardly to herself dared she 認める how much she cared for him—and this new love, though it did not 弱める her affection for her sister, at least put her in the second place She rejoiced with Dolly, rejoiced over her new-設立する happiness, and hugged her own secret bliss to her breast in silence, and lay awake that night long after Dolly, worn out with excitement, was 平和的に sleeping, wondering when she should see him again. He had said he would 令状—when? To-morrow? The next day?
But Monday （機の）カム, and Tuesday, and brought neither Maitland nor the letter. Then, on Wednesday morning, Willie very mysteriously slipped a 公式文書，認める into her 手渡すs at 祈りs, and she had to wait all through breakfast before she could even look at it. Her aunt 発言／述べるd that she looked pale that morning and that she was eating no breakfast, but it seemed to Ruth that if she was not hungry everyone else made up for it, and ate about twice as much as usual and four times as much as was good for them. There was nothing for it however, but to wait—to wait with what patience she might. "Everything," they say, "cometh to him who waits," and at last a spare moment （機の）カム to Ruth.
What she had 推定する／予想するd she hardly knew, but the 失望 was keen and 鎮圧するing. He would not, he 恐れるd, see her again, he wrote, for at least a month or six weeks. His work was nearly done at Mullin's Hill, would be やめる finished in all probability before the end of the year. After that he had to go to the Western 地区, and it was there he was going for the next few weeks. He was so sorry to leave without 説 good-bye; he had hoped to get over to Kooringa, but the 運命／宿命s were against him; but at least he hoped to be 支援する for 行方不明になる Dolly's wedding, which that lucky fellow Marsden told him was 直す／買収する，八百長をするd for some time about Christmas.
And that was all. For very shame she could not cry. She had 推定する／予想するd so much—she had hoped so much—she had been so sure he cared for her, and then he wrote her a polite little 公式文書，認める to say he was going away for six weeks, and he could not even make time to come over and say good-bye.
She turned it over in her own mind in the weeks that followed, and （機の）カム to many 結論s, 長，指導者 の中で which was that she was to 非難する for 許すing him to 会合，会う her in that 内密の fashion. True, Dolly had begun it, and Dolly had always done the same with Marsden, and he seemed to think her perfection; but then Dolly was different—no one 推定する／予想するd much thought from impetuous Dolly. More was 推定する／予想するd from her. But, but—surely it was not that; there had been no 害（を与える）, he could think no evil of her. No, she did not know what had gone wrong, but something had, and the sun did not 向こうずね so brightly, the glorious November days had lost something of their charm, and life was not so 甘い for Ruth 認める as it had been in the 早期に springtime.
But it was no good to sit 負かす／撃墜する and brood, so she threw all her energies into the making of the two trousseaux, and Dolly helped her, for Roger Marsden had gone to make a home for his bride in the Heytesbury Forest, and his sweetheart would else have 設立する time hang 激しい on her 手渡すs. Ruth looked white and ill, she thought, and was rather 静かな and listless, but she 始める，決める it 負かす／撃墜する with a not unnatural selfishness to grief at the thought of the coming parting, and redoubled her 成果／努力s to be tender and loving to her sister. Roger wrote very 定期的に to his lady love, and she always read out 捨てるs that she thought would 利益／興味 Ruth. In the middle of November （機の）カム another bit of news which 始める，決める her heart （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing afresh, and raised into life again all the hopes which she thought she had 鎮圧するd utterly.
"Here's a bit of news for Ruth," wrote Roger. "At least, it'll 利益／興味 her more than you. I was in Tamba yesterday, and I met our friend Maitland. He's 負かす／撃墜する seeing about some 事業／計画（する）d line, I believe—or is it waterworks?—I am sure I don't know. Anyhow, he appeared delighted to see me, and 棒 over to 検査／視察する my little caboose here. I left the room to see about the whisky, and when I （機の）カム 支援する he was 検査／視察するing the photos of you two girls which are hung up over the mantelpiece. I was just beginning to get jealous, for I can't 持つ／拘留する a candle to him in the 事柄 of looks, when I saw he was giving all his attention to Ruth. I always thought he was a bit struck there, and, by Jove, yesterday, I thought he was more gone than ever. He couldn't take his 注目する，もくろむs off that photo, and whenever he thought I wasn't noticing had another good look. He asked after Ruth, too, at least three times and was much 関心d when I told him you said she looked ill. He looks pretty 負かす／撃墜する on his luck himself, and I'm inclined to think I saw some grey hairs. Ask Ruth if she's been 扱う／治療するing her adorer 不正に or what's the 事柄. He'll be 支援する at Mullin's Hill, he says, in the beginning of next month, so I 信用 she'll be good to him, and they'll both make up their little differences before I come."
"There," said Dolly, 倍のing up the letter, "ar'n't you 利益／興味d? I always thought 刑事 Maitland had a tender corner in his heart for you."
"What nonsense, Dolly!"
"Oh, is it nonsense? We'll see."
And Ruth began to hope and 疑問 once more.
She had thought he cared for her—then she had not been so foolish after all if both Roger and Dolly had thought the same thing. But if he cared why had he gone away and left her? And again she 拷問d herself with 恐れるs and hopes and 疑問s, and wondered if next month would bring her any happiness. What could she do? What should she do? If she only had anyone to 協議する! But there was no one but Dolly, and much as she loved Dolly she could not tell her such vague imaginings as floated through her brain.
December brought Maitland 支援する to Mullin's Hill, but brought no peace to Ruth. He had come across to call in the 正統派の manner, and had 設立する only Dolly and herself at home. She had seen a light flash in his 注目する，もくろむs when he looked at her, as if she were indeed the one person in the world to him, but he had turned and talked to Dolly—had given his time to 述べるing her 未来 home to her, and she had to entertain Dr. Finlayson. The doctor after tea had begged for some music, and even while she sang Maitland had sat apart at the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する listening, leaning his 長，率いる on his 手渡す, and yet she thought he had listened with 利益／興味 too. She had met him often after that, but they had come no closer together. Something seemed to have come over their friendship; it was no longer the の近くに intimate union it had been. Ruth wondered if Roger Marsden's absence made any difference, for they were always three now, and three, as the old proverb truly says, is a very unmanageable number. And then she met him alone, and his manner had been so constrained and uncomfortable that for the 未来 she always 主張するd on Dolly's keeping の近くに by her 味方する.
So Christmas passed and the New Year. Roger Marsden （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する to Kooringa, a guest this time and Dolly's wedding-day （機の）カム at last. It was a 広大な／多数の／重要な feast day at Kooringa, for the 認めるs, 厳しい Puritans as they were in many things, believed in feasting and rejoicing over a wedding, more 特に over this, which was a 二塁打 wedding. It seemed like a dream to Ruth, but this was the day when Dolly was to leave her.
She rose up 早期に in the morning and wakened her sister, cheerfully calling to her to see what a sunny day she had for her wedding day.
"As the day is so shall the bride be, Dolly," she 引用するd, and Dolly was half-smiling half-tearful, and altogether wildly excited, as was Dolly's wont.
The 儀式 had to be 早期に in the day, for both brides had far to go—Lily to Melbourne, where James Wilson 提案するd to spend his honeymoon, and Dolly to Geelong on her way to her new home, for Roger had neither time nor money to spend on a wedding trip and Dolly 宣言するd she did not mind. So it was all one wild hurry and bustle, for after the manner of the 認める family nobody seemed to have any 任命するd 仕事, and the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議するs had to be laid for breakfast, the brides dressed, and the bridesmaids got ready all before 11 o'clock, and Ruth was glad—it seemed to give her いっそう少なく time to think. Mrs. 認める was やめる in a ぱたぱたする of excitement. Not the biggest 祈り 会合 that ever was planned could have given her so much 楽しみ, and since Ann would not be 同情的な she 控訴，上告d to Ruth on every point.
"You're so good, dear," she said, "and I do hope Dolly will be happy even though Roger Marsden is not a professing Christian. And now there's the breakfast to be seen to, and not a servant の中で the lot with the least idea of laying a （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する as my mother taught me it should be laid. What do you think?—which end shall I put the saddle of mutton, and, oh dear, there are those tongues to go on yet, and the blanc-manges to turn out; and how I'm to get those children dressed I don't know, for Mrs. Desmond isn't a bit of good in the world, and Ann's just as cross as two sticks. I'm sure I wish she and Dr. Finlayson 'd make a match of it, but I'm thinking there's no hopes of that—and, dear, dear, how am I to get those children dressed in time?"
"I'll dress them, Auntie," said Ruth, looking hopelessly at the breakfast, where all the 準備／条項s seemed to be in the wildest 混乱.
Dolly made a lovely bride, lovelier still by contrast with the buxom Lily, whose bridal white seemed to 強調 somewhat unpleasantly her 天候-beaten, sunburnt 直面する. Ann was her 長，指導者 bridesmaid, and all her other sisters, 可決する・採択するd and さもなければ, were also in 出席, except little Vera, who 主張するd on 存在 Dolly's.
Roger Marsden had asked Maitland to be his best man, and when he—much to his astonishment—hummed and hawed and begged to be excused, he had fallen 支援する on Alick Finlayson. It is not a pleasant thing to help marry the woman you love to another man, even though he be your friend, but the doctor had 受託するd the 状況／情勢 with a 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な smile and appeared in church by Marsden's 味方する. The little country church was （人が）群がるd to suffocation, and Ruth felt 疲れた／うんざりした and faint before the 儀式 was over. Then the last solemn words were spoken that made the young couples man and wife, and the brides and bridegrooms left the church together. Everyone else made a 急ぐ for the buggies and waggonettes outside, and Ruth 設立する herself standing apart, trying vainly to 慰安 Vera, who was sobbing heart-brokenly.
"I comed to church to be mawwied to Woger, an' he's lefted me alone—oh—oh—oh," sobbed Vera.
"Dear little girl, poor little girl," said Ruth, in terror lest she should break 負かす／撃墜する herself.
Then she saw Dr. Finlayson at her 肘.
"行方不明になる Ruth," he said kindly, "you look very white. Let me 定める／命ずる a glass of ワイン for you as quickly as possible."
Ruth smiled.
"Indeed," she said, "you are very 肉親，親類d; but where am I to get it? You seem to forget that this is a temperance wedding."
Dr. Finlayson muttered something not very complimentary to his host, and stooped 負かす／撃墜する over Vera.
"What's the 事柄 with the little maid?" he asked. "She seems in terrible tribulation."
"It's about Roger," said Ruth, helplessly. "All the morning she has been dancing about 説 she was going to be married to him. I couldn't make her understand, and now that she sees that he has gone away with Dolly she is heart-broken. I never thought she was taking all that nonsense about his marrying her so 本気で."
"Poor little girl," said the doctor, 選ぶing her up in his 武器. "We're both left out in the 冷淡な. Will you take me instead?"
Vera stopped crying for a moment, and looked him 厳粛に in the 直面する.
"No," she said. "No. You is too ugly," and she laid her 長，率いる on his 幅の広い shoulder and cried afresh.
"That was cruel," he said, laughing, and yet wincing a little.
"You should not mind what a child like that says," said Ruth, sorry for the young fellow, who seemed to feel his want of good looks so 熱心に.
"Out of the mouth of babes, you know," he said. "But, 行方不明になる Ruth, how are you going home? I see the 罠（にかける）s are all getting filled up."
"I must get into one of them, but Vera kept me. I could not get her to move."
"I'll carry her. And I've my own buggy here. Perhaps you'll let me 運動 you home."
Ruth hesitated.
Outside she had seen another buggy, one that belonged to Maitland. She had been conscious of his presence in the church, and afterwards had been hoping he would come up and speak to her, would make the same 申し込む／申し出 the doctor had just made. But he had never even come 近づく her, and now through the open church door she saw him get into his buggy and 準備する to 運動 off with Willie 認める as his companion.
She turned to the doctor with a 病弱な smile.
"Indeed, you are very good," she said. "They all seem to have forgotten me."
"Oh, no, they know I'm looking after you. I saw Mrs. 認める look around as she left the church," he said mendaciously, and Ruth, though she knew he was not telling the truth, was 慰安d その為に.
He settled her comfortably in the buggy, put Vera on her 膝, and took his seat beside her.
"Now," he said, "I think we shall jog along very comfortably together. I'll let the other buggies go on ahead a bit, and then we shan't get so much dust. Do you mind my stopping at my house for a moment? I want to get some 薬／医学."
Of course Ruth said she did not mind, and once the 残り／休憩（する） of the wedding party were out of sight he entered his 外科, and returned 耐えるing a glass of ワイン for Ruth and some milk for Vera.
"There," he said, "that's the 薬／医学 I 手配中の，お尋ね者. It'll do you both good."
There is nothing like 親切 for winning a woman's heart. Ruth and Vera had both felt forlorn and forsaken まっただ中に the general rejoicings till the plum-直面するd doctor's 親切 had 回復するd their self-尊敬（する）・点. Vera nestled 負かす／撃墜する in Ruth's 武器, and, worn out with excitement, forgot her troubles in sleep; and the 年上の girl, her drooping spirits 生き返らせるd by the ワイン which she had been so unaccustomed to of late, 発揮するd herself to the 最大の to 答える／応じる to her companion's 成果／努力s at conversation. After all, she 反映するd, it was as hard for him as it was for her. He loved Dolly, she guessed, though he had never spoken a word, loved her very dearly, and it must be no 平易な 仕事 to come to her wedding and wear a smiling countenance. She was 感謝する, 深く，強烈に 感謝する, for the part he was playing, and out of pure 感謝—which is a far more unselfish emotion than is love—did her very best to play her part 平等に 井戸／弁護士席, and 後継するd as a woman 一般に does when she 始める，決めるs her heart on a thing, and by the time they reached Kooringa Dr. Finlayson, sad and depressed as he was, was wondering that he had never before noticed what a truly charming girl Ruth 認める was. He had never had time to notice her before; he had had 注目する，もくろむs only for her sister.
The wedding breakfast passed off as wedding breakfasts usually do, only that in this 事例／患者 the brides' healths were drunk in tea, lemonade, 冷淡な water, and such like unexciting （水以外の）飲料s. A 広大な／多数の／重要な many speeches were made, and a good 取引，協定 of promiscuous kissing went on, and then the brides went away and changed their dresses; tearful kisses were 交流d, the last 別れの（言葉，会）s said, and the whole bridal party stood on the verandah and watched the newly married couples out of sight on the road to Gaffer's Flat.
"行方不明になる Ruth," said Dr. Finlayson, looking at her tired 直面する, "take my advice and go and 残り／休憩（する）. You are worn out."
"No, no," she said; "I feel as if I must keep going. I don't want to think," she 追加するd pathetically, "how lonely I am."
The doctor looked across at Maitland, who was leaning against a verandah 地位，任命する looking out idly over the garden. Had he made love to this girl, he wondered; had he won her heart? He had hardly spoken to her to-day, but then Alick Finlayson had learnt from Marsden how intimate Maitland had been with the two girls, and had his 疑惑s that 刑事 was in love with Ruth. At first the straightforward doctor had been 燃えて with wrath at the very thought of such a thing, and had hardly spoken to his chum since save to say curtly that very morning—
"So you never told those girls you were married after all. What a sweep you must be."
But now, looking across at him, thinking of Ruth's charm, and remembering what his wife was, he realised something of the 誘惑 he had fallen under, and pitied him from the 底（に届く） of his heart.
"Poor 刑事," he thought, "poor beggar," and then fell to wondering whether Ruth cared for him. 刑事 was a good-looking fellow, a charming fellow, it was more than likely.
"Poor things, God help them if it's so," thought the doctor; then turning to Ruth, he said aloud, "Good-bye, 行方不明になる Ruth. Take my advice and 残り／休憩（する）."
But Ruth did not take the doctor's 井戸／弁護士席 meant advice. She could not 残り／休憩（する）. As she said herself she felt as if she must keep going, and she worked all the afternoon just as hard at setting the house to 権利s as she had done to 準備する it for the wedding. By tea time she was done up.
She went to her room almost as soon as it was dark, but her sister—her friend—her life long companion was gone, everything spoke to her of Dolly and Dolly would never be there again. 刑事 Maitland did not care for her—had never cared for her—and she was utterly alone and desolate. She opened the window and went out into the hot still moonlight night. The 十分な 一連の会議、交渉／完成する moon hung low in the （疑いを）晴らす cloudless sky, and the garden was bathed in its light, but in the 農園 beyond were 広大な／多数の／重要な 影をつくる／尾行するs which seemed to 誘惑する her on. She went through the little wicket gate and wandered on through the trees, thinking, thinking, thinking. What would her life be now? What had she to look 今後 to now? She had thought Kooringa a terrible place six months ago—three months ago she had been blissfully happy, and now—now nobody needed her—she was utterly alone, utterly wretched. At the other 味方する of the 農園 she saw a horse hitched to a tree. Some man come to see one of the maids, she thought, remembering the 支配する of the 世帯, and turned her steps in another direction, so as not to 乱す them. She was very tired—very, very tired—but still she walked on till, stepping into a little 穴を開ける hidden by the dark 影をつくる／尾行するs, she gave her ankle a sharp wrench that brought her flat on her 直面する on the crisp, 乾燥した，日照りの grass. It was not much. At another time she would scarcely have noticed the 苦痛, but to-night she was so tired and so overwrought that she 簡単に lay where she had fallen and sobbed as if her heart would break. No one cared for her—no one in all the wide world, and she laid her cheek against the hard earth and cried on 激しく.
Suddenly she felt a 手渡す on her shoulder, and then strong and tender 手渡すs 解除するd her to her feet.
"Ruth, my child, my darling, what is the 事柄? Are you 傷つける?"
Was that 刑事 Maitland's 発言する／表明する? Was it he who was 持つ／拘留するing her so closely to him?
At first she could answer nothing, could only sob on, conscious only of the strong 武器 that upheld her. Then suddenly she awakened and drew herself out of his embrace. She felt shaken still, and leaned up against the rough trunk of a gum tree for support, the moonlight just 落ちるing on her white dress and showing him her 涙／ほころび-stained 直面する. She felt he was looking at her, and put up her 手渡す to hide her 注目する，もくろむs.
"I don't know what you must think of me," she sobbed, trying to speak 静かに.
Maitland leaned his 手渡す ひどく on the tree trunk.
"What is it?" he asked anxiously, so anxiously she did not 疑問 now for a moment that he cared for her, and the 発見 gave her fresh strength.
"Dolly," she said. "Dolly it is. She is gone—and there is no one—now——"
"Poor little girl—poor lonely little girl—if only I could——"
And then he paused. What 権利 had he to 慰安 her—what 権利 to speak to her at all?
Ruth wiped away the 涙／ほころびs, and putting up her 手渡すs tried to smooth her ruffled hair. His very presence gave her 慰安. It was very seldom 静かな, self-含む／封じ込めるd Ruth broke 負かす／撃墜する. Such a 嵐の passion of 涙／ほころびs was far more like Dolly.
"Sit 負かす／撃墜する," said Maitland presently. "See, here's a smooth 石／投石する, and this tree trunk will make a 支援する for you. You are tired out."
He put his 手渡す on her arm and gently 軍隊d her on to the rough seat. She felt he was trembling violently, and looking up saw that his 直面する was white and drawn in the moonlight.
"But I can't stay here," she said. "I must go in. I did not come here to 会合，会う you."
"I know you did not, my child," he said wearily. "I never dreamt of such a thing. But stay a little now. Just a moment. God knows when we two shall 会合，会う again."
There was something wrong. She did not understand what; but he cared for her she saw, and just at 現在の that 重さを計るd 負かす／撃墜する every other consideration. She was content to sit for a little in silence. He leaned against the tree beside her—she could not see his 直面する, but she could hear his 激しい breathing. She せねばならない go straight home, she knew; she had no 権利 to be here, but she felt she could not till she had solved this riddle. His silence between them was becoming oppressive, and in her heart was the remembrance of how closely he had held her in his 武器, how reluctantly he had let her go. He did not speak, and at last she 召喚するd up courage and asked—
"What did you come here for?"
No answer, and she said again.
"Why did you come here?"
"I couldn't stay away," he answered hoarsely. "I have been thinking all day how terribly you would feel the loss of your sister."
"And—yet—you hardly spoke to me all day."
"I daren't—I daren't. Oh, have some pity on me—don't be hard on me—what is the good of loving you so 猛烈に when I am married already."
"Married already." For the moment the words 伝えるd no meaning to her brain, and she repeated ばく然と, "Married already."
"Ruth, Ruth"—he flung himself 負かす／撃墜する on the coarse grass at her feet and looked straight up in her fair 直面する as she bent over him—"I ought to have told you long ago, but I couldn't. I tried to keep away and I couldn't, dear—and then I tried again to tell you and you wouldn't understand."
"When?" she asked, helplessly. She felt so 権力のない before his 熱烈な words. "I—I don't remember."
"One Sunday I told you about a man 指名するd Thomson."
"And I thought you meant Dr. Finlayson," she cried, a sudden light breaking in on her. "Then it was—that wretched woman was—that woman who called you 刑事?"
"Yes."
What more could he say. He put his 直面する 負かす／撃墜する on his 倍のd 武器 and drank a bitter cup to the very dregs. That woman—that dissipated, drunken slattern—was his wife, and this fair-haired girl beside him might have loved him and 栄冠を与えるd his life with happiness. What more was there to be said? Knowing how he was bound he had behaved shamefully—the truth was out now, and she would have every 権利 to despise and hate him.
And Ruth sitting there in the still hot summer night forgot everything in infinite pity. She had seen the woman—she had pitied Alick Finlayson—twenty times more did she pity 刑事 Maitland, for she loved him with a 広大な／多数の／重要な and mighty love that swallowed up all else. Forgotten were the days when his absence made the world seem a blank—forgotten the days when his seeming neglect had troubled and grieved her—forgiven was the tender thoughtfulness, the の近くに intimacy, that in the 早期に days of their 知識 had won her heart—forgiven the cruel deceit that had kept so much hidden—all was forgiven and forgotten—all was swallowed up in an infinite pity and an 圧倒的な love. He lay before her 鎮圧するd and broken, and she had no word to say and not one thought of 非難する for him in her heart.
"If I could help you," she said at last, "if only I could help you."
He had gone over this scene in his own mind over and over again, but he had never pictured this—never dreamt that her first thought would be for him.
"Ruth," he said, raising his 長，率いる and stretching out his 手渡す to touch hers lightly, "許す me, Ruth."
"許す you," she repeated, "oh, yes, I 許す you, if there is anything to 許す. It would have been so hard to tell."
He rose to his feet again and walked up and 負かす／撃墜する before her, struggling for calmness, 努力する／競うing to keep 支援する the 熱烈な words that would rise to his lips. She looked so frail, and white, and delicate sitting there in the moonlight. If she had only been his. He must go and leave her. He せねばならない go at once.
"Child," he said brokenly, "don't talk like that. Be angry with me—despise me, anything—only don't pity me. Of my own 解放する／自由な will I did it, and this is my bitter 罰."
Ruth raised her 直面する beseechingly.
"I can't stay here," she said, "I must go home."
"And then—when shall we 会合，会う again?"
She loved him so she dared not look him in the 直面する.
"I hope—never," she said, covering her 直面する with her 手渡すs and speaking so low he could only guess what she said.
"I have no 権利 to ask," he said pausing opposite to her, "but oh, my darling, I love you so. If I had been 解放する／自由な do you—would you—have you ever given one thought to me?"
"Surely you must have known I loved you," she said, speaking low and looking straight before her. The very hopelessness of the 状況／情勢 gave her courage. Just this once she might show him her true self. Why should she hide her feelings with all the pretty bashfulness, the dainty conceits of a happy girl listening to her own first love story. "You must have known," she 追加するd, "I loved you from the first day I saw you, I think."
"My darling, my darling, what a cruel mess I have made of your life and 地雷!"
Then they were silent again. He leaned against the tree の近くに to her, but not touching her, and looked at the delicate tracery made by the 影をつくる／尾行するs of the leaves on her white dress, and on the わずかな／ほっそりした white 手渡すs 倍のd in her （競技場の）トラック一周. In a moment or two they would have parted. She had said she hoped it would be for ever, and he knew she meant what she said.
Ruth broke the silence. She had almost forgotten her own trouble in her 広大な／多数の／重要な longing to 慰安 him. He looked haggard and wretched and worn. Her life was of no account to her—she would have given all just to bring a look of peace on to that 直面する. Never had it been so dear to her. With all a woman's longing she longed to put her 武器 一連の会議、交渉／完成する his neck and 慰安 him as only a woman could, and yet the words she spoke sounded 冷淡な and distant.
"What about your—your——"
"My wife, I suppose you mean," he said 激しく. "She wants me to take her 支援する."
"And you will?"
"I can't, I can't child; I can't. You don't know what it means."
"But, have you any children?"
"No. There was one baby, but, thank God, he is dead."
There is something cruelly wrong in a man's life when he can thank God for the death of his only child, and Ruth felt her heart stirred with pity and 悲しみ. If he had 傷つける her he had surely 苦しむd—he would 苦しむ again. 負かす／撃墜する to the very depths his wife had dragged him. Could she 企て，努力，提案 him take her 支援する?
"Help me—help me," he said. "Tell me what I せねばならない do?"
"She is your wife," she 滞るd, "she is your wife. Nothing can alter that. You must make the best of it."
"I would rather die," and Ruth felt it was no idle speech.
"Would you?" she said. "But then we have not the choice. Perhaps it's lucky we 港／避難所't. Do you think there is very much to live for in my life?"
She 解除するd such a white, tired 直面する to his that he could resist no longer, but caught her to his breast and smothered her with kisses. And at his touch her self 支配（する）／統制する forsook her, and she lay 静かに in his 武器, her 長，率いる on his shoulder.
"Oh, but you shouldn't have taught me to love you," she sobbed. "I love you so, and I must never see you again. Let me go now; please let me go."
"My darling, say 刑事, just once."
"刑事—dear 刑事—my own 刑事; don't keep me; don't tempt me to stay. You know how weak I am. You can do as you like with me. Let me go home now."
"And I shall never see you again?"
"Never, never. I couldn't 耐える it. I can't 耐える to let you go, but I couldn't 耐える to see you every day. You couldn't, could you?"
"No, my God! no."
Then he tried to speak more calmly.
"Ruth, dear little girl, don't let me spoil your life. You will love some good man—marry some good man—and be happy after all."
"Shall I? It's not very likely. I gave you the best I had to give. I couldn't love any one as I've loved you. They say a woman should never tell a man how much she loves him, but it doesn't 事柄 much between us two. It is wrong, I know; it is wicked, I know, but just this once you may 同様に know the truth. I love you—no one ever loved you as I have done."
Then she 押し進めるd him from her and stood alone. There was a 燃やすing 位置／汚点／見つけ出す on each cheek now and her 手渡すs were tightly clenched. The tender, loving, pitiful girl was gone, and in her place was a 熱烈な woman, with a 解雇する／砲火／射撃 he had never seen there before in her dark 注目する，もくろむs.
"It was cruel, cruel, cruel. You taught me to love you. It was cruel."
Then the passion died out of her 直面する as she looked at his, and she turned 静かに homewards.
"I must go," she said once more.
"May I walk with you?" he asked 謙虚に.
"To the garden gate?" she whispered.
"Yes, it is for the last time."
"The last time."
For the last time they walked through the 厚い 農園 味方する by 味方する. The tall young gum trees flung their dark 影をつくる／尾行するs across the way, but the moonlight shone 負かす／撃墜する between them in 広大な／多数の／重要な white patches, where it was as light as day. Through the tree trunks to the left gleamed the waters of the lake like a silver 保護物，者, and never a breath of 勝利，勝つd ruffled its glassy surface. The still, hot Australian night wrapped them の近くに in her warm embrace, and only the sound of their footsteps on the short 乾燥した，日照りの grass broke the stillness.
Silently 味方する by 味方する and 手渡す in 手渡す they went, and each step brought them nearer the garden gate and nearer the 必然的な parting. Such a still night—such a glorious night. Surely there could be no wretchedness, no 悲惨 on such a night as this.
"It is such a glorious night," whispered Ruth. She had dreamt something on other nights like this of the bliss of having him by her 味方する, and now he was there, his 手渡す was clasping hers so tightly it was almost painful, but he said nothing.
"I see the garden gate."
More closely he clasped her 手渡す and stopped still a moment—but she went resolutely on and he would not let her go. It was so short a distance now—so short and each was counting the steps greedily as a miser his gold. Slower and slower and slower but the gate was reached at last, the 影をつくる／尾行するs 一連の会議、交渉／完成する were mercifully 深い and dark, but beyond the garden was bathed in the white moonlight and the house stood out （疑いを）晴らす and 際立った—every gable, every 地位，任命する, every chimney. Their walk was ended.
Maitland drew her into his 武器. She made no 抵抗, but laid her 長，率いる against his breast. The 涙／ほころびs would come, 涙／ほころびs more of pity for the 悲惨 she had seen in his 直面する than for her own 悲しみ. Her own trouble she could 耐える, since she knew he loved her; but she wept for his, for her utter 無（不）能 to help him. She put up her 手渡す and touched lovingly the 直面する that bent over her. A scalding 涙／ほころび fell on her fingers, and she started in affright. Never in her life had she seen a man moved to 涙／ほころびs, and it horrified and shocked her unspeakably.
"刑事, 刑事," she sobbed, 持つ／拘留するing him closer to her, "oh, 刑事, are you so unhappy as all that? I am not 価値（がある） it, dear, indeed, I am not 価値（がある） it. Don't do that, 刑事, it makes me 哀れな."
Still he could not answer her, and his hot 涙／ほころびs fell on her 直面する.
"We must never 会合，会う again," she whispered. "Oh, my dear one, my dear one."
There was such a pathetic tenderness in her 発言する／表明する, such longing to 慰安 him, that he utterly broke 負かす／撃墜する.
"I have thought of you," he moaned; "day and night you have been in my thoughts. Oh, Ruth, Ruth, how can I live without you?"
"Poor 刑事, my poor, poor boy. You will be a good man 刑事, and do your best for my sake."
"Oh, Ruth, think of to-morrow."
"To-morrow," she said wearily, "to-morrow I shall think of all the things I left unsaid, all the things I might have said to you, and I shall know it's useless. You have your work, but there is no place in the world for me."
"My darling, my darling, oh 許す me."
"許す you? I love you so much there is nothing to 許す. I would rather have your love than that of anyone else in the world. I am happy when you 持つ／拘留する me in your 武器—yes, blissfully happy, and now it has come at last—I must go. Let me go."
She was sobbing 静かに on his shoulder now.
"Let me go—let me go—I must go."
広大な／多数の／重要な as her 苦痛, it was not as 広大な／多数の／重要な as his, for he dared not speak. He drew her gently に向かって the wicket-gate, and with one 手渡す 押し進めるd it open. 支援する flashed the thoughts of both of them to the day in October, when Dolly and Marsden had first been engaged, when they two had stood with the gate between them, and Ruth had murmured unthinkingly—
"There is a 障壁 between us."
Now they were parting and had no words wherewith to 慰安 one another. Happy lovers who are sure of 会合 again on the morrow may ぐずぐず残る and ぐずぐず残る over last words, but between these two there were no last words. He held her の近くに in a long and silent embrace.
"God bless you, darling," she prayed, and she raised her 直面する and looked long and 厳粛に into his 注目する，もくろむs. Then she drew herself out of his 武器, and turning passed slowly into the moonlit garden. The gladioli, the roses, the Christmas lilies, and the tall hollyhocks seemed to be beckoning her in, welcoming her 支援する to her home again; but she paused a moment on the grass-grown pathway and looked 支援する into the dark 影をつくる／尾行する behind. She loved him so—how could she leave him alone there in the gloom—alone in his 悲しみ—a broken-hearted man? She made one step backwards, and then all her maiden modesty, her womanly dignity, and self-尊敬（する）・点 （機の）カム to her 援助（する）. How could she go to a man who had a wife already, who was bound to another woman? For the first time the thought of the wrong he had done her （機の）カム over her, and gave her strength and courage to keep on, though it was with a breaking heart. If only she could die now—if only she could die! The scent of the flowers—the roses and the lilies—was on the warm night 空気／公表する, the low, contented bleat, bleat of a flock of sheep （機の）カム from the home paddock, and from the reed-beds on the other 味方する of the lake rose the mournful wail of the curlews. It was good-bye for ever. Such a glorious night! 有望な as day was the garden, and every little 工場／植物 cast a clean-削減（する） 影をつくる／尾行する. Half mechanically she noticed how her skirts swept the ragged 国境s, the 少しのd springing up here and there out of the hard 乾燥した，日照りの earth, and the garden 道具s which lay scattered across the beds the children called their own. Neatness was not a virtue much prized at Kooringa, and they had lain there for over a week—would very likely be there all the summer. She noticed them now, and, tired as she was, stooped and collected those nearest her. She was 疲れた／うんざりした, she was worn out, she was heart-broken; she had learned that night one of the lessons of her life, she had crossed the 広大な／多数の／重要な river which divides girlhood from womanhood—with 苦痛 and 悲しみ she had crossed it, and she had parted with the freshness of her 青年. Never again would she be the girl who had met Maitland so 率直に, who had looked for his coming and longed for him so innocently, who had 注ぐd out on him such a wealth of girlish love, and then drawn 支援する ashamed and affrighted that she should have given her love unsought. Never again! She was changed somehow. She had learned a lesson what she could hardly have told herself, and the learning had taken the 青年 and peace and happiness out of her life.
Heart-broken? She hardly understood the meaning of the word, but heart-sick and 疲れた／うんざりした she was, grieving for her own 悲しみ, grieving still more because by no 行為／法令／行動する or thought of hers could she lighten by one iota the 激しい 重荷（を負わせる） of the man she loved. And yet she walked calmly up the pathway in the moonlight, and gathered up the 道具s that lay strewn around.
It is always so in real life. In novels the ヘロイン may totter up the pathway; on the 行う／開催する／段階 she may stagger across the room; in real life—if she be a wise woman, a good woman, a 勇敢に立ち向かう woman—instinctively she hides her 苦痛; even to herself she makes no unseemly 陳列する，発揮する—she turns and does the work that lies nearest to her 手渡す. And so Ruth gathered up the rakes and 売春婦s, and carrying them up the pathway, piled them up in the corner of the verandah. Then a tall, angular 人物／姿／数字 現れるd from the 影をつくる／尾行するs.
"Lord sakes, Ruth," said her aunt, "wherever have you been at this time of night? And you so tired."
"In the 農園." Her 発言する／表明する sounded strangely in her own ears—to her aunt it told a tale of weariness not to be mistaken.
"My!" she said, turning her 一連の会議、交渉／完成する はっきりと till the moonlight fell 十分な on her 涙／ほころび-stained 直面する; "how you have been crying!—and your cheeks are as white as your dress. Whatever is the good of it, child? You couldn't 推定する／予想する to keep your sister always; besides, you'll be wanting to get married yourself some day."
Dolly—her sister, dearly as she loved her, much as she would 行方不明になる her, it was a small 事柄 to part from Dolly now. But she could not say that. She felt ashamed to own it, even to herself. She could only stand looking out on the moonlit garden, hoping, praying that her aunt would leave her before she broke 負かす／撃墜する 完全に.
"I don't want to be married, Aunt," she 滞るd out at last, seeing that the good lady 推定する／予想するd something.
"Tut, tut; wait till Mr. 権利 comes along. But there, I hope you won't be in a hurry, for I'll be lonely now Lily's gone. Lily had some fun in her; but Ann is that crotchetty there's no standing her いつかs. Not that she's not a good girl at 底（に届く）," 追加するd the mother loyally, "but she takes life a bit too 本気で いつかs. Now, Ruth, you go straight to bed, it's after 10 o'clock."
"Yes, aunt."
"Have you got any matches?"
"No."
"井戸／弁護士席, 井戸／弁護士席. I'll light the candle for you. And what do you think? Nellie's burnt a big 穴を開ける in the flounce of her new blue dress. It's やめる spoilt, I don't know whatever to do with it."
"Is it very bad?" asked Ruth, feeling she must at least appear 利益／興味d.
"Oh, Lord, yes. As big as my two 握りこぶしs. I wonder the child wasn't burnt to death. She can't wear it again."
"Perhaps there'll be enough to make a dress for Vera. I can do it to-morrow."
It was hard to speak of to-morrow—hard to 小包 out the days, the 仕事s, when the lilt and go and happiness had gone out of her life.
"That's a good girl. You'll be a treasure to some lucky man, Ruth," said her aunt, whose thoughts were still running on matrimony. "井戸／弁護士席, here's your room. I'll light the candle for you, and you just go straight to bed and to sleep, and don't cry any more."
And Ruth went to her bed and 投げ上げる／ボディチェックするd and turned sleeplessly half the night, while a 発言する／表明する in a man's 深い 熱烈な トンs sounded in her ears——
"I love you, I love you. God help me, I must never see you again."
"Weeping may 耐える for a night," sings the Psalmist, "but joy cometh in the morning;" but he was only mortal man, after all, and mortal men have 証明するd, not once or twice but many a time, that a night of bitter weeping brings no 慰安 in the morning.
Wearily next day Ruth wakened with a dull sense of 苦痛 that at first she could not understand. Through the open curtainless window the 日光 stole into the room, fresh with the freshness of 早期に morning, and as she sat up the remembrance of last night's woe （機の）カム over her, and she buried her 直面する in the pillows once more and felt she wished never to look at the 日光 again. It mocked her with its garish brightness. Never again to see 刑事 Maitland—or, if she did, but to 会合，会う him and speak and pass on like an ordinary 知識. It was sin to think of him now, she thought—a terrible sin, but how could she help it. She had lain in his 武器 and felt his kisses on her lips. She had tasted of the fruit of the tree of knowledge and it was bitter indeed in her mouth. All before her stretched a dreary waste of years, with no hope, no happiness in them for her. A woman of 深い feeling she was, but not a 宗教的な woman. It never occurred to her to find なぐさみ in her 約束. Her father had been an avowed agnostic, and his motherless daughters had been taught to say their 祈りs in a hard mechanical way by the nurses, just as they had been taught to 倍の up their 着せる／賦与するs neatly before they went to bed, and equal importance had been 大（公）使館員d to both 業績／成果s. Her coming to Kooringa had been her first introduction to another 肉親，親類d of 約束—a 約束 earnest and sincere indeed, but 狭くする and 天然のまま and cruel in its exclusiveness and, 式のs, this very narrowness—this crudeness—this want of delicacy and refinement in those who professed it made the 約束 to her a veritable dead letter. But for very shame's sake she must not wear her heart on her sleeve—must go about her daily 仕事s—must hide from 調査するing 注目する，もくろむs the 負傷させる that had gone so terribly 深い; but the spring, the hope, the zest had gone out of her life. It was not twelve hours yet since she had said good-bye to the man she loved at the wicket-gate, but it seemed an age. If time were to pass like this her life would be an eternity—an eternity of 苦痛 and weariness.
A 割れ目d old bell—the getting up bell—began to peal through the house, and she sat up in bed, and then her door opened and her aunt （機の）カム in.
"Not out of bed yet?" she said. "My! I was sure you'd be up. Are you all 権利?"
"Yes," said Ruth wearily.
Her 長，率いる was throbbing as if it would burst, the result of yesterday's excitement, but her aunt—肉親，親類d as she meant to be—was not 正確に／まさに the sort of person she could confide in.
"That's 権利, but I must say you look rather white," she said. "And here's a pretty to do, the house all higgle-de-piggledy, and not a 捨てる of bread for breakfast."
"We might have scones," 示唆するd Ruth, feeling that something was 推定する／予想するd of her. "I can make scones, good ones; really, aunt."
"Can you, my dear; 井戸／弁護士席 if you would it'd really be a 救済 to my mind. Mind now and make plenty. There's eighteen of us inside, you know—and seven in the kitchen, and the men—that makes eleven, and then I always give some to the Chinaman, and the men'll be over from Titura to-day, and the boy's want to go picnicking 負かす／撃墜する the creek. So you'd better make plenty."
Ruth rather thought she had, and began a mental 計算／見積り while her aunt went on talking.
"井戸／弁護士席, really I'm bothered. There's Polly, the young hussy—won't be sixteen till February, and last night Ann caught her nicely—away up at the 駅／配置する experience young men's hut. Nice goings on. Young King was away, and Ned Clegg was sitting on the doorstep there with Polly on his 膝. Ann says she's sure he kissed her, too—and him as ugly as sin. Really where Polly got it from I'm sure I don't know, but she's only a child, and I 率d the young minx soundly. So carefully as I've kept her, too—never a novel—never a story 調書をとる／予約する but the Sunday at Home has she read all her life."
Ruth's white 直面する 紅潮／摘発するd crimson. So she was not the only one who had sinned last night—if her aunt had only known what she had been doing.
"Polly can help you," went on Mrs. 認める; "I'll send her to you as soon as you're dressed. I must keep a watch on that young lady. She's only a child, of course, so it don't 量 to much."
Ruth could hardly put her feelings into words, but instinctively she felt that if Polly cared at all for Edward Clegg, banishment to the nursery and a course of lessons from Mrs. Desmond's old-fashioned Magnall's Questions were not likely to 影響 a cure.
Half an hour later she met the young cousin in the kitchen, and the two 始める，決める to work on the family breakfast. At first nothing was said by either of the two girls, but at length when Ruth's 武器 were covered up to the 肘s in the flour she threw a ちらりと見ること at her cousin.
Polly was a tall, fat, overgrown girl, with a pleasant, kindly, if somewhat simple 直面する, and a complexion which might have been good had it not been tanned and 燃やすd by the sun and 勝利，勝つd. She was 注ぐing milk into the flour as Ruth worked it up, and every now and then wiped a furtive 涙／ほころび, which at first Ruth pretended not to notice. She tried to talk cheerfully about yesterday's festivities but it was hard work feigning an 利益／興味 she did not feel; harder still when Polly 率直に showed she did not ーするつもりである to talk and did not even trouble to answer her 発言／述べるs. She gave it up after two or three 裁判，公判s, and kneading up the flour and milk into a stiff dough 削減（する） a large slice off, put it on the pasteboard, and proceeded to roll it out and 削減（する） out the scones with the 最高の，を越す of a cocoatina tin, Polly 一方／合間 leaning up against the 塀で囲む the picture of sullen 悲惨.
"I hate mother," she began. Then a sob choked her.
"Hush, hush, dear," Ruth looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する at the maid servant, who was supposed to be engaged on the breakfast, but who was manifestly listening with all her ears, "don't talk like that."
Polly looked over her shoulder at the cook, now 意図 on frying mutton chops, and then （機の）カム の近くに up to her cousin.
"She says I'm to stop in the school-room; she says I'm not to see Ned Clegg again—she says—I don't care, I will," finished Polly with a sullen 決意 that made Ruth feel she meant all and more than all she said.
"But," she remonstrated, as in 義務 bound, "you know, dear, it really wouldn't do for you to be going up to the young men's hut; and in the evening, too."
"But there's no 害（を与える） in it, and I want to see him, and he wants to see me, and—and—it's beastly slow sticking at home in the school-room all day. I shall see him whether mother likes it or no."
Ruth retired to the griddle, and turned her scones thoughtfully. Then she （機の）カム 支援する to the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する.
"Polly, dear," she said, and a 燃やすing blush rose to her 直面する as she thought how 近づく home the lecture went, a lecture that ふさわしい her own 事例／患者 even better than Polly's, "I hear Ann saw you sitting on Edward Clegg's 膝, and—and—he kissed you, too. And, 井戸／弁護士席, you see, no girl should let a man do that unless—I mean—yes—unless he is her lover—he is going to marry her."
Polly hung her 長，率いる, and tried to make some excuse.
"It was an 事故," she muttered; "I never thought. All the children sit on his 膝, and—and—I never thought, and he kissed me, but—but—I don't think he meant to. Oh, Ruth, Ruth, don't you understand," and the simple childish blue 注目する，もくろむs filled with 涙／ほころびs again.
Did she understand? Did she not understand only too 井戸／弁護士席? Who was she that she should preach to this child?
"Don't cry, dear, don't cry. Wait till the scones are done and then come to my room and tell me all about it."
But once in Ruth's room Polly began to cry afresh.
"What shall I do?" she sobbed. "What shall I do? Mother says I mustn't talk to him—and I can't go by as if I didn't know him—特に when he comes into tea every night."
"What shall I do? What shall I do?" Ruth had been asking herself half the night, and here was this child asking the same question.
"No—no—of course not," she whispered. "Aunt didn't mean that. Talk to him just like you always do. Only don't let him kiss you, and don't go to his hut. See, it's not so bad, and if he really cares for you, you know, he will tell you so. Now, wash your 直面する, dear, it's nearly breakfast time, and you don't want them all to see you've been crying."
This 見解（をとる） 慰安d Polly wonderfully, Ruth was glad to see. She was too much of a child to take 猛烈に dreary 見解（をとる）s of life, and before the bell had rung for morning 祈りs there was a smile on her 直面する again.
Next day there was fresh trouble. Etta's throat was bad, and Rosy was ill too, and Dr. Finlayson 存在 called in pronounced it scarlatina. One by one the others sickened—非，不，無 of them were very ill, but they were all fretful and cross, and needed care and attention, and as no one could amuse fretful children like Ruth, and no one could tell a story like her, her aunt made use of her without scruple.
So in the 早期に days of her trouble, what with Polly's love 事件／事情／状勢 and the sick children, her 手渡すs and her thoughts were kept busy, and though she never 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd it herself this was an untold blessing to her.
But it was hard work. Always before her was the utter uselessness of thinking of 刑事 Maitland. She could not help him—she only made herself doubly wretched, and yet when evening after evening, when she went for her daily walk—the only 静かな time she could hope for—Polly would join her in the 農園 or beside the lake, and slipping her arm 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her waist under cover of the 不明瞭 would 注ぐ out her whole 傷つける to her cousin, she felt it was very hard to 耐える. She might have been worse if she had been left to herself, but as it was the 成果／努力 to wear a smiling 直面する when it seemed to her her very life had died, cost her so much that her 直面する grew white and worn under the 緊張する, and there was a wistful, 疲れた／うんざりした look in the dark 注目する，もくろむs that would have gone to the heart of anyone who had loved her 井戸／弁護士席 enough to notice. But there was 非，不，無 such at Kooringa. Her aunt, indeed, was fond of her in a careless, warm-hearted sort of a way that made her say occasionally—
"Why, Ruth, you're losing your roses, child. I daresay the summer's too hot, and it has been a trying time with the children all sick, and one thing and another. I'll be glad to see the 冷淡な 天候 again."
"Yes, you must have been bothered," said Ruth, "but it might have been worse."
"Oh, it's bad enough," 不平（をいう）d Mrs 認める. "My dear, my dear, my life's just bothered out of me. The Lord sends everything for the best, I know, but I can't see the best of this—unless it may be that Dr. Finlayson might take a fancy to Ann. What do you think? He sees enough of her. I always take care to leave them alone a bit, and Ann is very earnest," and the mother looked for 確定／確認.
Ruth hardly knew what to answer. That Ann loved Dr. Finlayson she did not 疑問—that he gave not a second thought to her she did not 疑問 either, and out of her own 広大な／多数の／重要な 悲しみ she pitied her, even as she pitied her younger sister.
"What do you think, Ruth?" asked her aunt again.
"I don't know, aunt; I'm afraid he doesn't think about Ann yet."
"But he might—in time."
"He might," assented Ruth; and here, to her 広大な／多数の／重要な 救済, Vera broke in,——
"Want to go to bed, Wuth. My 長，率いる is bad."
"Silly you are to 解除する her, Ruth," said Mrs 認める, as the girl laid her in her cot. "She's getting too 激しい for you. You're as white, as white——"
"No, it's not that," said Ruth faintly. "I feel a little—a little dizzy. It's the hot day I think," and she dropped into a 議長，司会を務める and の近くにd her 注目する，もくろむs wearily.
"Hot fiddlesticks," began Mrs. 認める. "Why, it's much cooler than yesterday, and—Oh, I say, Doctor, I'm glad to see you—here's a new 患者 for you."
Dr. Finlayson entered at that moment closely followed by Ann, who fell in with her mother's 計画（する）s involuntarily, and 構成するd herself the doctor's 影をつくる／尾行する as long as he was in the house.
"It's nothing—nothing," said Ruth faintly, trying to smile, but the doctor bent over her kindly and spoke to her almost tenderly, as he never spoke to her, Ann noticed 激しく.
"Nothing—is it nothing?" he said. "I think we have been doing too much, 行方不明になる Ruth. Mrs. 認める, we've been working the willing horse too hard, and our 長，率いる nurse is knocked up. Give her good 強化するing things, Mrs. 認める, and see that she eats them."
"Shall I bring you some new 調書をとる／予約するs over, 行方不明になる Ruth," he 追加するd. "I had several up from Mullen's last week, and I think you would like to read them."
"Don't bring any godless literature into this house, Dr. Finlayson," said Ann tartly, a tartness which her cousin both understood and forgave. It was hard, she felt, that she, who beyond a careless, friendly feeling for the doctor cared little whether he spoke to her or not, should receive all attention from him, while Ann, who did care intensely, was passed over and utterly ignored.
"I 約束 you they are not godless 調書をとる／予約するs," he said 厳粛に, "but some of the best 作品 of the day. Your cousin is run 負かす／撃墜する and wants a little taking care of. 井戸／弁護士席, 井戸／弁護士席, I'll bring the 調書をとる／予約するs to-morrow. 一方／合間 嘘（をつく） 負かす／撃墜する for the 残り／休憩（する） of the day and let someone else do your work. You've been working too hard, 行方不明になる Ruth; I せねばならない have seen it before."
So Ruth was despatched to her own room by her aunt, and, tired out, thankfully lay 負かす／撃墜する on her bed. Here later on Polly （機の）カム 飛行機で行くing in to relate tearfully how cruel father was. He was sending Ned Clegg to Titura, and she wouldn't see him again for a whole fortnight.
"And—and—he's gone," sobbed the child. "We only had a minute, and he squeezed my 手渡す hard and said, 'It's fourteen days, but it'll seem like the fourteen years Jacob worked for Rachel.' Wasn't it nice of him? Oh, but do you think he meant he cared for me; do you, Ruth?"
It was a hot summer's day in December—so hot even now at 5 o'clock in the afternoon that no one but hardy Australian country children would ever have dreamt of indulging in violent 演習; but the young 認めるs were used to heat, and besides this was the first day of the holidays. Mrs. Desmond had taken her 出発 only that very afternoon, and they were celebrating the event, choosing as their playground as usual the （土地などの）細長い一片 of grass between the 農園 and the 利ざや of the lake. Ted, now arrived at the 円熟した age of fifteen, despised childish games; but he lay on his 支援する 星／主役にするing at the blue sky, and gave them his opinions on all 事柄s in 論争—and 論争s were pretty たびたび（訪れる）—when he thought they were called for.
At last he 発言／述べるd, "It's ジュースd hot here. I'm going to make a raft with those boards."
"You're not 'llowed to touch those boards," said the girls in chorus; "they're to make a gate to the twenty-acre. Will said so."
"Who cares," said Ted in a lordly way. "Come on, Kids. There's a bundle of rope in the end 立ち往生させる in the stable; you go and get it, Georgie, and don't you get caught, now. We'll leave those girls; who wants girls? I'm going to make a raft like the boy Ruth told us about. I'll be captain and Tom can be mate."
"But you're not let, you're not—let," cried the despised girls. "We'll tell."
"Telltale-tit! telltale-tit! you're tongue shall be slit, and every little puppy dog shall have a little bit."
Whether it was this awful prospect that appalled them, or whether Mother Eve's 広大な／多数の／重要な failing got the better of them or what was never told, but the girls instead of retiring to carry out their 脅し, as Ted half 恐れるd they would, watched him and Tom with 利益／興味 from an ever-減少（する）ing distance and at last by the time Georgie had arrived with a bundle of old rope that had been used as a 着せる／賦与するs line and discarded they had come の近くに up, and at first without a word began to help their brothers 解除する the boards together and before five minutes had passed the raft was 存在 made by six pairs of busy eager 手渡すs.
Ruth （機の）カム out of the 農園, and watched them for a moment or two carelessly, then looked for and 設立する a shady 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where she might read her 調書をとる／予約する in undisturbed peace. She was rather tired, for it had been a hot day, and had been given over to the making of gooseberry jam, and every 利用できる pair of 手渡すs had been 圧力（をかける）d into the service, first to 選ぶ, and then to 最高の，を越す and tail the fruit.
"It's no good making a 続けざまに猛撃する or two," Mrs. 認める had said, and Ruth 選ぶing gooseberries in the heat of the day, and then topping and tailing the pile on the kitchen （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, which 減らすd with wearisome slowness, thought that even a hundred 続けざまに猛撃するs or so didn't seem enough. But they were done at last, and Mrs. 認める had decided she'd spend the evening jam-making, an uncomfortable 協定, which did not 会合，会う Ruth's 見解（をとる）s at all.
"But don't you stop, my dear," she said, 大いに to her 救済. "You go out for a walk, and just give an 注目する，もくろむ to the children, will you? They're always wild the first day of the holidays, and I'm 脅すd for the lake. Georgie was 説 he 手配中の，お尋ね者 to go for a swim, and he'll be 溺死するd sure as anything if he does. It's all very 井戸／弁護士席 for the men, but I won't have the children in it. They've gone 負かす／撃墜する to the lake now, and you just tell them, Ruth, from me, I won't have them bathing by themselves."
"I'm leaving you all the work, Aunt," said Ruth 準備するing to 出発／死.
"Never mind, you go. You look a bit washed out, and no wonder, the day's been so hot; but I must get that jam made to-night. I want to get やめる of it. Lil's coming over in the morning with baby, and I know what that means. Nothing's ever done once we get Lil No. 2 in the house, so I'll just finish up to-night."
Thus 解任するd she 喜んで put on her hat and strolled 負かす／撃墜する through the 農園 to the lake. It was hot still, but at least there was a 約束 in the 空気／公表する of the coming night, and the faint 勝利，勝つd that blew across the water was 冷静な／正味の and refreshing. She looked for the children, and was relieved to see them all busy over a pile of boards, and 明らかに not even dreaming of a bathe, so she 設立する a shady 位置／汚点／見つけ出す from which they were just 明白な, and, seating herself on the ground, opened her 調書をとる／予約する and began to read.
The two years that had passed over her 長，率いる had not made much change in Ruth. There was a wistful look in the dark 注目する，もくろむs いつかs, a tired （犯罪の）一味 in the 発言する／表明する as if she had 設立する the 重荷（を負わせる） of life hard to 耐える, but she had borne it, and borne it bravely too, and 非，不，無 else ever 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd, least of all her aunt, the secret she had guarded so carefully.
Nothing was to be 伸び（る）d by sitting with 倍のd 手渡すs brooding over her 悲しみ, so bravely she 直面するd it, and if she did not 鎮圧する it under her feet, at least she managed to hide her woe from all her little world. She would have 喜んで died, so she thought, had she her own way, but then, luckily, death does not come to settle our difficulties in that 要約 fashion, and the days went on drearily till she had fainted over Vera's cot, and from that time 前へ／外へ Dr. Finlayson had been her 会社／堅い friend.
He half-guessed her story though Maitland had said never a word to him; かもしれない his silence told him much—more than he wished to know—and Ruth's white 直面する told him the 残り／休憩（する）. And the careful, canny, silent Scotchman 決定するd to do what he could for her. Indeed, he had a strange fellow feeling for her. He, too, was lonely, and his surroundings at Mullin's Hill were やめる as uncongenial as hers at Kooringa. Then, too, he had loved her sister, and for her sake 決定するd to do what he could to 元気づける the girl's lonely life.
And very circumspectly, and with all the inborn 警告を与える of his race did he 始める，決める about it. Unlike Marsden or Maitland, he made himself the friend of the family, he was intimate with every one of them—Ann, her mother, her aunt, even old Mr. 認める himself had a welcome for the doctor. And the doctor—he owned it to himself—（機の）カム only to see Dolly's sister, the white-直面するd girl he had driven home from the wedding. Once on intimate 条件 with a family so busy about good 作品 he had plenty of chances to cultivate her 知識, and he 追求するd them diligently, and busy man as he was, with a large and growing practice, he still 設立する time to come over to Kooringa two or three times a week. At first he never ーするつもりであるd to keep it up. The day she had fainted, reading pretty 明確に between the lines, he had 約束d to try and 元気づける her up a little, and so he had brought her the 約束d 調書をとる／予約するs, and she in return had read him 抽出するs from Dolly's last letter. A few days later he （機の）カム again, and the programme was repeated, and 徐々に, almost imperceptibly, Ruth 認める and Alick Finlayson grew closest friends.
He had only ーするつもりであるd to come as long as she was ill, but at first Dolly's letters had 証明するd an irresistible charm to him, and Ruth was glad to talk them over with some congenial spirit, and so he （機の）カム again and again, until his coming grew into a habit, and Ann （人命などを）奪う，主張するd him as her 所有物／資産／財産, and Mrs. 認める 率直に 推測するd as to when he and Ann were going to make a match of it. It was strange no one should have thought Ruth's charms might stand in Ann's way, yet so it was, perhaps, because both Dr. Finlayson and Ruth instinctively feeling that their new-born friendship was a tender thing to be guarded from every rough breath, took but little notice of one another when others were 現在の, and he 辞職するd himself a willing slave to Ann. And never for one moment did it occur to the modest doctor that he was raising unfounded hopes in the breasts of both mother and daughter; he sought them 単に for Ruth's sake. And thus the days and weeks and months flew past, and though Ruth 率直に 定評のある to herself that the doctor brought her all the 楽しみ she had in her life, he still cheated himself with the delusion that he sought Dolly's sister for Dolly's sake.
A year passed, and a son was born to Dolly, and Ruth went away for six weeks to visit the new-made mother in her home in the dense Heytesbury Forest, and Alick Finlayson 行方不明になるd her terribly. Whether she were nothing to him or not he was delighted to see her 支援する again, and their friendship drifted once more into the old familiar 井戸／弁護士席-worn channels. She looked for his coming, he was the one link with the outside world, the only creature who understood her or cared to understand her, who 解除するd her out of the dull, dead level of her life. She liked him immensely, she esteemed him 高度に—she was 深く，強烈に 感謝する to him, but she had no warmer feeling for him. Ever between them stood 刑事 Maitland's handsome 直面する, worn with a 苦痛 she could hardly understand, and even now, two years later, when she was alone, she would shut her 注目する，もくろむs and dream for one 簡潔な／要約する moment she was in his 武器 again and felt his 熱烈な kisses on lips and 注目する，もくろむs and hair. No room in her heart was there for anything beyond friendship and 感謝 for Alick Finlayson. This afternoon as she sat, the open 調書をとる／予約する in her （競技場の）トラック一周, and her 注目する，もくろむs wandering from the children over the little lake and the plains beyond, she was thinking not of Alick Finlayson, whom she knew might come at any minute, whom she had come out, in fact, to 会合，会う, but of 刑事 Maitland, whom she had not seen, for nearly two years, and who might be dead for all she knew, so 完全に had he passed out of her life. She ちらりと見ることd at the children still busy over the pile of boards, thought with a sigh of satisfaction that they were やめる 安全な and let her thoughts drift 支援する to that Sunday when Maitland had lain at her feet and had told to her blinded ears the story of his life. And she had thought he had meant Alick Finlayson. She half smiled to herself as she thought Finlayson was the last man in the world to have made such a mistake as Maitland had done, or, having done it, to betray himself to another woman. There was 厳しい, good stuff in the doctor.
She raised her 注目する，もくろむs and saw him riding に向かって her, and remembered how ugly she and Dolly had once thought him, and how they had been inclined to laugh at his shy manners. She thought now what a 罰金 幅の広い-shouldered fellow he was—how kindly was that plain 直面する—and as for the shyness, that had long ago 消えるd.
He dismounted and slipped his horse's bridle over his arm.
"井戸／弁護士席," he said coming up and 持つ／拘留するing out his 手渡す.
She did not rise, but just put hers in it.
"井戸／弁護士席," she answered, smiling and he sat 負かす／撃墜する beside her, "I don't think it is 井戸／弁護士席. You look rather tired."
"Then I look what I am," she answered, "I'm very tired."
"Tell me now. What's the 事柄?"
"I'm not ill, doctor," she laughed. "I'm not going to be 削減（する） off in the bloom of my 青年. I'm only tired."
"H'm, what made you tired?"
"Gooseberries, I think; nothing more or いっそう少なく romantic than gooseberries."
"You don't mean to say you've been eating too many gooseberries."
"No, no. I've been 選ぶing them and 最高の，を越す and tailing them all day, and it's tiring work, and——"
"It's the hottest day we've had this summer. What made you choose it to 選ぶ gooseberries?"
"Necessity, sir. The jam has to be made."
The doctor muttered something not altogether complimentary to Kooringa housekeeping, and then 追加するd as he put her 手渡す 負かす／撃墜する, "Poor little girl."
Ruth wished he would not say that. 刑事 Maitland had often done so and she fancied she did not like the 称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語 from other lips—and yet such is the perversity of feminine nature—she liked Finlayson all the better because for her he 軟化するd his usually shy brusque manner and called her いつかs by pitying 条件 of 親切.
"Oh, I'm not so terribly ill-used. You see I'm 残り／休憩（する）ing now—and now that I have been pitied and sympathised with I'm all 権利 again. There, don't you wish you could cure all your 患者s as easily."
"I'm not やめる 満足させるd about the cure."
"Aren't you? I am. I've got a letter of Dolly's I want to read you. It （機の）カム this morning. Are those children all 権利? I don't see Georgie."
"There he is—stooping 負かす／撃墜する behind Ted. Why what do you want with him?"
"Nothing, except to know he's there. I believe he and Ted 表明するd their 意向 of bathing in the lake, and aunt 自然に is afraid they'll get 溺死するd, so I'm here for the 表明する 目的 of seeing they don't."
"Oh, they're all 権利, building a house or something. And what's Mrs. Marsden got to say?"
"She says she 推定する／予想するs me next week, but here's her letter, I'll read it to you," and Ruth took a letter out of her pocket.
It was a long letter and she read it straight through, never 疑問ing for a moment but that her companion was as much 利益／興味d in Dolly's gossipy chit 雑談（する） about her husband and child and the doings on the 選択 as she herself was. And as a 支配する he would have been, but to-day, somehow the thought of her 出発 was disagreeable to him, and he lay 支援する on the grass 持つ／拘留するing his horse's bridle in one 手渡す watching the fair 直面する above him and 支払う／賃金ing but little 注意する to what she was reading. Only two years ago, he thought to himself, he would have treasured up every word, would have been glad even to be 許すd to touch the paper, while now—井戸／弁護士席 now his whole thoughts were given not to the writer but to the reader. She was going away for a month, probably two months, and what should he do then? He turned his 直面する away impatiently. He was angry with himself. For the past two years he had been hugging the delusion to his breast that he was hopelessly in love with Dolly Marsden, and now during the last few months he had been slowly waking to the fact that this friendship between him and Ruth 認める was no friendship at all, on his 味方する at least, but an 圧倒的な love—stronger, deeper, more 激しい, for it was a love born of knowledge, of の近くに, 深い intimate friendship. Dolly had been a beautiful ideal, of whom he caught glimpses at rare intervals only to know she could never be for him, but Ruth—could he live now without Ruth? He was her confidant, her friend. Dared he hope for anything nearer and dearer, or should he only lose what he already had? There was no one else, he knew, no one she 信用d as she did him, but she did not love him; that he saw only too 明確に. Was it only because he had never made love to her, never even thought of such a thing till the last few weeks, or was it because she still thought of Maitland? He dug his heels into the 乾燥した，日照りの, 崩壊するing earth as he thought of it. The scoundrel, he thought 激しく, why could he not have kept away? He had known from the first she was out of his reach. Why could he not have left her alone? If she was grieving over him still——
Ruth finished her letter and he woke up to the fact that beyond "Dearest Ruth," he had heard not a word of it.
"There," she said, "isn't it a nice long letter and you see she wants me at once. I daresay I can be a help to her with baby during these long hot days. Poor little chap."
Finlayson wondered what had befallen the Marsden baby that his fond aunt should call him "poor little chap," but did not dare to ask lest it should show how inattentive he had been. He 単に contented himself with 発言／述べるing—
"So you're going?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"The day after to-morrow I think; or Friday. There's really nothing to keep me here, and I'd like to be there before Christmas."
Her listener winced. It was evident she gave no thought to him in laying out her 計画（する）s.
"How long will you be away?" he asked.
"A month, or perhaps six weeks. Dolly wants me to stay at least three months, but that is ridiculous."
"Three months," echoed Finlayson blankly. "And what on earth am I to do?"
He had never spoken so to her before in all the course of her long friendship, never in so many words had he even hinted that he counted her part and 小包 of his life. Indeed it was only of late he had 設立する it out himself.
"You," said Ruth surprised. "Why I never thought—I mean—will you really 行方不明になる me?"
"行方不明になる you?"
And she looked 負かす／撃墜する, and read in one 簡潔な／要約する second his heart in his 注目する，もくろむs.
She would have given anything to look unconscious, to 保存する the same 静かな demeanour, but she was no worldly woman who had seen such things over and over again, who was even on the look-out for them, and the 発見 that her 信用d friend was a friend no longer, but an ardent lover, sent the 血 紅潮／摘発するing up over her white 直面する to the very roots of her hair. He must have seen that blush, she knew. What would he think of her? あわてて she turned her 直面する away, and sought, as many another woman has done, for a 安全な 支配する to bring the conversation 支援する to commonplace channels.
"Oh, the children," she said suddenly, remembering her neglected 義務s. "I've been forgetting all about them, and I don't see them anywhere."
Finlayson rose to his feet and looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する.
"I—Why! By George! the young scamps are out in the lake!"
Ruth sprang to her feet and saw in a moment that Finlayson was 権利. Ted, 存在 undisturbed had, with the 援助（する） of his brothers and sisters, finished the raft 完全に to his own satisfaction. Then it had to be 開始する，打ち上げるd, and 開始する，打ち上げるing it made them so wet that it seemed a pity not to make some その上の use of it.
"Let's get on and 列／漕ぐ／騒動 to the other 味方する," 示唆するd Ted, "there's two palings 'ill do for oars."
"You can't 列／漕ぐ／騒動," hesitated Etta.
"Pooh, nonsense, as if any fool couldn't 列／漕ぐ／騒動."
明らかに the argument was 納得させるing, for Etta agreed to go, and Ted, 選ぶing up Vera in his 武器, waded out and placed her triumphantly in the centre of the raft. The 残り／休憩（する） followed and 緊急発進するd on board as best they could, the frail raft more than once 脅すing to 転覆する. It was hardly an unmixed success either, for their 負わせる sank it a few インチs beneath the surface of the water, but, as Ted pointed out, they were so wet already that didn't much 事柄. They were not in 深い water, and there was really no necessity for them to cross the lake, p'非難するs, on the whole, he thought, they'd better not; but they might as 井戸／弁護士席 paddle 一連の会議、交渉／完成する now they were there. So they paddled 一連の会議、交渉／完成する to their heart's content for some few minutes, their unconscious 後見人 存在 so 吸収するd in her own 事件／事情／状勢s that she never even looked at them till, 存在 anxious for a change of 支配する, she suddenly remembered her 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金s.
In a moment she had flown 負かす／撃墜する to the 辛勝する／優位 of the lake, and to her 狼狽 saw they had drifted a good 取引，協定 その上の from the shore than she had at first thought.
"Children, children," she cried despairingly, "Ted, Etta, come 支援する this minute. You'll be 溺死するd."
"溺死するd," scoffed Ted, "not a bit of it. Georgie, you young beggar, stop your own 味方する. You'll have the whole thing 転覆するd."
"Oh, but it's comin' undone my end," said Georgie, 押し進めるing 今後.
"Oh! oh! Let's get off," cried the girls, （人が）群がるing to one 味方する. "It's comin' undone—we'll be 溺死するd."
Ted made one ineffectual 成果／努力 to keep the thing 適切に balanced, but it was no good. The children were now 完全に 脅すd. The girls and the little boy began to 叫び声をあげる, and as they （人が）群がるd together on one 味方する the light raft tipped up. Ruth caught a glimpse of jagged boards and loose rope ends, and then, with a 同時の shriek of terror, the little 乗組員 were flung off into the waters of the lake.
The water there was shallow, not 5ft. 深い, but still やめる 深い enough to 溺死する the children, and she, hardly knowing what she was doing, dashed into the water, made a 得る，とらえる at some floating petticoats, and dragged Etta 岸に. The doctor, she saw, had 持つ／拘留する of two children, and she 急落（する），激減（する）d in again and caught Rosy. By the time she had landed her he was just dragging Ted 岸に by the arm.
"Is that all of you?" he asked, giving the whimpering boy a shake. "Ted, what devil 所有するd you to lead your sisters into such a 捨てる? What'll your mother say?"
"Don't tell her," said Ted, shaking the water off his 着せる／賦与するs.
"Don't tell her," echoed the doctor; "and will she be thinking your cousin and I went into the water for our own amusement, to say nothing of the 残り／休憩（する） of you?"
"Don't tell her you went into the water at all," 示唆するd Ted in desperation. "Ruth could change, and so could the 残り／休憩（する） of us," said Ted sullenly. "Mother'll be angry if she knows. She told us not to go 近づく the water."
"Humph," the doctor looked across at Ruth, who had 乾燥した，日照りのd her 注目する，もくろむs now. "Now, lad, be a man and 耐える your 罰. You've deserved it for disobedience."
They began to walk に向かって the house, a wet and bedraggled little company, but Ted stuck to his point; he didn't believe in 存在 punished if he could help himself.
"Ruthie," he began, "don't tell unless mother asks you."
"Very 井戸／弁護士席," said Ruth, feeling 確かな Mrs. 認める would see some of them before they got their wet 着せる／賦与するs off, and that she would be asked for an explanation.
"And, doctor," said Ted, who was desirous of having two strings to his 屈服する, "you'll beg us off, won't you?"
"Will I? I'd like to see you get a jolly good thrashing. You're at the 底（に届く） of it. But I don't suppose your mother 'd take any 注意する of me."
"Oh, yes she will," said Ted, brightening up when he saw a chance of escaping the 刑罰，罰則 of his misdeeds; "because of Ann, you know."
"持つ／拘留する your tongue, Ted. Don't be silly," said Ruth はっきりと, 信用ing that the doctor had not heard, and hoping even if he had to stop その上の 発覚s.
But the doctor had heard, and Ted was too 深い in his own 事件／事情／状勢s to take any notice of her hints.
"What's your sister got to do with it?" said Finlayson turning to the boy.
"Oh you know," said Ted, winking knowingly. His spirits were rising and he began to feel やめる 安全な. "Gammon you don't know. It'll be all 権利 if you put in your word."
"You're silly, Ted," said Rosy. "I told you before you were silly."
Alick Finlayson looked from one to the other and then to Ruth's crimson 直面する. She did not know what they'd say next nor how to stop them, but comprehension began to 夜明け on her companion.
"You'd better get home, children," he said すぐに, "instead of squabbling here. It's not 井戸／弁護士席 to stand about in your wet things, and I must get home too."
Ruth looked at him. She was afraid of her aunt's 怒り／怒る. Yesterday she would have told him so 率直に and asked him to stay and 保護物，者 her—but to-day how could she, knowing as she did, that he would stay for her sake and that her aunt would forego her wrath, if he pleaded, for Ann's sake.
He understood this, too, thanks to Ted's 発覚s, but still as he looked at the 直面する of the tired girl beside him he 決定するd to stay if she asked him—if he could be of any possible use to her.
"Will your aunt be very angry?" he asked when she did not speak.
"Yes, I'm afraid so. I 推定する／予想する the children will be whipped."
"And you?"
"I shall be scolded, and I deserve it too. I never once thought of them. I was talking to you and やめる forgot."
She said it as 明言する／公表するing a simple fact, without a trace of coquetry, and Finlayson, seeing she was really dreading the 会合 with her aunt, was still more 決定するd to stop and see it through, even though, as he now saw, he was 許すd to throw oil on the troubled waters only because he was a supposed suitor for Ann's 手渡す and heart.
"I think I will stop to tea," he said, "after all. I daresay Will can lend me some 乾燥した，日照りの things," and the relieved look on Ruth's 直面する was his reward.
She was half hoping they would 会合，会う Mrs. 認める as they entered the house and get the 必然的な 自白 over there and then, but no one saw them. The children, glad of the （死）刑の執行猶予（をする）, 急ぐd away to change their things. Finlayson took his horse to the stable and went in search of Willie 認める, and Ruth went to her room to put on another dress.
It was still so hot, and she so tired, everything seemed a trouble to her. Then, too, she could not help thinking of Finlayson. Did he really care for her, or was she only fancying it—and if so, what would be the end? She had not やめる finished before the tea bell rang, and she went hurriedly to the chest of drawers for a clean handkerchief. As she drew open the drawer, much to her astonishment a little 公式文書，認める 演説（する）／住所d to herself lay on the 最高の，を越す of the pile of clean handkerchiefs. It was 演説（する）／住所d in a 一連の会議、交渉／完成する childish 手渡す that she recognised 即時に as Polly's, and wondered how it had got there, for Polly had gone the evening before to stay for a week or ten days at Titura with her sister Lily. 明確に she must have put it in before she left, though why she would want to 令状 at all Ruth could not imagine, for they 推定する／予想するd Lily and of course Polly to come over and spend the next day at Kooringa. The tea bell rang again furiously. Evidently she was not the only one who was late, but she stayed a moment to read her letter.
"Dearest Ruth," it began—"I know you'll do me a 親切. Ned Clegg and me—we just can't stand it any longer. He loves me—you know he does—you said you thought so yourself once, and I know I love him, so were going to get married. It's no good asking father, he's sure to say no, so I'm going to run away with him to-night. Simmonds, 'one of the men on the place,' is to 運動 me over to Titura, and everyone knows we're sweethearts, so he won't be a bit astonished if, about half-way over, Ned comes riding up and asks him to change places. They'll all think me at Titura, and Lil 'll think I've changed my mind and am coming 支援する with her on Friday, and Ned won't be 行方不明になるd, for he got a week's holiday yesterday. I don't know where we're going and I don't know how we're going to be married. Ned 'll manage that somehow; but you've always been so 肉親，親類d about it I want you to tell father and mother. Don't tell them at once, but anyhow before Lil comes because they'll wonder then what's become of me.
"Good-by, with much love from your affectionate cousin,
POLLY."
There was no date, but the letter had evidently been written and dropped into her drawer just before Polly left the night before. Her first thought was to 急ぐ off with it to her aunt; her second 狼狽 at the consequences to herself. Who, reading that letter, would believe her 声明 that she had not 補佐官d and abetted the girl?
Very slowly she went 負かす／撃墜する the passage and 押し進めるd open the dining-room door, the same dismally untidy room just a shade shabbier, the two sisters had entered two years and a half ago. All the family were seated at tea, and no 自白 had as yet been made as to the afternoon's 大災害, and Ruth, as she entered heard Mrs. 認める say—
"You were good children, I hope, and didn't go bathing."
No answer seemed 要求するd to this, so no one said anything, but Mrs. 認める asked again—
"Did you go bathing, Ted?"
"No, never thought of such a thing," said Ted 敏速に, bringing 負かす／撃墜する the doctor's 厳しい ちらりと見ること on him, but 慰安ing himself with the reflection that he was sticking 厳密に to the truth.
Finlayson ちらりと見ることd across at Ruth to see how she was taking this barefaced 声明 and then started to his feet.
"Good heavens, 行方不明になる Ruth! You are ill."
"No, no," she said, "it's this letter 脅すd me. I am all 権利," and she held the letter out to her aunt.
"A letter, Ruth? Who from? Why gracious me, you are white. Sit 負かす／撃墜する, child."
Ruth obeyed, and with trepidation watched her read the letter.
For a moment it seemed Mrs. 認める did not understand, then as comprehension began to 夜明け on her she was speechless with wrath and 狼狽. She carried the letter to her husband, and then 率直に published its contents.
"The wicked disobedient girl," she cried. "I'll never 許す her, never—飛行機で行くing in the 直面する of her parents and her God. Father, can we get her 支援する do you think?"
"I wash my 手渡すs of her," said Mr. 認める solemnly; "she has left the 倍の. She has wandered from the straight path. Let her be as one accursed. I'll have no more トラックで運ぶ with her. The Lord hath said——"
Eliza, one of the slipshod maid servants, appeared in the doorway with a pile of wet 着せる／賦与するs on her arm.
"Please, Mrs. 認める, what's to be done with them? I 設立する 'em stuffed under 行方不明になる Etta's bed."
"Why? What? Why that's the dress Etta had on this afternoon. Why, you've been in the lake, 行方不明になる," and she took the little girl by the shoulder and shook her with a severity meant perhaps more for her 年上の sister than herself.
"The raft—it upset," whispered Etta; "we might have been 溺死するd," she 追加するd, as if to enlist her mother's pity.
"You were on the lake then, and Ted you lied to me,"—she paused a moment as if she hardly knew what to do—then asked, "Which of you were in it. Come now, tell me quick, or it'll be the worse for you."
Thus exhorted Etta opened her mouth.
"There was me and Ted and Rosy and Georgie and Tom and Vera."
"Be off to bed with you this minute. No tea do you get this night. You're breaking my heart, you disobedient children. Go to bed now and I'll sort you when I've settled about Polly. Oh, Lord, what have I done to deserve this?"
Ruth pitied the poor mother from the 底（に届く） of her heart, but the doctor, who disapproved of 急速な／放蕩なing on 原則, put in a word for the hungry children 準備するing to leave the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する.
"Don't be hard on them, Mrs. 認める, please. They are very sorry. Let them have some bread at least. It's a long while since dinner. Don't let them go 餓死するing to bed."
But Mrs. 認める paid no 注意する.
"Spare the 棒 and spoil the child—a wiser than you said that, doctor. No, they must be punished. Off with you now. I've been too lenient with Polly. I'll just make no mistake about you," and the children scuttered out of the room like 脅すd rabbits.
"What about Polly, father?" she went on. "The lord will surely direct us in our search. Perhaps we may get her before they're married.
"Let her be, let her be," said the old man, 厳しく. "She is no child of 地雷. She stole away last night, and she shall stay away. She'd better marry Ned Clegg now, if he will marry her. She has 不名誉d herself. No honest man will want her now. It thine 注目する，もくろむ 感情を害する／違反する thee, pluck it out—we've Scripture for that."
"Oh, but, Uncle," began Ruth 熱望して, "indeed she——"
Ann, who had been reading the letter struck in. She had never liked Ruth. She was glad enough to find at last what looked like a 合法的 原因（となる） of （民事の）告訴.
"It's all her fault—all her fault," she cried. "I knew it, I 警告するd you what would come of 持つ／拘留するing communion with the unbeliever. She has encouraged Polly all along. Why this very letter says so! She has sympathised with her and encouraged her to deceive us. I know—I told you. She has not the true 支配する. She is always against us. She has no regard for her 義務. Even to-day she let those children nearly 溺死する."
For once in her life Mrs. 認める agreed with her eldest daughter, and since her husband utterly 拒絶する／低下するd to take any notice of Polly, she turned and vented her wrath, as was perhaps not unnatural, on Ruth, and angry and grief-stricken she did not stop to 選ぶ her words. Every opprobrious epithet she could think of she heaped on the unfortunate girl. She taunted her with her dependence and her helplessness; she 宣言するd her a heathen; she 乱用d her for her ingratitude. "It's true enough what Ann has said. We せねばならない 持つ／拘留する no communion with the ungodly; we're 正確に，正当に served; we've taken a viper to our bosom."
"Aunt, aunt," wailed Ruth, "indeed, indeed, it wasn't my fault about Polly. I never dreamt of such a thing. I forgot to look after the children for half an hour, and, oh, I'm so sorry; but about Polly, indeed I had no idea."
"You encouraged her, you sympathised with her. She says so here."
"I—I—aunt—I thought there was no 害（を与える） in letting her talk about him. She always used to all day long whenever she got the chance—oh, for a long time——"
"I told you so," ejaculated Ann.
"But she hasn't spoken of him this summer," went on Ruth, "and I thought—I thought she had forgotten—it had all blown over. She was so young."
"That's it," said Mrs. 認める. "She never would have thought of it herself—an innocent girl like her. You say yourself you let her talk to you about him, and you knew I had expressly forbidden her to について言及する his 指名する. You, a beggar living on our charity, to 始める，決める yourself up in this way—to eat our bread and then deliberately 始める，決める yourself to steal our daughter from us, and I to 信用 you! The fool I was—the fool!"
Poor Ruth, the 激流 of words left her helpless. 激しく she felt the humiliation of her position—they themselves had 申し込む／申し出d her a home, and now they were in their 怒り／怒る taunting her before 部外者s with her dependence.
Finlayson, watching her white 直面する, could stand it no longer.
"It seems to me," he said, trying to speak judicially, and as if he had no 利益／興味 in the 事例／患者 beyond that of the family friend, "it seems to me you are 非難するing 行方不明になる Ruth for the sins of the 残り／休憩（する） of them. All the countryside knew Polly and young Clegg were sweethearts—it's only a runaway match after all. Everyone knew it was bound to come to something. You'll have them 支援する in a day or two asking your forgiveness for the abrupt manner in which they settled things up. A runaway match is a little upsetting at first, but what is it after all? Saves the expense of a wedding. Clegg's 英貨の／純銀の fellow too. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you, Mrs. 認める. A girl's やめる 安全な with Clegg."
"I'll say good night," he 追加するd. "You'll be glad to get rid of me. I 保証する you you need not worry about your daughter. Clegg is really a very good fellow, isn't he, King?"
King, sitting hungrily at the tea-（米）棚上げする／（英）提議する hardly knew whether to agree or not, for he had a wholesome 恐れる of his 雇用者s, but ちらりと見ることing at Ruth's sad 直面する he boldly took the 味方する of the 抑圧するd.
"Indeed he is," he said, "a very good chap, and awfully gone on 行方不明になる Polly. I don't see how 行方不明になる Ruth could know anything about it. She slipped out every night for the last month of Sundays and met him by the old stable just beyond our hut."
But King had carried his 選手権 too far.
"And you knew this and never 警告するd us," 雷鳴d Mr. 認める, "the evil-doer, the evil-doer encompasseth us on every 味方する. Surely the Lord hath hidden His 直面する from my house. Leave the room, sir; leave the room this moment. Not another bite nor sup do you take at this （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する."
Arthur King rose and made for the door. If it only got him off the 祈りs and psalm singing he thought this was not so very terrible a 罰, and before he reached the door Mrs. 認める stopped him.
"How was it you didn't 警告する us, Arthur?" she asked 厳しく.
"'Twasn't any 商売／仕事 of 地雷 to go telling tales," he said sullenly, "besides you could have seen for yourselves if you'd looked."
"About what time did they 会合，会う?"
"I dunno. Between eight and nine 一般に."
"Nonsense; she was always in the school-room then learning her lessons."
"Oh, was she? I'm blind then, or p'非難するs it was her ghost," and young King, alarmed at his own temerity, fled, and retiring to the kitchen made 利益／興味 with the maids for something to eat.
"There," the doctor could not resist 説, "it seems to have gone on in the most open manner 権利 under your very 注目する，もくろむs. You can't 非難する 行方不明になる Ruth now, can you? Now, is there anything I can do for you? Send any 電報電信s? Go anywhere?"
"No, no," said Mr. 認める. "She can go. She has made her bed, and she must 嘘（をつく） on it. If she's his wife she must just stay with him, and if she isn't then she せねばならない be, and Kooringa's no place for the likes of her. Her sin is on her own 長，率いる."
"井戸／弁護士席, 井戸／弁護士席," said the doctor cheerfully; "as I tell you we shall have her 支援する in a day or two imploring forgiveness, and Clegg 'll make her a good husband. Good night, Mrs. 認める. Good night, 行方不明になる 認める. Good night, everybody. 行方不明になる Ruth, have you finished with that 調書をとる／予約する I lent you the other day?"
"Yes," said Ruth, "I'll go and get it. I'm sorry I forgot."
They went out into the passage together, followed by Willie, who was glad of a chance to leave the room.
"I'll see you 安全な off, Doctor," he said.
But the doctor had other 見解（をとる）s, and for once 決定するd to こそこそ動く out and have his own way.
"All 権利, Will," he said, "you get my horse, there's a good fellow. I want a word with your cousin here. I don't think she's looking 井戸／弁護士席," he 追加するd with his most professional 空気／公表する.
"Hang it all," said Will, "do you wonder with those old cats nagging at her. I don't wonder Polly ran away. I'm off as soon as I get the chance. 元気づける up, Ruth. Everyone knows it wasn't your fault," and good-natured clumsy Willie went off to the stable, leaving the two alone in the passage.
"I'll get your 調書をとる／予約する," said Ruth.
The last 大災害 had driven every other thought out of her 長，率いる.
"Nonsense, my girl. I don't want the 調書をとる／予約する, it was only an excuse. I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to talk to you—to tell you——"
"Someone will hear us—will you come out," whispered Ruth, nervously conscious of how angry Ann would be should she discover that Dr. Finlayson had ぐずぐず残るd to talk to her.
"Come outside, then."
Usually it was she who took the lead and 規制するd their intercourse, but to-night they had changed places, and she meekly, nay 喜んで submitted when he put his 手渡す on her arm and drew her out through a 味方する door into the garden, and thence into the 農園 beyond. Silently they walked on together till they （機の）カム within sight of the lake, lying placid and 静める in the last rays of the setting sun, and then he 解放（する）d her, and gently 押し進めるd her 負かす／撃墜する on to the self-same 石／投石する—she thought of it even then—where she had sat on Dolly's wedding day, when Maitland had told her of his ill-starred love. The tall doctor stood in 前線 of her, looking 負かす／撃墜する at her, and as she raised her 直面する she read only pity in his kindly plain one.
"Poor little girl," he said, "poor little girl."
"You don't think I was to 非難する?" she asked.
"非難する, my dear girl, how could you be to 非難する? The notion is just ridiculous. They are hard 海峡-laced Puritans, and when they draw the 社債s too tight their children 反逆者／反逆する 自然に, most 自然に, and they look 一連の会議、交渉／完成する for a scapegoat instead of 非難するing their own system."
"And I am the scapegoat with a vengeance," said Ruth, her lips quivering as the remembrance. "What shall I do now?"
She asked the question 簡単に, 正確に／まさに as she would have put it to a woman friend, if such she had had, and the doctor, 用心深い Scotchman as he was, had it on the tip of his tongue to answer "Marry me," but one ちらりと見ること at her told him how innocent she was of any such thought. Whatever may have been their relations of the afternoon, this evening she at least had gone 支援する to the old friendship, and was glad to have him there, her comforter and her friend.
Ruth never thought of loving Alick Finlayson, and had now 完全に forgotten the 発見 she thought she had made only that afternoon. It is human nature to be selfish, and all unconsciously she was selfishly forgetting all else but her own particular trouble. As for the man before her, she thought of him only as the safety 弁, the 肉親，親類d friend who would listen with 利益／興味 while she 注ぐd out her troubles and relieved her own mind.
"They are 不正な, they are unkind," she went on. "Ann always hated me, but—but—of course they have been good in giving me a home. I know that—only it was not my fault, was it? Indeed, I thought Polly had forgotten. She hasn't について言及するd Ned Clegg for the last six months, and as she was always talking about him before I thought it must have died out. Besides she spent such a lot of her spare time with me—you'd think I must have been blind not to have seen. Was I wrong in letting her talk about him? Her mother told her not, but, poor child, she was in such trouble I thought it best to let her talk about it. Was I wrong I wonder? Was it my fault after all?"'
"Poor little girl," he said, looking 負かす／撃墜する into the troubled 注目する，もくろむs so 率直に raised to his. "No, I'm sure you were 権利."
"I'm glad I'm going away so soon," she said; "I'm thankful. I can never come 支援する again. I will stay with Dolly for a month or so, and then I must see if I can't earn my own living."
If she had been the most finished coquette she could not more 首尾よく have brought him to her feet, and yet she was so 吸収するd in her own trouble she never gave him a second thought. He saw that, and it stung him to the quick.
"Going the day after to-morrow," he said 激しく, "and glad to go, and you have not one word or thought for me."
"You," she said with a sudden 悔恨, putting out one 手渡す to lightly touch his; "indeed, how can I help thinking of you—you who are always so good to me? Why, how could I have lived these last two years if it hadn't been for you?"
There was warmth in her manner now—too much warmth, for the woman who loved him and thought of him would never have spoken so 率直に. He turned away his 直面する and stood looking gloomingly out across the lake. It sparkled in the fading sunlight, but the grass around was parched and 乾燥した，日照りの, the plains stretching away to the horizon, only broken by Saddleback and the little rise known as Mullin's Hill, looked hot and uninviting. Summer, pitiless summer held the land in his アイロンをかける しっかり掴む, and to Alick Finlayson it only seemed to 強調 his 暗い／優うつな thoughts. What should he do when she was gone—how should he live without his companion and his friend, and she—that 極度の慎重さを要する beautiful woman out in the world alone—he could not 耐える to think of it, and yet what could he do?
He stood so long silent that at last Ruth rose and went to his 味方する.
"Don't be 悩ますd with me," she implored. "Everything seems wrong to-day. Please don't be 悩ますd with me; indeed, you don't know how 感謝する I have always been to you. Are you 悩ますd?" and she put her 手渡す on his arm, because he kept his 直面する turned from her.
"悩ますd—dear—悩ますd," and he turned and caught her 手渡す in his own. "Oh, Ruth, must you go? Why can't you stay and let me take care of you? Hush, dear, hush," for she would have spoken; "don't—don't tell me I am a fool for loving you; don't—don't send me away. Try and love me a little, and let me be good to you—let me take care of you—only let me take care of you—it isn't much I ask—is it?"
She tried to draw her 手渡す away, but he held it 急速な／放蕩な, and then suddenly put his arm 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her and drew her に向かって him.
"Ruth, look at me."
She raised her 直面する obediently.
"Do you think I love you?"
"Yes," she whispered, "but,——"
"But you don't love me, is that it? Do you like me?"
"You know I do."
"Very much?" And he held her closer still.
"Indeed," she murmured, "you know I have liked you very much."
"Is there anyone else? No," he answered himself. "I know there is not—at least I think not. I had a friend once, and—and he—he—was in danger of loving you, but he was bound to another woman, and he, like an honourable man went away. Was it not so? It must have been like the bitterness of death to him. But he went?"
"Yes," she said, lower still.
"And you knew? Did you guess why?"
"You have no 権利 to ask me that," she murmured.
"I know, I know; but, my dear, I love you so, and if you have given all your heart to him it will break 地雷, I think."
"But I thought—I have always thought—that—you—I mean——"
"That I loved your sister. Yes, you were 権利 there. But oh, Ruth, Ruth, she was never anything to me and you are all the world. My darling, I know there is nothing in me that a woman might love—I know I am a 静かな, ugly fellow, but oh, my darling, I would be so good to you; only let me love you just a little, let me take care of you just a little."
He was 持つ／拘留するing her の近くに in his 武器 now, and what was she to say? He was dear to her—very dear to her, and there was no one in the world to care for her. Maitland was nothing to her, could be nothing to her. She had not seen him for the last two years—very likely she would never see him again. She was so alone in the world, and must she give up her friend? He did not ask to be loved, only to take care of her; every thought was for her. She saw the unselfishness of it—she compared it even then with that other man's love, and when she would have spoken a sob choked her.
"It isn't fair," she sobbed. "Indeed, indeed, it isn't fair."
"What isn't fair? Am I taking advantage of you? But, darling, there was nothing else to——"
"No—no—I didn't mean that. You—you are goodness itself. You—are so 肉親，親類d and good to me, it wouldn't be fair of me to take everything and give nothing."
"Dear, couldn't you love me a little?"
"I—I—I'll tell you," she said, raising herself up and looking straight into his 直面する, and he saw the 涙／ほころび-減少（する）s on her cheeks and the earnest light in her dark 注目する，もくろむs; "I like you, indeed you don't know how much I like you and honour and esteem you. You are more to me than anyone else in the world, except perhaps Dolly, and I'm only third with her now," she 追加するd sadly. "But that's not love, is it?"
Poor Alick Finlayson! it was cruelly hard on him. He had given his all, and she 申し込む／申し出d him in return esteem and honour and mere liking—a 石／投石する in return for his bread. Did she 申し込む／申し出 it to him, though? Almost he 恐れるd she would 辞退する, and the thought of her going out alone into the world was more than he could 耐える.
"My little girl, I would be so good to you—couldn't you learn to love me a little?"
"You have been good to me," she sobbed, with unconscious cruelty; "no one was ever so good to me before, and yet you see I don't love you."
"But if you were to try. I—good God!" he cried 激しく, "other men 勝利，勝つ love, why cannot I? Is it that I'm too ugly—港／避難所't dainty enough ways—or——"
"Hush, hush," she said. "You mustn't say that. Of course you could 勝利，勝つ love easily—easily; any woman would be proud of your love. Ugly—I think you have the dearest, kindest 直面する in the world. I could never tell you what you have been to me these last two years, and how 熱望して I have watched for your coming."
"And yet you will not 信用 me? You prefer to go away out into the world to 捜し出す your fortune and leave me."
"It isn't that." She drew herself out of his 拘留するing 武器 and sat 負かす／撃墜する on the 石／投石する again. "It isn't that. Indeed, it isn't that. 信用 you—I would 信用 you above everything. Don't you see what 誘惑 you are putting in my way?—and I want to be honest, too—as honest in my way as you are in yours. You are 申し込む／申し出ing me everything. How can I take it and give you nothing in return?"
"Nothing? Only be my wife, the companion and friend you have always been to me, so tender, so 肉親，親類d, and I will do my best to make you love me. I will love you and take such care of you, and surely love will come."
"But if it did not?" and she covered her 直面する with 手渡すs.
He bent 今後 and drew them away, 持つ／拘留するing them 急速な／放蕩な in his own.
"Poor little girl, dear little girl. Dear, I love you so, I would rather see you happy than anything else. I long so to take care of you. I know I could do it so 井戸／弁護士席 if only you would 信用 me. But, dear, if you would be happier without me, say so, and I'll leave you."
"No, no, that's just it," she said incoherently. "You have been everything to me. I can't 耐える to think you should go 権利 out of my life."
He was so 肉親，親類d, so true, so tender; even then she could but compare him favourably with the man she did love, and as she raised her 注目する，もくろむs 十分な of 涙／ほころびs to his 直面する, he knelt 負かす／撃墜する beside her and put his arm 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her 情愛深く.
"See now, Ruth, we must understand each other; and you are so alone in the world. I can't ask anyone else about you, even Dolly could not explain 事柄s to me. You like me, you say."
"Yes, oh yes," and the 手渡す he held 圧力（をかける）d his 温かく.
"Suppose I were your brother?"
"There could be 非，不，無 dearer in all the world."
He 抑えるd a sigh. It was very hard.
"Then, my little girl, tell me 正確に／まさに how it is. Tell me why you don't want to marry me, just as if in truth I were your brother."
"You won't understand," she said with a break in her 発言する／表明する. "I do want to marry you. You 持つ／拘留する out such a tempting prospect. I know how good you would be to your wife, what care you would take of her, and we have been such friends. I feel as if I can't give you up—and yet, and yet—it isn't fair to take all that when I don't love you as you love me."
"My dear, my darling, my treasure!" He drew her closer to him and longed to cover her 直面する with 熱烈な kisses, but he 恐れるd to 脅す her. "Is that all? I am willing to 危険 that. Surely, if husband and wife are friends that is the first thing. The 残り／休憩（する） will be sure to come in time."
"But—but—it isn't fair. Oh, it isn't fair."
"Not to me—dear, if you are thinking of me it is perfectly fair to me. See here Ruth," he rose to his feet and drew her up beside him, so that her 直面する was hidden on his breast. She felt his heart （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing, and knew by the 強化するing of his clasp he was 神経ing himself for a tremendous 成果／努力, "See my little girl, I have learned to love you so 猛烈に that, if you would come to me, I should take you 喜んで, thankfully, even though I knew you had given all your love to another man. I——," but his 発言する／表明する broke and Ruth cried.
"Oh, I knew, I knew, I always knew you were the best man God ever made," and burst into such a passion of weeping as 公正に／かなり 脅すd him.
He just held her in his 武器 and let her cry on.
"After all," he thought to himself, "the best thing is to let her have her cry. It will do her good and 慰安 her to know somebody does care for her."
He bent 負かす／撃墜する and gently kissed her hair, 情愛深く twining it through his fingers, and bitter as the thought was that his worst 恐れるs were 確認するd and she had even given her heart to Maitland, yet there was 慰安 in 持つ／拘留するing her in his 武器, in the thought that she was his now for good and all. How pretty she was—how 甘い—and he would be so good to her.
"Hush, my darling, hush; you mustn't cry so. Hush, darling."
"Oh, my 注目する，もくろむ, is it a dagger that I see before me, or is it—is it——"
"Ted!"
The two sprang apart guiltily, Ruth turning away her 涙／ほころび-stained 直面する, while the doctor pounced on Ted and shook him 怒って.
"What the devil do you mean by this?"
"井戸／弁護士席, come, I like that. What the devil do you mean by it? Kissing and hugging Ruth."
"Your cousin, sir, has 約束d to be my wife," said the doctor with dignity, seeing that the boy had 推論する／理由 on his 味方する, and there really was some slight necessity for explanation.
"Oh, whew, has she really? What the dickens will Ann say? But, my word, Ruth, you have turned on the waterworks. You're nearly 溺死するd."
"You—you were sent to bed," said Ruth in self-defence.
"井戸／弁護士席, who's going to stop there! You weren't sent out to spoon with the doctor. My! there will be a rumpus! I'd run away if I were you. They aint too pleased with you as it is."
"Never you mind, Master Ted. It's my 義務 to look after your cousin now. Come, Ruth, shall I tell your uncle now? It will make things easier for you."
"Will it? Not unless she （疑いを）晴らすs out at once."
"She is going to her sister the day after to-morrow."
"Oh, is she? 井戸／弁護士席, I think I'll run away too. The place is getting unbearable."
Dolly's home in the Forest was a very humble one, only a weatherboard cottage with a shingle roof and a 幅の広い verandah in 前線. It was high on the 味方する of a hill 直面するing the south, so that they got refreshing sea 微風s いつかs in the middle of the summer, but there was no 見解（をとる）. The dense の近くに forest shut them in on every 味方する; only just 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the house was a small （疑いを）晴らすd space, part of which was laid out as a garden, where Roger cultivated vegetables in his spare time, and Dolly managed to grow a few flowers. Not that there was much difficulty about it. In the rich vegetable 国／地域, once the land was （疑いを）晴らすd, the flowers grew like 少しのd, and the only trouble was water. Pumping it up from the 井戸／弁護士席 took time and 労働, and often neither Roger nor the man who helped him on the little 選択 had time to spare, but even then Dolly herself would pump いつかs rather than her precious garden should 苦しむ.
And she had her reward. The little house nestling の中で the hills was a charming little home, as different 同様に could be from the weatherboard cottages surrounded by unlovely potato 陰謀（を企てる）s which as a 支配する are the homes of the selectors in the Heytesbury Forest. In years to come the southern lands of Victoria may be all smiling とうもろこし畑／穀物畑s, where the 猛烈な／残忍な heat of an Australian summer is always tempered by the 冷静な／正味の 微風s from the Southern Ocean, but at 現在の the 範囲s between Geelong and Warrnambool are 密集して wooded, covered with 巨大な trees and a scrub so 厚い that the work of （疑いを）晴らすing the land and making it fit for the use of man is worthy of Hercules himself. And yet there are many 植民／開拓者s there, for the land, once （疑いを）晴らすd, is rich and 価値のある.
The summer of '85-86 was exceptionally hot even in the south of Victoria, and Dolly bemoaned that her garden was 存在 廃虚d.
"It'll be all dead with the heat, Roger," she said. "Ruth won't admire it at all."
"Oh, yes, she will. She'll understand. Besides, think what the Kooringa-garden must be like this summer."
And Roger was 権利. To Ruth, coming from the 騒動 and 不快 of Kooringa, the little cottage on the hill was a very 港／避難所 of 残り／休憩（する）.
"Burnt up, Dolly? Indeed, no. You should just see Kooringa garden. And how 井戸／弁護士席 the passion flower has grown over the verandah! It makes やめる a little bower. And those gladioli, how 罰金 they are!"
"I do think it's rather nice," said Dolly, pleased. "I water that creeper 井戸／弁護士席, though, for it's so の近くに to the house and no trouble. But, oh dear, there really is a good 取引，協定 to do about the house. I wonder if you see any 落ちるing off. You see baby wants such a lot of attention now he's beginning to walk, and with only one servant there's really a good 取引，協定 to do."
"You manage wonderfully, Dolly, I think," said her sister, ready as of old to admire anything Dolly did. "It must be such hard work."
"Why, no," said Dolly. "You see, it's all for Roger and myself and baby, so it makes such a difference. You know, you really don't seem to care how hard you work when it's to make your home nice, do you?"
"No," said Ruth, and Dolly went on.
"It's so nice to work for Roger. He's so pleased with everything I do. Oh, Ruth, I'm such a happy woman."
"Dolly, I'm so thankful."
"If only you were happily married too, Ruth, if only——"
"Come wife, come," Roger's 発言する／表明する broke in on their tete-a-tete. "Come out and show Ruth 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the 広い地所. It's a little cooler now, and you might open the windows."
Ruth rose up thankfully. She had not yet told her sister of her 約束／交戦 to Dr. Finlayson, and somehow she was glad to put it off for a space. She must tell her soon, she knew, but the 約束／交戦 seemed to have been almost 軍隊d upon her by circumstances, and she could hardly yet decide whether she was glad or sorry to throw in her lot with the doctor. At least to-morrow would be soon enough to tell Dolly, she thought, as they wandered 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the little farmyard in the 冷静な／正味の of the evening 検査／視察するing the cocks and the 女／おっせかい屋s, and stirring up the pigs to make them show off their good points.
"They're real Berkshire pigs," said Dolly proudly, "and it was my idea 完全に having them, wasn't it, Roger. You see, I'm sure pigs 支払う／賃金 best of all, and we grow vegetables so easily it seems a shame not to have them. Roger was afraid they'd be a bother, because he and Davis いつかs when they're （疑いを）晴らすing on the other 味方する of the place arn't in till after dark. But I knew I could 料金d them. Gretchen and I—she takes as much 利益／興味 in them as I do—and then they make such a difference. Why, our last pigs we bought when they were tiny little things at 3s. each, and after we'd had them three months we sold them at about ｣2 each. Wasn't that good?"
"She's a 資本／首都 little 農業者, this wife of 地雷," said Marsden laughing, but evidently very proud of his wife. "Look at all her cocks and 女／おっせかい屋s there. They're all to be turned into solid cash I'm told."
"Now, Roger, you're laughing. Look here, Ruth. I made ｣30 （疑いを）晴らす out of my poultry and eggs last year. Wasn't that a good lot? Pigs go into the general 基金s, you know, but the poultry is my very own."
"Married woman's 所有物／資産／財産," said Roger. "She's got a 在庫／株ing somewhere, and she's hoarding, Ruth. She won't let me touch any of that money."
"No, of course not. Don't you think I'm 権利, Ruth. That's a reserve 基金. If we ever want money very, very 不正に there'll be that, and if we don't I shall save it for the boy. He must go to the grammar school, like his father, and he must have a university education if we can only afford it. So you see it's best to begin saving now."
"Wise Dolly," said Roger, patting her 手渡す, and Ruth, smiling assent, wondered if she could ever be so happy. If ever to her would come the peace and joy of loving and 存在 loved.
To many such a life would have seemed sordid and hard and 狭くする, but Dolly standing there in the evening sunlight in her neat blue print with her baby in her 武器 and her husband by her 味方する was a person to be envied by her 年上の sister.
She called herself ungrateful when next day brought her a long letter from Dr. Finlayson, so tender and so loving—so 十分な of her and her only—surely not Dolly herself had more wealth of love lavished on her. Surely she could be a happy woman too, if only she would take the love which was 申し込む／申し出d so 自由に instead of looking vainly backwards at what could never be.
She read her letter in the short Australian twilight; in the next room she could hear Dolly singing softly as she hushed her boy to sleep, and out on the verandah her brother-in-法律, his 労働s over for the day, was puffing away at his 麻薬を吸う.
"A penny, Ruth," he said, coming to the window, "a penny for your thoughts. You 港／避難所't spoken a 選び出す／独身 独房監禁 word since I brought you that letter, and I want to be entertained now my work's done."
"A penny for yours then. I'm sure you leant against that 地位，任命する so long I thought you were never going to move again. Come now, what were yours?"
"I was thinking I せねばならない get another pig. I could easily put in a few more vegetables, and Dolly manages so splendidly there's always plenty of milk. Then I might put something away に向かって the boy's education, too."
"Dolly would be so pleased," said Ruth; and then 追加するd with a little laugh, "Dear me, the care of matrimony."
"It has its 補償（金）s," said Marsden, sitting 負かす／撃墜する himself in a garden seat の近くに to the window, so that he had his sister-in-法律 in 十分な 見解（をとる）. "You 港／避難所't 乗る，着手するd on its troubled waters yet, Ruth; why's that."
"Nobody asked me, sir," she laughed.
"Now, what's the good of telling me fibs. As if I didn't see with my own 注目する，もくろむs Maitland was awfully gone on you two years ago. I never could make out why that never （機の）カム to anything, for I used to think you rather liked him, too."
"Just like a man," she said, looking him bravely in the 直面する, though she felt the 血 開始するing to her cheeks. "Just like a man. We took compassion on one another because you and Dolly were so 吸収するd in one another that if we had not got up a 競争相手 flirtation, we'd have been dreadfully dull and out in the 冷淡な."
"Oh, yes; it's all very 井戸／弁護士席 to put it that way, but if ever I saw a man in love it was Maitland. You have not met for two years, have you? I wonder if he's got over it. I suppose you know he's at Tamba now."
"Is he?" she managed to ask.
"Oh, yes, Waterworks or something. Shall I ask him over?"
"No, no; what nonsense—not for me."
"What," he asked in astonishment, "you mean to say you wouldn't care to 会合，会う Maitland after 存在 such chums. 井戸／弁護士席, I——"
"井戸／弁護士席, you what?" asked Dolly, coming into the sitting room, and putting her arm 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her sister's neck. "井戸／弁護士席, you what?"
"Don't understand women."
"Pooh, my beloved husband; whoever supposed you did."
"井戸／弁護士席, but Ruth says she wouldn't care to see Maitland. Arn't women fickle. We were thinking of asking him 負かす／撃墜する for Christmas, weren't we, Dolly?"
Dolly, with her 手渡す on her sister's shoulder, could not fail to see she was somewhat more agitated than the occasion seemed to 令状. She had always thought there was something between her sister and 刑事 Maitland, and now that she had the chance 決定するd to put 事柄 straight.
"Yes, of course, we'll ask him," she said. "I 推定する／予想する he'll be awfully glad to come. Tamba's a dull place to spend Christmas in."
"It's so far," 反対するd Ruth.
"井戸／弁護士席, I like that, considering Maitland used to ride over 10 miles just to spend an afternoon with you. Do you remember the 冷淡な afternoon I was skinning sheep, and you two girls （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する, and then Maitland and Finlayson 棒 up. That was the beginning of it, wasn't it? Weren't they jolly times. Poor old Finlayson, though, he was always a bit out of it. And he's such a good 英貨の／純銀の chap, too, is Alick, I 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う he's really the best at 底（に届く）, though one couldn't help taking to 刑事 Maitland. Poor old Alick! He's doing very 井戸／弁護士席, I hear; making his fortune in fact. I hope some designing woman doesn't catch him for his cash."
"What would you say?" began Ruth, feeling that she must tell them of her 約束／交戦. "What would you say—if—if—I told you that—that——"
"Not that you're engaged to Dr. Finlayson?" asked Dolly impetuously, and, seeing 確定／確認 in her sister's 直面する, flung her 武器 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her, and kissed her in the old warm-hearted loving style.
"Oh, Ruth, I'm delighted—delighted! Roger, isn't it good news?"
"You're a lucky young woman," he said, "a very lucky young woman. So that's why you didn't want to see Maitland. Poor old 刑事, it will be a blow to him; but, after all, I believe you've chosen wisely."
Dolly could talk of nothing else. Not only that evening, but all the long hot days when Roger and his man went away to their work on the other 味方する of the 選択, and the two women were left to their 世帯 義務s, 補助装置d by one maid servant—a solemn young woman, who, though she was English to all 意図s and 目的s, yet 保持するd enough of the 特徴 of her German 血統／生まれ to make her an invaluable servant.
"It's delightful, isn't it? You mothered me when I was married, and now I must look after you. I suppose you have not 直す／買収する，八百長をするd the day yet?"
"Oh, yes," said Ruth, bending her blushing 直面する 負かす／撃墜する over the plums she was 石／投石するing for the Christmas pudding—for a Christmas pudding is a necessity in Australia, even though the 温度計 be at 105deg. in the shade—"oh yes, we have—at least I thought about the middle of February, but Dr. Finlayson wants it at the end of January."
"What!" Dolly spilt all the flour she was 重さを計るing out in her surprise. "February! My goodness, you are in a hurry. I'll just 令状 to Melbourne to-night to Moubray's and tell them to send us a roll of longcloth and another of muslin. We'll begin on your trousseau, at once. But my dear child, you can't かもしれない be married before June at the very least. We might manage by May, but then May's unlucky."
"But I shan't want much," 抗議するd Ruth. "It isn't as if I were going to have a grand wedding. Not even as mildly grand as yours was. You see I can't be married from Kooringa."
"Indeed no, you must be married from here, and Roger and I'll do our very best for you. The little church is only five miles away. Really not so far as Mullin's Hill, you know. But have you quarrelled altogether with the Kooringa people? Aunt used to be 肉親，親類d in her way."
"So she is still. Only they were so awfully angry about Polly, you know. And then when I told them next morning I was going to marry Dr. Finlayson, it was worse than ever. I really don't think anybody but the children spoke to me afterwards, and they were all in 不名誉 for 宙返り／暴落するing into the water. So, Dolly, you see I really must be married soon, and if you'll only keep me till the wedding, I'll——"
"Keep you, dear? You know I'm only too delighted to have you for as long as ever you'll stay, and you mustn't be married before June, for goodness knows when we'll ever be together again. Do you hear, Ruth?"
Ruth nodded, and her sister went on.
"I wonder what has become of Polly? Will Ned Clegg marry her, do you think?"
"Oh, it's all 権利. I was going to tell you, only you've talked so 断固としてやる of my 約束／交戦 I 港／避難所't had a chance. In Dr. Finlayson's letter—井戸／弁護士席, Alick, then—in his last night's letter he says he thought I wouldn't be happy unless I knew what had become of them. So he asked every creature he （機の）カム across, till at last Arthur King 自白するd he knew they were going to Geelong, and then he traced them easily enough. They had been married somehow or other, I don't やめる understand how, and were having a 穏やかな little honeymoon on the ｣38 he'd saved with a 見解（をとる） to matrimony. Alick said he 設立する them in very poor lodgings, and they looked such a boy and girl, in spite of the dignity of the married 明言する／公表する, that he gave them a good talking to, and asked them what they ーするつもりであるd to do next."
"Go 支援する to Kooringa and be forgiven, I suppose. Fancy Polly married! I can only think of her as a fat, over-grown girl in dresses much too short for her."
"井戸／弁護士席, her dresses are still too short for her. I helped her make two new ones just before she ran away, and that's all the trousseau she had, poor girl. No, they won't 許す her at Kooringa though. Alick says both he and Lily tried their very best. He says he thinks though that James Wilson doesn't want another son-in-法律 on the 駅／配置する, and I can't make him see that he's about the very worst 支持する poor Polly could have had, at least with Ann and aunt."
"Poor Ann, it is hard on her, when she thought she'd made an impression, too. But what's to become of the newly-married couple? Thirty-eight 続けざまに猛撃するs won't last for ever."
"That's what Alick said to the young man. He was 十分な of all sorts of wild notions, but Alick recommended him to get a place at once and stick to it, and not to build any hopes on the old folks relenting. However, he says he was able to settle them before he left, for that night at the club he met Lowe, of Bandelowie—you know, on the Darling, not far from Wilcannia. He was growling about his men, so Alick recommended him to try young Clegg. He didn't much like the idea of a wife, but finally agreed to take him. Alick sent for him, and he just jumped at it. Mr. Lowe'll 支払う／賃金 their expenses up, give him 30s. a week and a hut to themselves. Poor Polly!"
"Lucky Polly! After all it's not bad. She's got the man she wants—she's never been accustomed to any 高級な—and she'll do very 井戸／弁護士席 if only she doesn't have too many children. But how good of Alick Finlayson, wasn't it?"
"He is good, you don't know how good he is," said Ruth looking at her sister with 紅潮／摘発するd cheeks and tearful 注目する，もくろむs.
"And are you as much in love with him as he is with you, Ruth?" asked Dolly.
"I—I don't know," 滞るd Ruth, "we have been such friends since you went away, and till last week I never thought—I—I mean I was so surprised."
"井戸／弁護士席 so was I," assented Dolly 率直に, "but that doesn't 妨げる me 存在 delighted all the same. Roger thinks you're a very lucky girl, and he'll be the best husband that ever was seen. If he's half as good as Roger—oh Ruth—you せねばならない be happy."
"So I am."
"No, you're not—not wildly—not as happy as he deserves. I don't think you're even content to sit still and 許す yourself to be loved. What is it, Ruth? Once I used to think you were in love with 刑事 Maitland; but, then, he was so evidently 長，率いる over ears in love with you that——"
"Oh, nonsense, Dolly, I've told you before."
"I don't care what you told me before, dear. Women always tell lies about their love 事件／事情／状勢s one way or the other, and I believe the 証拠 of my own 注目する，もくろむs. Roger was always in love with me, I know, in a cheerful sort of way; but, 刑事 Maitland 井戸／弁護士席, 刑事 Maitland—I have often thought of it since—was just heart-brokenly in love with you."
"Oh, Dolly, don't."
"What, crying? Don't cry, dear, don't cry; there wipe your 注目する，もくろむs. You're not bound to marry a man however in love he is with you if you don't want to, and both Roger and I would much rather you married Alick Finlayson. You don't love him. Ah, but you like him, and esteem him so much that you will be sure to love him in time. I don't see how a woman can help loving a good husband, and he will be the best husband in the world to you. There—there's my naughty boy waking up and crying for his mother. Ruth, as soon as you're done, 令状 to Moubray's for that longcloth."
Ruth wrote for the longcloth, and すぐに the two young women 始める，決める to work. Roger smiled at his wife's energy, and used to ask her if she was sure the farm did not 苦しむ, but she only laughed, and 宣言するd she hadn't a sister to marry every day, and everything must give place to the all-important trousseau if Ruth 固執するd to her 計画（する）s and 主張するd on 存在 married in the second week in February. Christmas passed, and the New Year （機の）カム 勧めるd in by a heat greater even than usual in an Australian summer. Marsden's man, after the manner of his 肉親，親類d, had taken a fortnight's holiday, but his 雇用者 went every day to work （疑いを）晴らすing on the other 味方する of the 選択, and the two women were left at their work undisturbed.
Marsden used to read to them every evening as they sewed, and all Christmas Day and New Year's Day he spent playing with his boy and lolling on the sofa watching them.
"It's やめる refreshing to see your 産業," he said.
"It's rather hard on you, I think though," said Ruth. "Two of your holidays have been 完全に spoiled by our energy."
"Oh, Roger doesn't mind, do you Roger? He likes reading to us in the evenings, and I only worked on New Year's Day because I ーするつもりである to have a real holiday on the 6th. We shan't do a thing that we can help that day—and Roger, you must stop at home from work, won't you, all day long?"
"Waste a whole day?" he asked.
"Our wedding day and baby's birthday?" she said with a little anxious quiver in her 発言する／表明する.
"Why, of course, my darling," he 急いでd to 安心させる her, "I never dreamt of doing anything else. That is the feast of St. Dolly, you know Ruth, and must be kept with all 予定 reverence."
But Dolly did not have her husband on her wedding day after all.
On the evening of the 5th he 棒 over to the little 地位，任命する-office five miles away as usual, and （機の）カム 支援する with a rather 悩ますd look on his 直面する.
"I'm so 悩ますd, wife," he said, "so sorry, but I'm afraid I'll have to go over to Crafer's to-morrow. Here's old Atkinson 令状s to say he's got a 買い手 for the 支持を得ようと努めるd, a man who buys to sell again in the Melbourne market. He thinks he'll take it all off my 手渡すs at a fair price. It'll bring about ｣40 he thinks, but he's arranged for me to 会合，会う this man at his place to-morrow."
"Oh dear," sighed Dolly, "oh dear, that is hard, and we can't afford to 行方不明になる such a chance, can we? Of course, you must go. Ruth and I will think of you all the same, and we'll get on with our sewing better than ever, because we've been so careful not to leave anything we could help to be done to-morrow."
"And I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to stay, but we can't afford to lose this chance."
にもかかわらず next morning at 6 o'clock when Roger せねばならない have started on his 旅行 he felt himself very unwilling to go. Both Ruth and Dolly were up to give him his breakfast and see him off, and Dolly in honour of her f黎e day had put on a new dress.
The breakfast was dainty and the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する was prettily decorated with flowers freshly gathered, even though it was so 早期に.
"By Jove," said Marsden, "I don't 推定する／予想する there's another man in all the 地区 一連の会議、交渉／完成する has such a pretty home and such a charming wife and sister to wait on him." And he threw an appreciative ちらりと見ること 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する as he helped himself to some more salad.
"And you're going to have such a day," sighed his wife. "Just hark to the 勝利，勝つd."
Indeed it was a 猛烈な／残忍な hot-勝利，勝つd day, as they 設立する when they （機の）カム out together a few minutes later—he to saddle his horse, she to look on and see as much of him as she could. Though it was barely 6 o'clock the sun was like a ball of 解雇する／砲火／射撃 in a 巡査-coloured sky, and the mighty north 勝利，勝つd （機の）カム 激怒（する）ing through the gum-trees, 涙／ほころびing at their 支店s, 投げ上げる／ボディチェックするing up their bark as it 急ぐd roaring away to the sea.
"Now, you two girls, be good, and don't get into any mischief while I'm away. I'll be 支援する by 7 or 8," and he 機動力のある his horse, and waving his 手渡す to them, 棒 away, and was soon lost to sight amongst the surrounding trees' trunks.
"Poor Dolly," said Ruth, sympathetically.
Dolly laughed.
"If I never have any greater trouble I'll be lucky, shan't I? Come along, Ruth. We せねばならない make 早い strides in your trousseau—why, its only just after 6. Let's have a cup of tea, and then 始める，決める to work."
Dolly felt rather low-spirited, so they worked on in silence till about 7, when Roger junior wakened, and his mother bathed him and dressed him in his little white shirt only for coolness sake, and after giving him his breakfast, 始める，決める him on the 床に打ち倒す to amuse himself. But baby, usually so good, was cross and fretful, and again and again his mother had to put 負かす／撃墜する her work and take him in her 武器 and soothe him.
"Poor little chap, it's the heat," said his aunt. "Give him another bath. Here Gretchen, bring in a bucket of water will you, please."
The girl brought in a pail of water a minute or two later, 冷静な／正味の and fresh from the 井戸／弁護士席, and, 注ぐing it into the baby's bath, stopped a moment and looked at the boy splashing about in it.
"There is smoke outside," she 発言／述べるd solemnly.
"Smoke, is there?" said Dolly, "I hope to goodness the brushwood won't take 解雇する／砲火／射撃 and 燃やす the 盗品故買者s like it did last year."
"I think it will," 観察するd her handmaid, and her mistress sighed.
"What a nuisance! 井戸／弁護士席, we couldn't do anything against a 勝利，勝つd like this. The 盗品故買者s will have to go," and she went on playing with her baby, who had stopped crying, and was 完全に enjoying himself.
"Don't you think there's any danger," asked Ruth, when Gretchen had gone 支援する to the kitchen.
"What of? Of the house catching? Oh, no, there's a （疑いを）晴らすing all 一連の会議、交渉／完成する. Last year all the scrub was burnt, and a lot of the 盗品故買者ing, too, but it didn't come 近づく the house. It's hard luck, though—30s. a week for a fencer, and as soon as the 盗品故買者s are up they get burnt 負かす／撃墜する again. Look at baby; he's good enough now. I 推定する／予想する he'll go to sleep again when I take him out."
But Baby Roger was by no means 性質の／したい気がして to be amiable when his mother did take him out of his bath, and he cried and 抗議するd still more 熱心に when she tried to lay him 負かす／撃墜する to sleep. So she lay 負かす／撃墜する on her own bed beside him and took him on her arm, and when Ruth peeped in softly half an hour after both mother and child were sound asleep.
The blinds were 負かす／撃墜する both in the sitting-room and in the bedroom, and it was comparatively 冷静な／正味の and dark, and Ruth, taking her sister's seat in the 激しく揺するing-議長，司会を務める, sewed on contentedly for some time. Then the door opened, and Gretchen stood there, looking rather 脅すd.
"Oh, 行方不明になる 認める," she said, "do look here a minute, please."
"Hush," said Ruth. "Mrs. Marsden and baby are both asleep." And she followed her softly into the kitchen. "What's the 事柄?" she asked.
For all answer the girl pointed to the window, and Ruth saw 厚い clouds of smoke, driven by the 猛烈な／残忍な hot 勝利，勝つd, 急ぐing past, hiding from sight even the 盗品故買者 that surrounded the garden.
"Good gracious," she cried, rubbing her 注目する，もくろむs, as if they might have deceived her, "why Gretchen, is it smoke?"
"Smell it," said the girl laconically, and indeed the 空気／公表する was redolent of the strong aromatic smell of the 燃やすing gum leaves. "Oh 行方不明になる," she 追加するd, "it's an awful 解雇する／砲火／射撃."
Ruth opened the door, and the two women peered out. The little yard was 厚い with smoke, and the 勝利，勝つd was roaring through the tree-最高の，を越すs so that they could hardly hear one another speak. Snatching up a tea cloth from the dresser, Ruth put it over her 長，率いる and, followed by Gretchen, made her way across the yard to the slip パネル盤s. The sky was 激しい and 曇った, whether by the clouds or by the smoke they could not tell, the 空気／公表する was 厚い and 激しい with it, and, leaning over the slip-rails they could see nothing but smoke like a 霧, shutting out even the tree trunks. Two or three wallaby 急ぐd past seemingly too terrified to notice their proximity, and a tiny bandicoot leapt under the rails and took 避難 in Gretchen's dress.
"Oh, 行方不明になる," she cried, "that's the worst 調印する, I've heard my father say. We'll be burnt up if we don't run," and she made as if she would have started off there and then.
Ruth laid her 手渡す on her arm.
"Wait a minute. We must tell Mrs. Marsden," and she 急ぐd into the bedroom where mother and child were still sleeping 平和的に.
"Dolly! Dolly! darling!" she cried, snatching up the boy. "Oh, Dolly!"
Dolly sat up rubbing her 注目する，もくろむs. "Why, Ruth, what is it?"
"解雇する／砲火／射撃, dear! The whole forest is on 解雇する／砲火／射撃!"
Dolly was on her feet, and at the door in a moment. They knew little enough about it any one of the three, but a ちらりと見ること was 十分な to show Dolly her sister was 権利. This was no ordinary 小衝突 解雇する／砲火／射撃, but a 激怒（する）ing conflagration, 広範囲にわたる all before it. The house, the outbuildings—all were of 支持を得ようと努めるd with shingle roofs, now 乾燥した，日照りの as tinder—a 誘発する would 始める，決める them alight, and the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 would be roaring on them in いっそう少なく than half an hour.
She wrung her 手渡すs. "Oh, Ruth, Ruth."
"Dear, you know the country best, which——"
"負かす／撃墜する to Mitchell's," put in Gretchen; "quick, get baby and let's run."
"But the animals, we can't leave them," sobbed Dolly, "Oh, Roger, Roger."
"Hush, dear. There, I've opened the 女／おっせかい屋-house door. You let the old 女／おっせかい屋 out of the 閉じ込める／刑務所. Now the pigs—we'll leave the stye open—and, Gretchen, Gretchen, catch Maggie."
They 急ぐd about in hopes of giving every living thing a chance of life, and Dolly opened the cage door and let her canary go 解放する／自由な. It ぱたぱたするd 一連の会議、交渉／完成する helplessly, and finally perched on the verandah just out of reach.
"It's no good," panted Dolly, "we must save ourselves. We'd better put on our ulsters, or the 誘発するs may catch our dresses."
In the bedroom little Roger was sitting on the 床に打ち倒す just where his aunt had left him, crying 静かに to himself. His mother, after putting on a 激しい winter cloak, wrapped a 一面に覆う／毛布 一連の会議、交渉／完成する him. Then she 設立する that a 激しい boy of twelve months old wrapped in a 一面に覆う／毛布 was as much as she could manage, and returned to the sitting-room, where her sister and maid, also in their ulsters, were putting anything that seemed to them 価値のある into their pockets and into two pillow 事例／患者s in 迅速な 準備 for 出発, while on the doorstep the 世帯 magpie, still uncaught, was dancing up and 負かす／撃墜する calling shrilly—
"What's the 事柄? What's the 事柄? What the devil's the 事柄?"
"Oh, poor Mag," cried Dolly, and Gretchen made a sudden dart and caught the bird, and, 避けるing a vicious つつく／ペック, put him in her ulster pocket and buttoned it 負かす／撃墜する over him, where he relieved his feelings by crowing like the farmyard cock and using up all his voluminous and somewhat profane vocabulary in unavailing 抗議する against his cramped ４半期/4分の1s.
It was not ten minutes since Gretchen had called Ruth, but the smoke was growing 厚い, and 厚い, and breathing was 絶対 difficult.
"We must start," said Ruth, and Dolly sobbed—
"Oh dear, I do hope there's nothing left alive and shut up that I've forgotten."
"The 解雇する／砲火／射撃's やめる の近くに," cried Ruth, as another gust of 勝利，勝つd 脅すd to 解除する the roof from the house, and the three women 急ぐd out and fled before the north 勝利，勝つd, 負かす／撃墜する the garden and through the forest, the magpie in Gretchen's pocket shrieking wildly, and the boy in his mother's 武器 sobbing with fright. Straight before the 勝利，勝つd they ran, 権利 through the forest; there was not even a 跡をつける to guide them, and the smoke was blinding now. 一連の会議、交渉／完成する this 広大な／多数の／重要な tree, under that 激しい 支店, across these rough スピードを出す／記録につけるs, and always it seemed to their excited imaginations that the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 was の近くに behind them.
About a mile and half from the homestead, just after they had left the 境界 盗品故買者, they （機の）カム to a creek, which 削減（する） 権利 across their path; the banks were rather 法外な, and its bed was 幅の広い, though the heat had 減ずるd the water to the merest trickle, and in no place did it come higher than their ankles. They 緊急発進するd 負かす／撃墜する the banks, walked through the water, which was 冷静な／正味の and refreshing to their hot feet, and struggled up the opposite 味方する. Then they paused a moment to take breath, and looked 支援する the way they had come. There was nothing much to see; the 勝利，勝つd was as high and the smoke as 厚い as ever, but still, though the smell of the 燃やすing gum leaves was so strong, there was no 調印する as yet of the 解雇する／砲火／射撃.
Dolly sat 負かす／撃墜する for a moment on a スピードを出す／記録につける to 残り／休憩（する）. The boy was 激しい, the heat stifling, and they had come the mile and a half in いっそう少なく than five-and-twenty minutes.
"The creek will stop the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, Ruth," she panted. "Surely we're 安全な enough now."
But even as she spoke a small flock of sheep, with one or two wallabies の中で them, dashed out of the forest, crossed the creek, and were soon lost まっただ中に the fern and undergrowth.
"They don't think so," said Ruth. "Let me carry Baby, dear, just for a little."
Dolly 押し進めるd her 手渡すs aside and rose to her feet.
"No, no, I can manage," and Gretchen, as if struck with fresh terror at the sight of the 脅すd animals, 再開するd her headlong flight through the bush, and the two others followed her as best they might, their only guide, the 勝利，勝つd behind them.
Another half-hour's 緊急発進する and they 現れるd on a tiny （疑いを）晴らすing about an acre in extent, surrounded by a 地位，任命する-and-rail 盗品故買者, with a weatherboard cottage in the middle. On the verandah a woman and half-a-dozen children were standing anxiously looking out, but so dense was the smoke the newcomers had come half-way across the （疑いを）晴らすing before they were seen by those on the verandah.
"Hey, honey," called out the good woman as they approached, "but who are yer? What, Mrs. Marsden, from Bolwarra. I was afeard ye might be along, but hey, whaur's your man?"
The 涙／ほころびs （機の）カム into Dolly's 注目する，もくろむs as she thought of Roger. What would she not have given to have had him by her 味方する.
"He—He went over to Crafer's," she answered.
"To Crafers? Why, but I seed him myself last night."
"He went this morning," said Ruth.
"This morning! Lord sakes! He never leaved ye this morning. Why, the 勝利，勝つd were blowin' such a ハリケーン as never was."
"It wasn't so bad when he left," 抗議するd Dolly, "and I never dreamt of such a 解雇する／砲火／射撃 as this. Last year the brushwood was burnt, but it didn't do much 害（を与える） else. He said he'd be home at 7 to-night, and now," 公正に／かなり breaking 負かす／撃墜する, "there won't be any home for him to come to."
"Lord sakes! Lord sakes!" muttered Mrs. Mitchell, looking at Ruth. "The innocents ye are—to leave ye with a north 勝利，勝つd a blowing like this. Ye'll be Mrs. Marsden's sister now? Ay, I've heard tell of ye. But come in, come in, an' give the babby a sup o' milk. He's greetin', poor thing. God knows how long we can stop here."
"But Mrs. Mitchell, where's your husband?"
"負かす／撃墜する Warrnambool way hoein' 'taters. Last week he went. We can no live by the 選択 alone ye see—but adeary me"—going to the door and looking out at the drifting smoke, "I dunno can we save the house wi'out 'im. Johnny ha' ye filled everything wi' watter—the pig 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業'el an' all?"
"Yes, Mammy," said a 有望な little lad of twelve, setting 負かす／撃墜する a 激しい bucket 十分な of water and leaning against the door-地位，任命する while he wiped the heat 減少（する）s from his forehead; "yes, Mammy, there ain't nothen left 'cept the cups, and them ain't no good. What shall we do now?"
Ruth ちらりと見ることd 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her quickly.
Some sheds at short distances one from the other stretched from the house to very nearly the 辛勝する／優位 of the （疑いを）晴らすing. They were used evidently as stables, cow-byres, and pigsties.
"Do you think we can stay here Mrs. Mitchell?" Ruth asked. "Hadn't we better go while we can?"
"井戸／弁護士席, I dunno," said the good woman, "it's the only home we's got. I'd like 井戸／弁護士席 to save it if I could, an' we're four 十分な grown women, not to count the children. The clearin's all 工場／植物d wi' 'taters, too," she went on, looking 一連の会議、交渉／完成する at the neat furrows. "Green 'taters can't 燃やす. We's stop as long as we can."
"Very 井戸／弁護士席; we'll help all we can. But the children; they are such mites."
"Oh, they're helpful," said the mother. "Clary's thirteen, and Johnny he's handy, an' Sam he's good, but he's 傷つけるd his foot, an' maun just mind the little ones. The babby—she's but three months old. But what can we do, though?"
"Let's pull 負かす／撃墜する those sheds; the bark roofs will 燃やす like anything if we leave them standing. But what shall we do with the little ones, Dolly?"
Dolly had been sitting with her baby on her （競技場の）トラック一周, watching her sister with eager 注目する，もくろむs.
"Yes, yes," she said, "I'll put baby の中で the potatoes."
The two mothers ran out of the house, and Dolly, 倍のing the 一面に覆う／毛布 の近くに around her boy laid him 負かす／撃墜する in a potato furrow so that the bending green leaves might 避難所 him somewhat. Mrs. Mitchell put her three-months old baby beside him, and a tiny girl of two years, who had no shoes on and who clung terrified to her mother's skirts, was 始める，決める 負かす／撃墜する and told to "be good now and mind baby," while Sam, a pretty, delicate boy of eight or nine, who had 傷つける his foot and could hardly walk, was told to mind the lot.
Then the women and the 残り／休憩（する） of the children 始める，決める to work with might and main to pull 負かす／撃墜する the outbuildings; even a little boy of five, who had lost his hat and who only had on a shirt and a pair of trousers, helped with the 残り／休憩（する）. It was hard work—work they were 非，不，無 of them accustomed to—and in their hurry they had no time to look for 道具s, and though all worked with a will there was no method in it, and they did not 進歩 very 急速な／放蕩な. The smoke, too, was 厚い than ever, and made their 注目する，もくろむs smart and water. Just 総計費, の近くに at 手渡す almost, it seemed, hung the sun, a 一連の会議、交渉／完成する 血-red ball, which they could look at easily with the naked 注目する，もくろむ, and the children kept crying—
"The moon, the funny moon, mammy, do look at the moon."
They worked on 刻々と for what seemed like hours till the first shed was level with the ground, and then Ruth suddenly raising her 注目する，もくろむs saw the lurid glow of the 炎上s through the smoke and brushwood. They would be 権利 負かす／撃墜する on the little （疑いを）晴らすing in a very few minutes. She dropped the axe she had been using and pointing with her finger called—
"Mrs Mitchell, Mrs. Mitchell, look! look!"
"Children, children," called the good woman, wringing her 手渡すs, "leave the sheds. We mun save the house," and they all made for the house, which was very nearly in the centre of the （疑いを）晴らすing.
"Johnny," cried his mother, "you get on the roof, and we's 手渡す you up wet 一面に覆う／毛布s an' 解雇（する）s."
Like all Australian cottages, the house was one-story and the roof very low, so that the boy had no difficulty in obeying his mother, who, having dragged out the kitchen （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, stood on it, 手渡すing him up buckets of water and 一面に覆う／毛布s, while the other three women with the children went backwards and 今後s to the waterhole bringing water in every 利用できる 大型船, from the biggest wash-tub to the tin dipper.
The forest behind them was in 炎上s now, the smoke was stifling, and the heat unbearable, while the strong north 勝利，勝つd bore before it 広大な／多数の／重要な 燃やすing 支店s and sheets of bark. The outhouses were on 解雇する／砲火／射撃, and the 盗品故買者 was a （犯罪の）一味 of 炎上; still the little 禁止（する）d worked on. Mrs. Mitchell was a 厳しい, hard-featured woman of five-and-thirty, who looked かなり older than her years, and her children evidently believed in her, and worked 井戸／弁護士席 under her 指導／手引.
"Johnny, my lad," she said, "it's wet the roof ain't it?"
"罰金 an' wet," he answered. "I think we'll save it yet, but the sheds is all afire, an' it's comin' やめる の近くに."
"Never 注意する the sheds if we can save the house," she said. "An' we'll do it, we'll do it."
The 労働者s themselves were wet through, and 安全な therefore from the 飛行機で行くing 誘発するs and Ruth was just beginning to think they might really 後継する, when a cry from the eldest girl startled her.
"Mammy! Mammy! it's aglow on the other 味方する. The lean-to's caught."
"No, no," cried the poor woman はっきりと. "No, no. Oh, God! oh, God! It's the third time I've been burnt out. Not this time, Lord. Not this time."
The boy slid 負かす／撃墜する off the roof just as the 炎上s burst out on the other 味方する, and above the roaring of the bush 解雇する／砲火／射撃 they could plainly distinguish the crackling of the weatherboards, and knew their 成果／努力s had been in vain.
Clara called out again that it was "aglow inside," and the poor woman threw one more despairing look at her home.
"We's run now for our lives," she said, and they turned and ran to where they had left the children. The babies were crying in the furrow, while the two 年上の ones were crouching under the potato 工場／植物s for 避難所 from the 猛烈な／残忍な heat, which was almost unbearable.
"We can't stay here," said Dolly, snatching up her child: "the waterhole—let's get into the waterhole."
Mrs. Mitchell shook her 長，率いる.
"It's five-foot," she said, "wez'd be 溺死するd. We mun run through the forest."
"But—but it's all on 解雇する／砲火／射撃."
"No 事柄, we can't stan' here to be roasted alive. We's wet oursels in the watter, an' there's a clearin' four times this size about a mile away. Here, Sam, you get on Mammy's 支援する," and she stooped to let the lame boy climb up. "Clary, you carry the babby—an'—an'——"
"Gretchen, you must carry the little girl," said Ruth, "I'll take Billy, here," and she caught the 明らかにする-footed boy of five and dipped him in the waterhole, "and Johnny must take his brother's 手渡す, and keep の近くに with us, else he'll be lost in the smoke."
"God bless you, 行方不明になる," said the woman gratefully as she saw her children 性質の／したい気がして of の中で them, "what should I ha' done wi'out ye this day?"
They 公正に／かなり raced across the little paddock, and in いっそう少なく than three minutes after the house had caught they were ready to start on their perilous 旅行 through the forest, and Ruth called on Mrs. Mitchell to lead the way. The house was now one 集まり of 炎上s. It seemed 確かな death to stay where they were, for even the potato 工場／植物s were shrivelling up 急速な／放蕩な, while behind them the forest was one lurid 集まり of 炎上s from the scrub and undergrowth to the 最高の，を越すs of the tallest trees, but ahead as yet only the 最高の，を越すs of the trees were on 解雇する／砲火／射撃, and their hope lay in reaching the （疑いを）晴らすing before the scrub was impassable. There was not a moment to be lost, as they stepped over the charred and smouldering remains of the 地位，任命する-and-rail 盗品故買者. Billy Ruth 選ぶd up in her 武器, but poor little Tom, 粘着するing tight 持つ／拘留する of his 年上の brother's 手渡す, and 存在 dragged on despairingly cried out pitifully as the 燃やすing coals touched his 明らかにする feet.
"Keep の近くに, Johnny," implored Ruth, 恐れるing lest the children should get lost in the smoke, "Tom, take 持つ／拘留する of my dress."
Bravely Mrs. Mitchell led the way; straight on she went, heedless of the dense smoke and the 燃やすing leaves and pieces of bark that every now and then fell on her. Luckily the little lad on her 支援する had his wits about him, and swept them off or 消滅させるd them in his hard little 手渡すs. Next to her （機の）カム Gretchen plodding on as stolidly and as calmly as if running for her life with a 激しい child on her 支援する was an everyday occurrence with her; and behind her （機の）カム Clara, 脅すd, but 静かな, and guarding her little 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 with the tenderest care; Dolly followed and last of all （機の）カム Ruth, いつかs carrying Billy, and then when her strength gave out setting him 負かす／撃墜する to run beside her while she gave a helping 手渡す to poor little Tommy, who, very little older than the other child, 設立する his way 妨げるd by the sharp 石／投石するs and rough スピードを出す／記録につけるs. If she had had time she would have torn up her skirt or a piece of 一面に覆う／毛布 to 貯蔵所d up the poor little 明らかにする feet; but there was no time, for now every 乾燥した，日照りの twig and piece of bark kept bursting into 炎上, so she could only help on first one and then the other and implore Johnny to 持つ／拘留する tight to his brother's 手渡す. Once or twice Dolly in her 苦悩 looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する, but her sister waved her on.
"Go on, go on," she cried. "You can't help us. We're all 権利; go on. There's no time to spare."
And, indeed, there was not, for already the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 was roaring 総計費—already her ulster was 十分な of smouldering 穴を開けるs, and the boys shirts were nearly burnt off their 支援するs, and she kept putting the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 out and dragging them on with encouraging words. It was barely a twenty minutes' run to the little （疑いを）晴らすing, but to her it seemed hours and hours. She thought they never could reach it. All her life pissed before her. She thought of herself and her sister, two lonely little girls 粘着するing to one another; of their life at Kooringa; of Dolly's marriage; of Maitland, of her 約束／交戦; of her perplexities and 悲しみs, and wondered if after all she would not be better dead, and out of it all. But not—oh, not such a cruel death as this. She must get out of it, she would; and she 選ぶd up again the smallest boy, who was beginning to 旗, and implored the other two not to give up yet.
"Such a little way now, boys; such a little way."
Yes, such a little way, but could they do it? All the birds seemed to have left the forest long ago, but lizards and snakes glided past them, rabbits scuttered away through the fern, and dingoes and wallabies fled before the 前進するing 炎上s, and paid no 注意する to their human companions in the race for life. At last, just as she begun to feel that she could stand no more, that the smoke was overpowering her and the 激しい 負わせる dragging her 負かす／撃墜する, the whole party 現れるd on a little plain covered with long yellow grass 乾燥した，日照りの as tinder now in the middle of summer. It was nearly two acres in extent, and they made for the centre so as to be as far away as possible from 燃やすing 支店s and 落ちるing trees, and Ruth, 集会 up the last 残余s of her strength, put her 武器 一連の会議、交渉／完成する both little boys, and more than half carried them up to their brothers and sisters. Then she sank exhausted beside them, feeling that, not to save her own life, no, nor her sister's, which was twenty times dearer, could she have gone a step さらに先に.
"Mrs. Mitchell," asked Dolly, vainly trying to hush her child, who was crying pitifully, "are we 安全な here do you think?"
"I dunno," said the woman, raising her 長，率いる and looking 一連の会議、交渉／完成する. "I dunno. The 勝利，勝つd's that high an' the smoke's smotherin'."
The 解雇する／砲火／射撃 was making 前進 急速な／放蕩な now; the ground felt scorching beneath their feet, and the 空気／公表する was filled with 燃やすing leaves and 広大な／多数の／重要な sheets of bark which were borne aloft on the 猛烈な／残忍な 勝利，勝つd, and which, 落ちるing all around them, 始める，決める alight not only to the crisp grass, but to their 着せる／賦与するs 同様に.
"The grass'll be alight in a minute all over," said Mrs. Mitchell hopelessly. "God help us!—we mun die."
Ruth looked up hopelessly. Dolly had flung herself on the ground with her baby 急速な／放蕩な clasped to her breast and her 長，率いる on her sister's 膝.
"Oh Roger, Roger," she heard her moaning. "My Roger, you'll never see your baby again. Oh, my Roger——"
"Hush! hush!"
The howling of the 勝利，勝つd and the roaring of the 炎上s made an infernal din, and every now and then, through the smothering smoke, they could see the 広大な／多数の／重要な trees, veritable 中心存在s of 炎上, 落ちるing with a terrible 衝突，墜落. The grass on the plain was luckily scanty, but it was 燃やすing in patches already.
"Surely we're 安全な now," said Ruth, しっかり掴むing her sister's 手渡す, "surely?"
"The grass is catchin'."
"But—but—couldn't we 燃やす it in 前線 of us like people do?"
"I dunno," said the woman wearily. "I reckon if we had a man amongst us we might. But we're done—Eh! my man, my man! but I'll never see ye more;" and Ruth, looking up, saw the 涙／ほころびs streaming 負かす／撃墜する her hard 直面する as she 激しく揺するd herself to and fro with the two youngest children clasped の近くに in her 武器.
The others seeing their mother give way, raised a pitiful wail, and the girl felt that now indeed was her last hope gone. Closer she bent over her sister, put her lips 負かす／撃墜する to the dear 直面する she had loved so tenderly all her life, and prayed with all her heart that the smoke might be 慈悲の, and they feel no 苦痛. It was such a terrible death—such a terrible death, such a 恐ろしい horrible death.
"God help us," she sobbed, "God help us! God be 慈悲の to us! If only——"
What was that? Surely it was a man's 発言する／表明する shouting, and surely that was the galloping of a horse, heard even above the crackling of the 炎上s and the roar of the tempest.
Ruth started to her feet.
"We're saved! We're saved! They're coming to help us!" she cried wildly, as bursting through the （犯罪の）一味 of 炎上 at the 最南端の end of the plain （機の）カム two men 勧めるing 今後 their 脅すd horses with whip and 刺激（する）. They saw the women and children at once in spite of the dense smoke and made straight for them. A moment more they were beside them, and Ruth could hardly repress a cry, for the man who sprang from his horse の近くに beside her, put his 手渡す on her arm, and peered 負かす／撃墜する anxiously into her 直面する was the man she had thought never to see again; the man she had parted from with such bitterness and heart-breaking on Dolly's wedding day—this very day two years ago.
"Is it you?—is it you?" she cried, "or am I dead? Or dreaming?"
"My darling," he muttered, "I have come in time."
But Dolly knew him at once. She had no 疑問s as to his 身元.
"Mr. Maitland, Mr. Maitland," she sobbed, "you will help us, you will save us now!"
"Yes, yes. Come on, Hardy," he said to the other man whom they did not know; "we 港／避難所't a moment to lose."
It was all done so quickly. The women held the horses, and the two men proceeded to 始める，決める alight to the grass south of where they stood. Systematically they did it, as the women might easily have done if they had not been so 脅すd and worn out, and soon all the southern end of the plain was one 集まり of 炎上, driven before the high north 勝利，勝つd, while the smoke was more stifling than ever.
Help had not come a moment too soon, for the northern end was now alight and swept 負かす／撃墜する on them 速く, and they 退却／保養地d on to the patch they themselves had 燃やすd, which though hot and 黒人／ボイコット and smoking, had by then 燃やすd itself out. The grass 解雇する／砲火／射撃 swept on till it met the burnt patch and then died out for want of 燃料 to 料金d it, and the 救助（する）d party 設立する they had the little blackened plain for a 避難 and were saved.
The hot 黒人／ボイコット ground burnt their feet, the smoke nearly stifled them, but this little patch was an ark of 避難, and they were 安全な if the forest 燃やすd, as it 約束d to do all night. The 猛烈な／残忍な 勝利，勝つd blew sheets of 燃やすing bark, 支店s, and leaves on to them, and it was only with care they kept the children's light 着せる／賦与するs from catching. The men 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集めるd them all together as far from the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 as possible, and Maitland, gently seating Ruth beside her sister, drew the 一面に覆う／毛布 Dolly had 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her boy over both their 長，率いるs, while the little lads Ruth had brought through the 燃やすing bush crouched 負かす／撃墜する beside them and buried their 直面するs in their skirts. The others 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集めるd up to them, hiding their 直面するs as best they might, and Ruth felt Maitland の近くに beside her, and his presence gave her courage to 耐える the cruel heat and the deadly weariness that was creeping over her. Hardy's horse had escaped, and was racing 一連の会議、交渉／完成する and 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the （犯罪の）一味 of 解雇する／砲火／射撃 like a thing demented, and Maitland at first had a desperate struggle to keep his own 損なう 静かな, but at last he managed to soothe her, and stooped over Ruth. Dolly was crying 静かに, her 長，率いる on her sister's shoulder, and Maitland, 手渡すing over his horse to the other man, knelt 負かす／撃墜する beside them to make his 発言する／表明する heard. His 直面する was burnt and blackened by the nearness of the 炎上s, and Ruth felt her own 注目する，もくろむs fill with 涙／ほころびs as she met his anxious gaze.
"You are not 傷つける?" he asked, anxiously.
She shook her 長，率いる.
"Sure?"
"Indeed no. Are we 安全な now?"
"やめる 安全な."
"But—but—you were only just in time."
"Oh, my God," he muttered; "only just in time."
"You （機の）カム through the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 for us?"
"No, no. We started, Hardy and I, because I heard Marsden had gone to Crafer's and I knew you'd be alone; but we were too late. The 解雇する／砲火／射撃 was on us; we couldn't 押し進める through and Hardy knew of this place, so we made for it. I thought—I have been thinking——"
His 発言する／表明する failed, and Dolly raised her 長，率いる.
"Oh, Mr. Maitland, you're making light of your 株. Mr. Hardy told me you would go on till he said he knew we must be dead if we were at Bolwarra or Mrs. Mitchell's. Why your 直面する is all 燃やすd——"
"Only scorched——"
"Roger? Do you know——Will he be 安全な? He will, won't he?"
"Certainly—やめる 安全な. Don't cry, Mrs. Marsden. Oh, don't cry, there's a good girl."
"I—I—can't help it. I'm the selfish one, I know. I 港／避難所't been able to think of anything but baby and not seeing Roger any more—and Ruth—she has worked for me and these children—and you—and you—and Mr. Hardy—to whom we are just nothing at all, have 危険d your lives to save us. Ruth, why don't you thank him? I can't."
Ruth put her 手渡す in his for a moment, and her heart （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 so madly she thought Dolly must hear.
He had 危険d his life for her—he would have given it willingly—she read it in the anxious 熱烈な 直面する bent over her, and she forgot everything in the one glad thought that he loved her still—after all these long 疲れた／うんざりした months—he loved her still, and the 圧力 of her 手渡す, the gladness in her 注目する，もくろむs were all the thanks he needed.
The other man broke in on them.
"I think it's going to rain," he said.
Maitland rose to his feet and stamped out a piece of 燃やすing bark that had fallen の近くに beside them.
"I am sure I wish it would," he said. "We're nearly roasted alive here."
"Oh, the worst is over now," said Hardy. "'Tis hot, to be sure, but the brushwood's burnin' itself out, and once the rain comes we'll be all 権利. We must just be 患者; and, indeed, it's a 奇蹟 we're alive to tell the tale. Be good now, children, be good; 't ain't no good to cry. You'll come 負かす／撃墜する to my place and get your teas as soon as the rain comes."
They were wonderfully good and 患者, those little bush children, as they sat there on the ground leaning one against the other 消滅させるing the 誘発するs which fell on them, and which as time went on grew より小数の and より小数の. Dolly's boy raised a pitiful wail every now and then that went to his mother's heart, and Mrs. Mitchell, hugging her baby の近くに, was silently wiping the 涙／ほころびs away. Poor thing, her husband was away, she had seven children, and had lost everything she 所有するd in the world.
"Don't cry, ma'am," said Hardy, with rough 親切, "'t might have been worse. See, the kids are all 権利, and the 解雇する／砲火／射撃'll （疑いを）晴らす the land for you 罰金. We'll start off for my place soon as we can—it's not above three miles off, an' my old woman'll look after you."
"But are you sure it's all 権利?" asked Ruth. "Look at the 解雇する／砲火／射撃. What could stop it?"
"Forty acres of 'taters, 行方不明になる," he said, "and the house 権利 in the centre. Oh, we're all 権利. To be sure the 盗品故買者s have all gone, and that means a マリファナ o' money; but Lord! I'm in luck compared to the 残り／休憩（する）."
"Is everyone burnt out?"
"Lord! yes. They've been runnin' in ever since seven this morning, mostly women an' children, for the men's all away harvestin'. We're not above a mile from the 郡区, you know, and it's pretty 井戸／弁護士席 （疑いを）晴らす there, but there's not a house standing in the forest for miles 一連の会議、交渉／完成する. I saw t'was n't a bit of good trying to stop the 解雇する／砲火／射撃. It'll 燃やす on till it reaches the sea."
"It was 勇敢に立ち向かう of you to come for us," said Ruth. "It was the bravest thing I ever heard of."
She dared not 信用 herself to speak to Maitland, but to this man she might 安全に 注ぐ out her 感謝.
"Woa, 損なう, woa then. The devil 飛行機で行く away with you! 'Twas only a 誘発する, an' you've seen plenty of them to-day. Indeed, 行方不明になる, you 港／避難所't much to thank me for. I was just dodgin' about helpin' the women an' kids, when one comes along wringin' 手渡すs and sayin' the Mitchells was farthest out and 'ud be burnt, and then Mr. Maitland come and says やめる sharp like, 'What about Marsden, of Bolwarra—anyone seen anything of them!' I remembered then I'd seen your man ridin' through the 郡区 やめる 早期に before things began to look bad, and——"
"Like a jolly good fellow, 行方不明になる 認める," said Maitland; "he just turned and 棒 with me to your help."
"井戸／弁護士席, I don't know," said the man, "I would n't ha' been any good much by mysel', I'd ha' turned 支援する long ago. But Mr. Maitland, he kep on till his hair an' his 着せる／賦与するs was afire an' then it was too late. I'm mighty 乾燥した，日照りの I know. I wish that 嵐／襲撃する'd hurry up."
"It's coming, it's coming," said Maitland, "but it's 疲れた／うんざりした work waiting."
It was 疲れた／うんざりした work waiting, only the knowledge that they were 安全な kept them up. Maitland stooped over them now and again, and his touch and his presence brought Ruth such 慰安 and such happiness she could have sat there 静かに supporting her sister for hours, wilfully shutting her 注目する，もくろむs to the 未来. Why should she want the time to pass? To-day the man she loved was の近くに beside her, tenderly guarding her, her more than friend, her saviour—the old 障壁 was still between them—to-morrow—to-night even—they must part. Why should she wish the time to pass?
And so the afternoon stole slowly on—the hot 燃やすing afternoon—the 激しい smoke lightened a little, and the furious 勝利，勝つd 徐々に 沈下するd. Four o'clock—five o'clock—six o'clock—the clouds had been 集会 刻々と, and now there （機の）カム a vivid flash of 雷 and a deafening clap of 雷鳴—another and another—and then there followed a perfect deluge of 熱帯の rain which hissed as it fell on the red-hot forest. The two men raised a shout they might hope to get away now—and Dolly awakening Ruth tried to raise her to her feet. But she was stiff and cramped, and would have fallen but for Maitland's 支えるing arm.
"You are tired," he said gently, "and cramped. You must let me help you. We shall get away now. Mrs. Marsden," he 追加するd, "you must come 負かす／撃墜する to my house. I left word for Marsden I'd bring you there. Hardy says he and Cuningham, the blacksmith, can manage for Mrs. Mitchell between them."
"Thank you," said Dolly, wearily, trying to hush her fretful child. "When can we go? The 解雇する／砲火／射撃 must be out now. I'm wet through already."
"Is it far?" asked Ruth.
"A little over three miles. And you are worn out," he 追加するd.
"No, no. I was thinking of the little children. That poor little chap's feet are so terribly 削減（する） and burnt."
"He shall ride, shan't you, old man? Hallo Hardy, where's your horse? I saw him a moment ago."
"Made clean 跡をつけるs the brute, at the first flash. He's gone in the direction of home, though. You put up Tommy and the little girl. Oh, no, by Jove! that won't do. Here's Sam here with a bad foot too. Put them two up an' we must hump the little ones amongst us somehow. Here, I'll take the little chap, and lead the way. And, I say, look out for 落ちるing 支店s an' trees. 'T'aint no joke, I can tell you."
The 嵐／襲撃する still continued and the rain was pelting 負かす／撃墜する when they started on their 旅行. All 一連の会議、交渉／完成する them the trees were 落ちるing and 支店s were snapping off, but they felt they could wait no longer, they must 危険 something. 疲れた／うんざりした as they were, their 進歩 was やむを得ず slow, but they had hardly gone a mile in the 注ぐing rain when they heard a loud cooey （犯罪の）一味ing through the forest. Hardy put his fingers in his mouth and sent 支援する a shrill reply, and there （機の）カム bursting through the blackened forest Marsden and Cuningham, the blacksmith, who, it appeared, was some distant 関係 of Mrs. Mitchell.
The latter was loud in his congratulations, but Roger said hardly a word. He put his arm 一連の会議、交渉／完成する his tired wife and 解除するd the 激しい boy from her 武器, while the blacksmith undertook to lead the horse, and thus 始める，決める Maitland 解放する／自由な to help Ruth, who was drooping under the 負わせる of Mrs. Mitchell's little girl.
He took the child, and drew the girl's 手渡す through his arm.
"You must let me help you, just this once," he said, "only this once."
"You are tired," she said, "and Polly is so 激しい."
"I am not tired, and Polly is not 激しい. Won't you let me help you?"
And they walked on silently through the blackened forest, and the rain 注ぐd 負かす／撃墜する in 激流s. The little girl put her 武器 一連の会議、交渉／完成する his neck and 残り／休憩（する）d her cheek against his.
"I does love you," she said. "You putted out the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, an' didn't let it 燃やす Polly."
He laughed a little.
"There," he said, "there, you see I have my reward."
Ruth would have said something, but a sob choked her, and Maitland drew her a little closer to him.
"Hush, dear," he might have been speaking to the child, "my reward is very 広大な／多数の／重要な—all I would ask. 耐える up a little longer. 勇敢に立ち向かう little girl—only another mile now."
Every now and again they heard the trees 落ちるing, and once or twice one fell just in 前線 of Hardy, who was 主要な, but he just turned aside a little and went 刻々と on. The sooner they were out of it the better. Cuningham volubly 関係のある how Marsden had come riding 支援する from "Crafer's" "like mad," and 手配中の，お尋ね者 to 押し進める his way through the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, and how he, Cuningham, and Wilson, of the Shearers' 武器 had stopped him and 保証するd him that Hardy and Mr. Maitland had gone already—and if they couldn't help them mortal man couldn't, and now when the 嵐／襲撃する gathered he would wait no longer, and he (Cuningham) had come with him because he really never had thought to see any of them alive again.
They were plainly 明白な now, the 微光ing lights of the town that seemed to stretch out friendly 武器 to welcome them. Was it the rain or the 涙／ほころびs in her own 注目する，もくろむs that made those lights so unsteady? Strangely her thoughts went 支援する to that winter's night, her first night at Kooringa, when she had looked out on the lights through the 注ぐing rain. It had been her first step in the unknown world. Would she go 支援する and wipe out all those months with their few joys and their 広大な／多数の／重要な 悲しみ—would she if she could—and be again the innocent girl who had looked out drearily at the light gleaming through the winter's rain? Would she? And then with a 広大な／多数の／重要な 急ぐ of pride and gladness she knew she would not—she knew she was proud and glad because the man beside her had 危険d his life for them—wildly glad when she thought that this had been done for love of her. Wrong, very wrong, cruelly wrong; but she thought not of that, as they 現れるd on the main road and the 微光ing lights were の近くに at 手渡す.
The blacksmith put his 手渡すs の近くに to his mouth and raised another loud cooey, which was answered by shouts and the sound of many hurrying feet. Men and women 急ぐd out into the rain—尋問, pitying, congratulating—and 申し込む／申し出s of 避難所 （機の）カム from all 味方するs.
"It's all 権利, it's all 権利," cried Maitland, raising his 発言する／表明する. "Mr. Marsden's people are all coming 負かす／撃墜する to my house. But will any of you help Mrs. Mitchell and her little children?"
"That's all 権利," said Hardy, "we've arranged all that. を引き渡す the little girl to Fred here—he'll carry her 負かす／撃墜する to my place, and you let us have your 損なう for the boys and I'll send her up by an' by. Good night, Mr. Maitland, we've done a hard day's work together, 港／避難所't we?"
"Good night mate," said Maitland, 手渡すing over the sleeping child to a lad of 16, Hardy's eldest son. "We've 後継するd too, that's best, and I'll never forget how you stood by me."
"元気づける up, Mrs. Marsden. It's only a step now. Where's your servant? Come along. My housekeeper 'll look after you."
"Mag 'll be pretty glad to get out," said Gretchen stolidly; "he's been in my pocket all day. I wonder he ain't smothered."
The magpie gave an assenting croak so opportunely that it made Dolly laugh—a laugh that ended in a sob, and Marsden turned and put his 手渡す on Maitland's arm.
"I 借りがある you more than ever I can 支払う／賃金," he said. "How can I thank you?"
"You needn't, old man! you needn't. I 保証する you I went because—because Hardy went. Any one of the men here would have done the same. Come on, old chap, your wife is worn out and there's my house over there. See the lights in the window to welcome you. I told my housekeeper to 推定する／予想する you, but I thought we'd be here hours ago. And it's getting やめる chilly with all this rain."
Maitland's housekeeper, a decent-looking old 団体／死体, opened the door at the sound of their 発言する／表明するs.
The house was small, only a weatherboard cottage like the one they had left that morning, and very plainly furnished; but to the two tired, 疲れた／うんざりした women the little white-curtained bedroom seemed a very 港／避難所 of 残り／休憩（する）.
Mrs. パン職人 showed them into the room and then disappeared, and returned again 耐えるing two glasses of ワイン.
"Mr. Maitland sent it," she said. "It'll do ye a world of good. Ye can have some tea after."
"Thank you," said Ruth.
"Oh, Ruth, Ruth," sighed Dolly, when the woman had gone, "what are we to do?"
"We must be 勇敢に立ち向かう, dear; we have been so fortunate."
"But we have no 着せる／賦与するs?"
It certainly was a problem that had to be 直面するd. Their hats were fit only for the dust-heap, their boots were so much charred leather; their 激しい ulsters, burnt into 穴を開けるs as they were, had 保護するd in some 手段 their light cotton dresses; but everything they had on was blackened from 接触する with the blackened ground; and as for their 直面するs, not even the 注ぐing rain had 冷静な／正味のd them after their long （危険などに）さらす to the heat.
"Oh, I'm more thankful than I can say," said Dolly. "It's a little thing to make a fuss over, but what shall we do?"
Then just as they were ruefully 熟視する／熟考するing their dilapidated 衣料品s there was a knock at the door, and Mrs. パン職人 再現するd with a bundle under her arm.
"Mr. Maitland went over to Mrs. Scott, the 銀行業者's wife," she said, "an' she's sent you over some things with her love, an' she's so sorry. She'd like to come over, but Mr. Maitland said best not, ye was that tired. An' now, as soon as ye're ready, there's supper in the dining-room."
"How good, how 肉親，親類d everybody is!" murmured Dolly, "and oh, Ruth, what should we have done without Mr. Maitland? And he thought of everything, too. Just fancy his thinking about 着せる／賦与するs!"
Dolly was やめる cheerful again, and a warm bath やめる 生き返らせるd her. She had her husband and her child, and though her home was gone and everything in it, that was a misfortune she 株d with half the dwellers in the forest. Indeed, she was a thousand times better off than they, for Marsden had some little money, and there was a small 保険 on the house and furniture, besides Dolly's 貯金.
"How good of her," said Dolly, as she unpacked the bundle; "isn't she 肉親，親類d? She's sent us everything we could かもしれない want."
"Everyone is 肉親，親類d, I think," murmured Ruth faintly.
"Why, Ruth, how tired you look! You're much more done than I am. Go to bed, dear, and I'll bring you something to eat."
"No, no. I'll be all 権利. I'd rather sit up."
Dolly, looking at her anxiously, thought that the day's events had indeed shaken her sister. For herself, she was so relieved and happy it seemed only natural to talk, and she chattered on, content with monosyllabic replies, till they were both dressed. The dresses were somewhat loose, but they were very plainly made, hardly more than wrappers, and with the Indian scarves Mrs. Scott had thoughtfully sent tied 一連の会議、交渉／完成する their waists, they looked rather picturesque when they entered the sitting-room where Maitland and Marsden were を待つing them. Their 直面するs were still hot and 燃やすing, scorched with the 猛烈な／残忍な heat, but altogether they looked so different from the two sodden and bedraggled women who had entered the house that Maitland could not repress an exclamation.
Dolly smiled.
"Yes, rather a difference, isn't it, Mr. Maitland?" And then, changing her トン and laying both her 手渡すs on his arm, "Oh, Roger, Roger, how are you going to thank this man? If it hadn't been for him you'd have had no wife and child to come home to."
"I know," said Marsden, "I—I——"
"Nonsense," said Maitland, gently 押し進めるing Dolly into a 議長，司会を務める and 製図／抽選 up another for Ruth. "Mrs. Marsden, I've been trying to explain ever since you left that it's nothing. I have only done what any other man in the place would have done—what other men have been doing all 一連の会議、交渉／完成する. Hardy, for instance. He left wife and children to help—left his 盗品故買者s to 燃やす—while I—if I had died there isn't a soul to whom it could 事柄."
"Hardy told me himself, though God knows I don't make light of his 株, he never would have gone if it hadn't been for you."
"And how の近くに it was," said Dolly, with a shudder. "Why, your eyebrows and eyelashes are all burnt off."
"Yes, I 推定する／予想する I am something of a show, but one breath of 炎上 did that without really 傷つけるing me at all. And Marsden, after all, as I've told you again and again, it was all the merest chance. We only made for Hankey's （疑いを）晴らすing, when we'd given up all hope. Come now, here's Mrs. パン職人 with some dinner. It's nothing much, I'm afraid. The 郡区 has been in such a fever of excitement; it's difficult to get anything."
It was a very 静かな meal. Ruth, though she had touched nothing since breakfast, felt as if each morsel would choke her, and neither could Maitland eat. Marsden had been so wild with 苦悩 all day long that he was content to sit and listen to his wife, who, having rung the changes from deepest despair to wildest happiness, was now graphically talking over again the story of the day from the time when Ruth had awakened her to the moment when Maitland had ridden to the 救助（する）, and again she 圧倒するd him with 賞賛するs and thanks.
After they had finished Maitland asked them if they could manage for the night.
"It's only a humble little house, you know," he said. "I took the furniture from my 前任者 just as it stood, and was somewhat astonished to find how 大部分は it was made up of packing 事例／患者s."
"The room we were in was very nice," said Dolly, "wasn't it, Ruth? Such dainty white dimity everywhere."
"Uh, that's Mrs. パン職人; she's a 広大な／多数の／重要な 信奉者 in the virtues of white curtains and covers up everything in them. Look at my 議長，司会を務めるs!—they've all got petticoats on."
"A delicate hint," said Dolly. "Mrs. パン職人 means you should get the house a mistress;" and then seeing with a woman's quickness she had said something wrong, she 急いでd to 追加する, "and a piano too. Fancy an unmusical man like you with a piano!"
"Old Acheson, poor beggar, was, I believe, very musical. He drank, unluckily, and was 石／投石する broke when he left, so he begged me to take the piano at about a ４半期/4分の1 its value. They tell me it's a very good one. I hope you'll feel equal to trying it to-morrow."
"Yes, indeed, we will," said Dolly, "and now, if you don't mind, I really think we せねばならない go to bed. Look at Ruth, she looks as if she really couldn't 停止する her 長，率いる."
Indeed she did look 疲れた／うんざりした, but she did not at once agree with her sister.
"I—I must 令状 a 公式文書，認める first, please," she said to Maitland. She had remembered now, she had been remembering all the evening, her 約束／交戦 to Finlayson, and the thought was a 苦痛 to her. She could not think of it calmly as she had done yesterday, with the man she had loved so passionately standing before her.
"A 公式文書，認める," echoed Dolly, "why Ruth—oh, of course, Alick Finlayson, to be sure. Yes, do 令状, Ruth. He'll be wild with 苦悩 when he hears of the 解雇する／砲火／射撃," and yet she looked curiously at Ruth. There was something wrong, she felt. Maitland was most evidently in love with her; she had noticed that with a woman's keen perception, even in the 中央 of the bush 解雇する／砲火／射撃; and Ruth—he had 危険d his life to save hers—what would Ruth do?
With trembling 手渡すs Ruth scribbled a 公式文書，認める to Finlayson, which Maitland stamped and 約束d to 地位，任命する before he went to bed.
"I hope you will be comfortable," he said. "Mrs. パン職人 has done her best."
Then he wished Dolly good night. Ruth （機の）カム last, and he held her 手渡す a moment without 説 a word.
She tried to say "Good night," but the words would not come, and the 涙／ほころびs would 軍隊 their way between her 負かす／撃墜する-dropt eyelids.
Dolly had drawn Roger away, so for the moment they were alone, and he bent 負かす／撃墜する and kissed her 手渡す.
But Mrs. パン職人 （機の）カム up.
"I'll take care of 行方不明になる 認める, sir. Mrs. Marsden's got her husband and her baby, an' she's that thankful she don't want nothin' else; but this young lady's just wore out, ain't you, 行方不明になる?"
Once 安全な in their room Dolly turned to her husband—
"Oh, Roger, Roger, what is to be the end? 刑事 Maitland's awfully in love with Ruth?"
"Yes, of course, he always was; I told you that long ago. They tell me he 棒 off like one demented this morning. However, she's engaged to Alick Finlayson, and he's a jolly good fellow, too; so Maitland's clean out of it."
"井戸／弁護士席, but Roger—I must tell someone—I believe she's in love with 刑事 Maitland."
"What the ——. Phew, poor old Alick! He wouldn't have a chance against him, and after he's saved her life too. In love with him? By Jove, I never thought of that, and more ありそうもない things have happened."
In love with him! Once she had got rid of Mrs. パン職人, which was not till that good woman had seen her 安全な tucked up in bed, Ruth sat up again and tried to think it out calmly. In love with him—the very sound of his 発言する／表明する, the touch of his 手渡す 始める，決める her heart （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing. And Alick Finlayson had never done that—Alick—so good—so 肉親，親類d—who 信用d her so 完全に—who had been her friend and companion for the last two years—her comforter in her loneliness. She pitied him with the pity that is not akin to love—she was sorry—but another 直面する stood between them—the love she thought she had banished rose up stronger, more 熱烈な than ever. He was hers, hers, hers—and she rejoiced over it. What though he was the husband of another woman—his wife was nothing to him—he never even saw her. Surely there was little 害（を与える） in loving him. He had kept away bravely, and not till her 最大の need did he come to her, and then he had come at the 危険 of his own life. What should she do? Before her the 見通し looked cruelly hopeless. How could she marry Alick Finlayson when her heart was 十分な of another man—when his 直面する, his 注目する，もくろむs, his very トンs haunted her—when she could even rejoice over the hardships and dangers that had brought them together again? Marry Alick! No, no, a thousand times no; it would be doing him a cruel wrong. Whatever her life might be she must not marry Alick Finlayson, and she almost hated him that he had bound her to him. She tried vainly to 計画（する） out her life もう一度—to remember that save for a 明らかにする pittance she had nothing but the few trinkets she had put in her pocket as they left the doomed house. She could not marry the man who loved her. She could not go 支援する to Kooringa. Between her and the man she loved was a 障壁 厳しい and inexorable. What should she do? What could she do?
She tried to decide something—the sooner it was decided the better—but her 長，率いる ached; every bone in her 団体／死体 ached with weariness, and her mind could しっかり掴む nothing beyond the one glad fact she loved and was beloved. 投げ上げる／ボディチェックする and turn she did, but no sleep （機の）カム to her tired 注目する，もくろむs. Over and over again she thought out the 出来事/事件s of the day, and she longed for the morning—the morning when she might make her 計画（する）s afresh—might break her 約束／交戦, and be once more a 解放する／自由な woman. The （犯罪の）一味 Alick Finlayson had given her was still on her finger, and she drew it off and laid it on the little （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する beside her bed. Why should she wear his （犯罪の）一味? What 権利 had he to 推定する／予想する it of her? How she longed for the morning. She had written 簡潔に enough telling him of the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, but to-morrow she would 令状 a very different letter. To-morrow she would see 刑事 Maitland again—she 手配中の，お尋ね者 nothing more—she did not want to look beyond. How slowly the time went. One—two—three—the clock in the sitting-room （死傷者）数d the hours and yet she could not sleep. She would be ill she felt if this went on, and then at last, just as the 早期に summer's 夜明け began to peep through Mrs. パン職人's clean white dimity curtains, she fell into a troubled sleep, and dreamt that she was running away from a devouring 解雇する／砲火／射撃, toiling through the bush with 激しい leaden feet. She felt the hot breath of the 炎上s on her cheek. She tried to cry out, and then, lo, it had overtaken her, and it was not a 解雇する／砲火／射撃, but 刑事 Maitland 持つ／拘留するing her in his 武器 as he had done on Dolly's wedding day, and whispering "My darling, my darling, my darling."
In the morning she awoke unrefreshed, and all the exultation had gone out of her love dream.
She loved Maitland; that was true, unalterable. He loved her; he had saved her life, but—oh, those cruel "buts"—what now? Her very love only made her wretched, and she sat 負かす／撃墜する and 小衝突d out her hair and listened to Dolly's cheerful singing as she washed and dressed her baby in the next room—all sounds are so plainly heard throughout a 木造の house—and she heard Roger 迎える／歓迎する Maitland cheerily and 発言／述べる that it was raining as if it 手配中の，お尋ね者 to （不足などを）補う for lost time.
"Not a bad thing," said Maitland's 発言する／表明する, and she noticed it 欠如（する）d the cheery （犯罪の）一味 of her brother's. "It will make the grass grow and give you poor burnt-out people a chance."
"Oh, it's the very best thing in the world for me," said Roger. "Anyhow, the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 must have done a lot に向かって （疑いを）晴らすing the land. I must get it refenced, and call for tenders to build again. I'm afraid most of the 在庫／株's gone—poor wretches—and it'll come frightfully hard on the poor homeless ones."
"They started a subscription in the 郡区 last night," said Maitland. "I 推定する／予想する they'll do it all over the 植民地. People are never backward in helping."
"By jove!" said Roger. "I'm sure I've 設立する that already. I say, old man, though, you look pretty chippy. Anything wrong?"
"No, no; what should there be? I want my breakfast, I 推定する／予想する. How's your wife this morning? Has she got over her fright?"
"権利 as a bank. 刑事, old man, I can never——"
"Oh, shut up, Marsden; if you want to be 肉親，親類d do let that 支配する 減少（する）, or 注ぐ out your thanks on Hardy. He deserves 'em; I don't."
"But, old man, you don't seem to realise what you've done for me. 井戸／弁護士席, 井戸／弁護士席, I've done. Here, come 支援する, I say, Maitland," went on Roger, half playfully, half to hide a deeper feeling. "Upon my word, I believe there's something wrong with you. You're as touchy as a 耐える with a sore 長，率いる. The old 平易な-going 刑事's 消えるd into thin 空気／公表する. Why, bless my soul, you're getting やめる grey, and you're younger than I am. Now you had a hard day yesterday—you want a wife to look after you—that's what you want. There's nothing like it to 始める，決める a fellow up. 井戸／弁護士席, Dolly, so he does. What are you shaking your 長，率いる at me like that for," for Dolly had entered behind their host and was making desperate 成果／努力s to induce her husband to change a 支配する which in her opinion 瀬戸際d on dangerous ground.
Even if he were in love with Ruth, and she with him, she was engaged to Dr. Finlayson, and while things were in that 明言する／公表する, the いっそう少なく said about love and matrimony the better, thought worldly-wise, kindly Dolly.
"I'm sure I せねばならない feel flattered," she said, trying to redeem her husband's mistake, "but I'm やめる ashamed at the way in which Roger thrusts matrimony 負かす／撃墜する people's throats, in season and out of season. Marriage isn't a 全世界の／万国共通の panacea, you silly husband of 地雷. Why, I know two or three people who I really believe would give all they 所有する to be unmarried again."
"Ah, that's a knot there's no untying," laughed Roger, and Dolly, やめる 納得させるd she had given the conversation a 安全な turn, looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する for her sister.
"Where's Ruth? I hope she's all 権利. Ah, there you are. But how tired you look, dear; just as if the night's 残り／休憩（する） hadn't done you a bit of good."
"I think I am a little bit tired still," said Ruth, who felt so languid and unhappy. She felt she must 自白する to something.
"Poor girl, you must just 嘘（をつく） 負かす／撃墜する all day and do nothing."
"Come and have some breakfast first," said Maitland. "Here are all Mrs. パン職人's culinary 成果／努力s getting 冷淡な."
"And I call that last rather a 冷静な／正味の proposition of yours, Dolly," said Roger, when they were seated, and he was busily 雇うd buttering scones. "Are you aware you are calmly taking 所有／入手 of another man's house and 現実に 招待するing Ruth to 嘘（をつく） 負かす／撃墜する and do nothing, when the very 着せる／賦与するs you stand up in aren't your own!"
"Please, please," said Maitland, "do 持つ／拘留する your tongue, Marsden, and let your wife and me do the talking. Mrs. Marsden's 権利; she know's that my house and everything in it is her's and her sister's, and if they like to 招待する you to stop—why, of course, I want my guests to be happy, and I suppose Mrs. Marsden wouldn't be happy without you."
"Having saved our lives you are bound to 供給する for us," laughed Dolly, but her 注目する，もくろむs were 十分な of 涙／ほころびs.
"Joking apart," said Maitland 本気で, "you know I should be delighted to have you under any circumstances. Think what a lonely life I lead, and what a 楽しみ it is to see you at the 長，率いる of the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, instead of 注ぐing out tea by myself and eating my 独房監禁 chop with a 調書をとる／予約する propped up in 前線 for company. Now you must stay really till your new house is ready. It's doing me a 親切—you know it is."
"In fact," said Roger, who by way of reaction after the 苦悩 of yesterday was in the wildest spirits, "he really is a most 国内の beggar, Dolly. We must manage a wife for him somehow."
Maitland blushed painfully, even through the 燃やす on his 直面する, and Roger, seeing that blush 反映するd on Ruth's 直面する, touched his wife's foot under the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, as much as to say he wouldn't give much for Finlayson's chances now, and Dolly asked あわてて—
"And how long will it take to build the new house?"
"井戸／弁護士席, if we've luck and can get the 木材／素質 and roofing, about a fortnight. We can only afford a humble abode, and if it's to be burnt 負かす／撃墜する periodically the humbler the better. I think I must ride over to-day and look about me a bit."
"Do be careful of 落ちるing trees," 勧めるd his wife.
"I'll be careful, but there's really not much danger now—not so much as there was last night. And you'd better 支払う／賃金 a visit to the 蓄える／店 and see if you can get old Christie to 信用 you for some 着せる／賦与するs. Maitland's taken you two under his wing, so you can be idle all day if you like, eh, Ruth?"
Ruth smiled faintly.
"I'm not going to be idle," she said. "Dolly and I will 始める，決める to work to make 着せる／賦与するs again."
"So we'll all be hard at it again. 刑事, what are you going to do?"
"I'm going 負かす／撃墜する to the 作品 to see what 損失 has been done. I hear all the 木材／素質 has gone."
"What a day!" said Dolly, looking out of the window. "What a day! Could anything look more 荒涼とした and 哀れな?"
It was indeed wretched-looking enough outside. The rain （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する in 激流s, deluging the blackened hills which surrounded the 郡区, and after the 猛烈な／残忍な heat of the day before the 天候 felt almost 冷淡な.
Once the men had gone, the women went out and bought calico and dress 構成要素s, and 始める，決める to work again 補佐官d by the good natured 銀行業者's wife who, not only sent over her machine, but （機の）カム herself, and helped and listened while Dolly told again the tale of their flight. Ruth sat and sewed in silence. She was wondering how she should 令状 to Alick Finlayson. Break off her 約束／交戦 she felt she must. How could she marry him? It would be a wrong to herself, a greater wrong to him. She must—she would do it to-day—and yet so careful is a woman of 外見s, she put on his （犯罪の）一味 again lest Dolly, noticing its absence, should question her. But she would 令状 to-day—she must 令状 to-day. And having decided that question she felt more at her 緩和する, and put off 令状ing till the afternoon, but in the afternoon she 設立する it no easier, and put it off till the evening.
And in the evening the men returned, Maitland silent and moody, and Marsden, 十分な of his ride to Bolwarra, 述べるing to them how utterly destroyed the place was, and yet how that the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 had （疑いを）晴らすd the land to such an extent that in the end he hardly 推定する／予想するd to lose much.
Mrs. Scott come in cheerfully talkative. The fact that they had been together all day did not seem to have 減らすd her conversational 力／強力にするs, and she told Maitland she was just delighted to come over, the evenings were so long and dull when Arthur was away, and his holidays wouldn't be over for a fortnight yet.
"And then I'm so fond of music. You're going to sing to me, ar'n't you, Mrs. Marsden?"
"Oh, yes," said Dolly, "but my sister sings best, and we 港／避難所't either of us a 捨てる of music."
"Never mind. The things one remembers are always the nicest. They're the things you've thrown your heart into."
So Marsden and Dolly and Ruth sang, and Mrs. Scott and Maitland made the audience, the one loud in her 賞賛する, the other silent and abstracted. Sitting 支援する in an arm-議長，司会を務める, 星／主役にするing at the 天井, he hardly seemed conscious of what was going on.
"Now then, Ruth," said Roger, when they had sung a number of duets and trios, "you 港／避難所't sung alone yet. Give us something."
"What shall I sing?" asked Ruth.
"Oh, I don't know. Anything. That old song you used to sing. Some old cock wrote it. Shakespeare, I think."
"Shakespeare! Oh my husband! I suppose you're thinking of that thing of Praed's. Come on, Ruth."
"I can't," said Ruth あわてて, "I've forgotten it."
"Forgotten it? You'll say you've forgotten your A B C next. Come on, I'll play your accompaniment."
There was no help for it. That song they would have or know the 推論する／理由 why, and the 推論する／理由 Ruth was not 用意が出来ている to tell them.
Who does not know Praed's pathetic words—
"Why can I not forgo, forget,
That ever I loved thee, that ever we met,
There is not a 選び出す／独身 link or 調印する
To blend thy life in the world with 地雷.
"I know not the 直面するs that thou hast loved,
I know not the places where thou has roved;
Thou art to me as a pleasant dream
Of a boat that floats on a distant stream.
"I would change life's spring for its roughest 天候,
If we might hear the 嵐／襲撃する together.
I would change my hopes for half thy 恐れるs,
And sell my smiles for half thy 涙／ほころびs."
The words seemed to have a special meaning for Ruth, and since she had to sing it she put her heart into it, and sang with a passion and tenderness she had not put into the other songs. Even Marsden and his wife wondered, and Mrs. Scott clapped her 手渡すs and cried—
"More, oh more! Surely that's not the end."
"All I ever heard," said Ruth, glad to turn her 注目する，もくろむs from Maitland's 直す／買収する，八百長をするd gaze. "It would be difficult to say any more after that. He or she, whichever it was, seem to have said all there was to be said on the 支配する."
"'She,' of course. No man ever gave himself away like that. But, good gracious, it's time I was thinking of going, it's getting late. It's only a short way across, but Mr. Maitland——"
"Oh, I'll take you home," said Marsden, and Dolly 追加するd—
"And I'll come too. The rain's stopped, and it's 有望な moonlight, and I should like a little walk after sitting sewing all day."
"You see," she said, when having deposited Mrs. Scott at the bank, she had her husband to herself again, "I'd like to give Ruth and 刑事 Maitland a chance. I'm sure she's in love with him. She never would have sung that song like that if she hadn't been, and I don't care how much they're in love, they can't say anything with you and me looking on."
"H'm, I don't like the looks of Maitland. He eats nothing, you see for yourself, and it seems to me he's drinking a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 more than's good for him."
"That's only because Ruth's engaged to his friend," said Dolly, nodding her 長，率いる sagely. "I shouldn't wonder if it was all 権利 to-night. Oh, don't let's go in yet. It's such a lovely night. Come 負かす／撃墜する the street a little, and tell me what you're going to do about the house."
And the two Dolly was 計画／陰謀ing for.
After the others had left there was silence between them. Maitland sat up by the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and 残り／休憩（する）d his 長，率いる on his 手渡す. He did not even 投機・賭ける to look at her now, and she, standing by the piano, softly touched the 重要なs with her fingers.
"It's a very good piano," she said, when the silence between them had become unbearable.
"I'm so glad you like it. Won't you sing something more?"
The words were 熟考する／考慮するd and 冷淡な, but she felt they were only so, because he dared not be more natural.
"Not to-night," she said の近くにing the piano, and then she crossed over and stood before him with the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する between them. "Mr. Maitland."
"Yes," but he never raised his 注目する，もくろむs.
"港／避難所't you thought me very ungrateful?"
"Ungrateful? You?"
"The others have all thanked you, or tried to—while—I—I—have never said a word."
He rose to his feet and （機の）カム and stood beside her.
It was her turn to 減少（する） her 注目する，もくろむs now, for she 簡単に dared not look at him.
"Don't you understand that—that—to save you was all I 手配中の，お尋ね者. If you had died—oh, Ruth, if you had died!"
His トンs were not 冷淡な now, and he took her 手渡すs in his and drew her に向かって him.
"Darling, are you glad to see me again? Did you sing that song for me, darling; did you?"
"I didn't want to sing it," 滞るd Ruth,
"But you did—you did. Oh, Ruth—my Ruth, how can I live without you?"
She was in his 武器 now, her 長，率いる on his shoulder, and he kissed her lips, her 注目する，もくろむs, her hair with a mad passion, before which she was helpless.
"You are going to marry Finlayson?" he said at last hoarsely, looking 負かす／撃墜する at the わずかな／ほっそりした white 手渡す, on which glittered the hoop of diamonds.
"No." She drew herself out of his embrace, and sat 負かす／撃墜する on one of the 議長，司会を務めるs, 簡単に because she felt incapable of standing alone.
"But Marsden told me so."
"Yes, but I—I—can't marry him. I can't."
He walked up and 負かす／撃墜する the room quickly, and at his heart was a 広大な／多数の／重要な gladness. After all she loved him, loved him so 井戸／弁護士席 he dared not think of the 誘惑 she was putting in his way.
"But he is a good fellow, such a good fellow," he 設立する himself 説 almost against his will. "No one knows what a good fellow Finlayson is. He would make you such a good husband."
"Do you think I don't know that?" she said, and すぐに the tide turned with Maitland.
He might 賞賛する his friend. There was a 確かな nobility in his doing so. It was only his 予定. True—but he was 支払う／賃金ing that 予定 at a terribly 激しい price to himself, and it was intolerable that Ruth should see so 明確に his 競争相手's good points. Much as she loved him, it was evident she was thinking with pity of the man she was 用意が出来ている to throw over, and he could not 耐える it.
"Oh, Ruth! Oh, my love! my love!" He flung himself 負かす／撃墜する on his 膝s and buried his 直面する on her （競技場の）トラック一周. "If you knew what these two last days have been to me. Oh, Ruth! Help me, pity me a little. I wish I had died and ended it all, and you with me."
She put her 武器 一連の会議、交渉／完成する him and kissed him of her own 解放する／自由な will.
"Poor 刑事, my poor 刑事. I can't help you, dear; I want help so much myself. I—I must go away. I can't stand this."
They were silent, each content to have the other so の近くに, each knowing their bliss must needs be 簡潔な／要約する. Mrs. パン職人 was 安全な in the kitchen, three or four rooms off, but at any moment the others might come 支援する.
"刑事," whispered Ruth, "have you been very unhappy these two years?"
"Unhappy?—oh, my darling! I have been so lonely, so wretched. But indeed, indeed, I have 手配中の，お尋ね者 you to be happy."
She 一打／打撃d his hair, and turned his 直面する that she might look into it. What beautiful 注目する，もくろむs he had—beautiful still though the scorching 炎上 had swept across his 直面する, destroying for the time eyebrows, eyelashes, and moustache. He was painfully conscious of this, and would have hidden his 直面する on her shoulder.
"Don't look at me," he said, "I'm all scorched up. Not fit to be looked at."
"And it was for me," she whispered with a 急ぐ of tenderness, "all for me, my dear one—it makes you doubly dear."
It almost 悩ますd him, her tenderness.
"I could kill you," he said, suddenly rising to his feet and stamping passionately on the 床に打ち倒す. "I could kill you. You sit there and take things so 静かに. I want you, Ruth. You—you. My God! do you think I 棒 through 炎上s to save you for another man? You belong to me now, 団体／死体 and soul, you are 地雷. Do you hear?" And he put his 手渡すs on her shoulders. "I shall not let you go."
"Hush, hush, oh, you mustn't," said Ruth, appalled at the 嵐／襲撃する she herself had roused. "You have no 権利."
"権利? 権利? What better 権利 can I have? Do you think I do not love you—shall not love you and care for you till the end of my life?"
"Yes, but——"
"But I have a wife already, you would say," he said 激しく, "but she is no wife of 地雷. I have not even seen her for the last two years. You sent me away once, Ruth. It is my turn now. What is there binding in a 誓約（する） wrung out of a foolish boy by a designing woman? You shall——"
"Mr. Maitland," she implored, trying to 解放する／自由な herself from his strong 武器.
"You shall not go. I say you shall not. You belong to me now, darling, you are 地雷, 地雷, 地雷. You shall come. I shall take you away and keep you for ever and ever."
"Oh!" sobbed Ruth, 脅すd now, "let me go. Please let me go."
"No, darling, you——"
There were steps on the gravel outside, and Roger Marsden's 発言する／表明する loudly calling on them to let them in.
He 緊張するd her to his breast yet more closely in spite of her 抵抗, then 解放（する）d her just as they heard Mrs. パン職人's 激しい footstep coming 負かす／撃墜する the passage, but before she could open the door Ruth had escaped to her own room.
"Such a lovely night," said Dolly entering. "Ruth, you ought—why, where's Ruth?"
"Gone to bed, I think," said Maitland. "She said she was very tired."
"井戸／弁護士席, I call that mean to leave you all by yourself. However, I suppose it is getting late, and time for us all to say goodnight."
In the privacy of their own room Mrs. Marsden confided in her husband.
"I really don't understand it at all."
"What?"
"Why Ruth and Mr. Maitland, of course. I went to her room just now, and I'm perfectly 確かな she ran in just as we knocked."
"I tell you what it is," said Marsden slowly, for he was fumbling with his collar, "I 借りがある Maitland more than I can tell, more, a thousand times more, than I can ever 返す, but if Ruth takes my advice——"
"Which she won't," said Dolly serenely.
"Oh, all 権利. But she'd better stick to Finlayson. He's the better man. Maitland, 井戸／弁護士席, you should have seen the こどもs of whisky he took this evening after you'd gone. やめる enough to upset two men. It may be only passing—but Maitland was drinking all yesterday. It's no good shaking your 長，率いる. I'm not a fool, and I know he was. I can't imagine Finlayson doing such a thing under any circumstances. And if he's going to do that sort of thing Ruth'd better be dead than married to him."
If the night before had been sleepless and wearisome to Ruth, this night was ten times worse. She had tried to put a 勇敢に立ち向かう 直面する on before her sister, but once she was out of the way she gave herself up to her 悲惨. What had she done? How （機の）カム she to 許す any man to speak to her as Maitland had spoken to her; and oh! why had he done it? How could she 会合，会う him again? What should she say—how look calmly and talk about the 事件／事情／状勢s of everyday life with Dolly's 注目する，もくろむs upon her? If he had only been tender and 肉親，親類d, as he had been the night before; but he had 脅すd her with his rough love making, he had shamed her in her own 注目する，もくろむs, and now there （機の）カム to her a longing to get away—away somewhere where she should never see him again. If she could only go 支援する to the peace and happiness—it looked to her now like peace and happiness—of the night before; if only Dolly had not gone out—if only. She took her sewing and stitched 刻々と. She would not even go to bed, she would not even try to sleep until she was utterly 疲れた／うんざりしたd out. So she sat 負かす／撃墜する の近くに to the candle, and as her needle flew through her fingers a 限定された 計画（する） 形態／調整d itself in her mind. She would not stay here—here in Maitland's house—as his guest. She would go away to-morrow—she would not even see him again if she could help herself, she was afraid of him, afraid of herself. In her 恐れる she hardly knew whether she loved him or not; only this she knew, she did not want to see him again. She hardly gave a thought to Finlayson, so 十分な was she of her own 事件／事情／状勢s, only she drew off his （犯罪の）一味 and laid it on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する beside her. She would send it 支援する to him, she thought, to-morrow; she would 令状 him a 公式文書，認める and thank him for all his goodness to her, bidding him good-bye and telling him she could never be his wife. She did not think he would misjudge her, he would understand, and would know she had done the best she could.
And for herself, what could she do? She must think, for she would have to earn her living somehow. A governess? A companion? It was a dreary look-out, and she had heard that the 供給（する） was greater than the 需要・要求する. And her 資源s were so slender. In the last two years she had managed to save ｣15, and in her pocket she had ｣2, besides the few 着せる／賦与するs she had bought at the Tamba 蓄える／店. Seventeen 続けざまに猛撃するs between her and destitution, and all her 着せる／賦与するs to be bought out of it. She had some few trinkets that had belonged to her mother, she could sell them, and 井戸／弁護士席 perhaps she had better take the first 状況／情勢 that 申し込む／申し出d, even if it were only a servant's—a parlourmaid, she could be a good parlourmaid, and she stood up and 調査するd herself in the glass with a dreary smile. Yes, she would be a parlourmaid till Dolly had a house of her own again, and then she would ask her to take her in and try and make some better 協定, but from here she would go to-morrow. It would not cost her more than 30s. to get to Melbourne, 10s. would keep her till she could get the 残り／休憩（する） of her money; then she would buy 着せる／賦与するs and do the best she could.
She began to move softly about, getting things ready. Not very much, either, but the day 夜明けd before she was done. Then she opened her door very softly and stole into the sitting-room. It had been shut up all night, and felt の近くに and hot. Maitland had forgotten the lamp, and it was now guttering out, filling the room with a strong smell of kerosene, and on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する was an empty whisky decanter and two tumblers.
Ruth turned 負かす／撃墜する the lamp, drew up the blind, and seated herself at the 令状ing （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. It seemed 平易な enough to 令状 now.
"許す me," she wrote, "許す me if I have 扱う／治療するd you 不正に, but I cannot be your wife. You must not think me ungrateful. I am very, very 感謝する for all your 親切 and goodness to me; I should ill 返す it by marrying you. Please be my friend; be my friend as you used to be. I have so few I can't afford to lose any, and you have been the friend of my life. I am 激しく grieved that I did not say 'no' when you asked me to marry you, but I was so lonely and so afraid of losing you, and now I have lost you indeed. Oh, my friend, think as kindly as you can of Ruth 認める."
She read it over and thought it but feebly 表明するd her feelings, but she felt it must do. Then she 倍のd the letter and 演説（する）／住所d the envelope, and carried it 支援する to her room with her. Not till then did she undress, and, flinging herself 負かす／撃墜する on the bed, slept soundly.
In the morning （機の）カム the 必然的な explanation with her sister.
"Dolly," said Ruth, "I want to tell you something."
"Yes, dear, what is it?"
Dolly had noticed the 公式文書，認める 演説（する）／住所d to Dr. Finlayson. It was clumsy, and had something in it, 推定では the （犯罪の）一味. So she had broken her 約束／交戦 after all. It was all 権利 then, she was going to marry Maitland, and she need not have 乱すd herself as she had done last night. It was やめる the proper thing to do.
"Oh, Dolly; nothing that it will please you to hear."
"Nonsense; I believe I can guess. It's nothing so very dreadful after all. Come now, you've broken your 約束／交戦 with Dr. Finlayson, and that letter is to tell him so, isn't it? Isn't that it?"
"Yes."
"井戸／弁護士席, dear, that's not so very wonderful. I've seen it coming,"
"Yes, but Dolly—dear, dear Dolly—you don't understand." Ruth stood up and tried to look her sister bravely in the 直面する. "Don't you see dear, if I don't marry Dr. Finlayson—I—I—I mean—don't you know—I can't go 支援する to Kooringa. I—they don't want me there. I am やめる homeless."
"Good gracious me, Ruth, what nonsense you are talking. Homeless? 井戸／弁護士席, this place is good enough for me. In a fortnight or three weeks Roger'll get some sort of a house run up. It doesn't take long to run up a weatherboard cottage, and then, you know," and she gave her sister an affectionate 抱擁する, "I'm only too delighted to have my dear, dearest sister with me. Oh, Ruth, when we've always been such 広大な／多数の／重要な friends to talk about 存在 homeless."
"Dolly, Dolly, don't. If you had a home I'd only be too glad to stay, but—but—I can't stay here, I can't—I must go away, I'm going away to-day."
"But why? Where?" asked Dolly, still bewildered.
"To Melbourne, I think. I shall get a 状況／情勢 as governess. I 港／避難所't got enough to live on without. I can't be a 重荷（を負わせる） on you?"
"Ruth, you're dreaming. What on earth can you mean by it? You won't be a 重荷（を負わせる） on me. You've got your own money, and besides—you'll marry 刑事 Maitland."
"I shan't. I won't have my 指名する coupled with Mr. Maitland's. I won't stay in his house an hour longer than I can help. I shall go up to town this very day."
"Oh, Ruth, how can you be so ungrateful when he saved your life at the 危険 of his own. I know you love him. What's the good of trying to hide it. It's—its horrid of you," sobbed Dolly, "cruel and wicked and ungrateful. I'm sure I don't know what I'm to say to Mr. Maitland. I shall just go and see if I can't find Roger, and see if he can't stop you."
And Dolly rose up indignantly and left the room.
A moment later the 前線 door shut, and Ruth knew her sister had gone "to tell Roger."
Her sister's 怒り／怒る was rather good for Ruth than さもなければ. If she had petted her, and 説得するd her, and besought her to stay she might have 産する／生じるd, but when she grew angry Ruth felt she had 権利 on her 味方する, and was more 決定するd than ever. The coach which met the Melbourne tram at Colac left, she thought, at noon, but, to be やめる sure, she interrogated Mrs. パン職人 on the 支配する.
"井戸／弁護士席, as a 支配する, it is 12," was the reply, "but the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 put them out a bit, and they're going to start at a ４半期/4分の1-past 11 to-day."
The time was getting on. In another hour she must be gone and she sat 負かす／撃墜する and wrote a loving little 公式文書，認める to Dolly, begging her not to be angry, for she and her boy were the only things she had to love in the world. She 軍隊d herself to drink the tea and eat the toast and butter Mrs. パン職人 had brought, and then gathered together her scanty 所有／入手s. Surely woman never went out into the world with いっそう少なく. It still 手配中の，お尋ね者 some time till the coach started, so she began a little frock for Dolly's boy.
In the sitting-room Mrs. パン職人 was dusting energetically, so she brought her work to her bedroom and sat 負かす／撃墜する by the open window which overlooked the 前線 door. The dimity curtains hid her from 見解（をとる）, but she could see out やめる plainly.
A footstep made her start. Two men （機の）カム along and stopped opposite the door. She dropped her work with a half-抑えるd cry—for there, standing やめる の近くに to her, was 刑事 Maitland and her lover Alick Finlayson.
Her first impulse was to hide. To 直面する those two—and together! No, it was more than she dared do to see Alick Finlayson alone even. No, when they were 安全な inside she should leave—and she put on her hat and caught up her gloves.
"Come in," said Maitland, 開始 the door. "Mrs. パン職人, Mrs. パン職人."
"Yes, sir," said the housekeeper, and then （機の）カム the question Ruth was dreading.
"Where are the ladies? Tell the——"
"Oh, if you please, sir, Mrs. Marsden have gone out."
"But 行方不明になる 認める——"
"Oh, she? She've just gone too. I seed her mysel," said Mrs. パン職人, much to Ruth's surprise and 救済.
"Oh, 井戸／弁護士席, I don't suppose they'll be long. Come in, Finlayson, and sit 負かす／撃墜する. Mrs. パン職人, bring some glasses."
"Not for me," said Finlayson.
"Oh, nonsense, you've had a tiring 旅行. Sit 負かす／撃墜する, man, sit 負かす／撃墜する, and have a 阻止する."
The sitting-room was next her bedroom, and Ruth could hear as plainly as if she were in the same room. She had no wish to play eavesdropper, but what could she do? If she moved she betrayed her presence, and 直面する them she dared not. She was conscious of a want of warmth in Maitland's manner; a 確かな forcedness in his geniality; and on Finlayson's 味方する there was certainly 強制 and stiffness as if he too was not やめる comfortable in his old friend's company. For a moment or two there was silence between them. Mrs. パン職人 始める，決める 負かす／撃墜する a tray with a 確かな 量 of clatter, left the room, and then Ruth heard the clink of glasses.
"I told you," said Finlayson's 発言する／表明する, with some impatience in it, "I don't want it. I don't drink spirits. I don't drink anything so 早期に in the day."
"Then I shall have to drink your 株 同様に as my own. By Jove! You'd want a little something if you'd gone through what we have."
"You must have had a bad time—a shocking bad time. The country I passed through to-day was the abomination of desolation."
"You should have seen it on 解雇する／砲火／射撃, man. You should have seen it in 炎上s. By Jove! it was a grand sight. I can't imagine why you should have come, though. I don't see the good of appearing on the scene the day after the fair. All the fun's over."
There was a disagreeable トン in Maitland's 発言する／表明する which the unwilling listener could not fail to 公式文書，認める, but the other man hardly seemed more friendly.
"I don't やめる see how I was to know you were going to indulge in a 解雇する／砲火／射撃. After all, I wasn't 手配中の，お尋ね者. You did everything there was to be done; and, indeed, Maitland," he said, evidently trying to throw a little more graciousness into his トンs, "I'm very 感謝する to you—very thankful indeed. I don't know how to thank you."
"Thank me? Why? What 商売／仕事 is it of yours? Marsden was always more my friend than yours."
"I wasn't thinking of Marsden," said the other 静かに. "I was thinking of his sister-in-法律, Ruth 認める. I suppose I may be 許すd to be 感謝する to you for having saved her life."
"Really there's not the least necessity." Maitland had had another glass of whisky, and it had made him more irritable than ever. "A fellow doesn't do that sort of thing for another man's 利益. Ruth 認める is a ジュースd pretty girl, and——"
"What the devil do you mean?" cried Finlayson starting to his feet.
"Mean, mean, what I say, of course," sneered Maitland. "She is a ジュースd pretty girl. Oh, yes, I heard all about it. Marsden gave me the 十分な 利益 of the （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） last night. How you were going to marry her—how she was going to marry you—how fond you were of each other—what a good thing it was—how pleased they were about it, &c. Oh, I know all about it, and I wish you joy of your 取引."
"You've been drinking," said Finlayson contemptuously, "or I'd kick you out of the house."
"My own house! Come, I like that. Things have come to a pretty pass. You always come the righteous man over me, but I've got the 天候 味方する of you now, old man."
Finlayson took up his hat.
"I'm going out," he said coldly. "I daresay I shall 会合，会う Mrs. Marsden and 行方不明になる 認める in the 郡区."
"Oh, I have no 疑問 you will. But you've come too late, as I told you before. You せねばならない have been here the day before yesterday; then you could have gone to the 救助（する）. It's a mighty nice thing, I can tell you, to have a pretty girl singing to you and adoring you."
"Adoring you? Pooh! Remember, I have the 楽しみ of 行方不明になる 認める's 知識, and I can pretty 井戸／弁護士席 裁判官 of the 量 of adoration she is likely to lavish on you."
"Oh, you can, can you, Dr. Finlayson? 井戸／弁護士席 then let me tell you, it is me she loves. She will marry you, I dare say—it is expedient—but it is me—me she loves."
"You despicable hound, you could not be such a scoundrel as to make love to her—you—a married man."
"Married or not," said the other doggedly, "it is me she cares for, I tell you. I have only to 停止する a finger and——"
Finlayson made a step 今後, and then a step 支援する, for there in the doorway stood the girl they had been quarrelling about, her 直面する white with shame. Maitland had his 支援する to her, but the look on his companion's 直面する told him something was wrong. He turned clumsily, saw Ruth, and in his agitation caught 持つ／拘留する of the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する-cloth, bringing the tray 十分な of glass to the 床に打ち倒す with a 衝突，墜落. Not one of the three noticed it. Only Ruth stepped 今後.
"You—you せねばならない have left me to die," she stammered. "I hate you—I hate you. You—you have no 権利—no 権利—I—Dr. Finlayson," she turned to him with hard 乾燥した，日照りの 注目する，もくろむs, "I wrote to you last night—you must try and 許す me."
Then she turned and left the room.
The two men stood there, too dumb-創立者d to speak.
At length Finlayson 選ぶd up his hat and left the room. Maitland followed him into the passage. Finlayson looked him straight in the 直面する.
"I shan't say what I think of you," he said.
Then he went out of the door and shut it in his companion's 直面する leaving him a prey to bitter 圧倒的な 悔恨.
For himself Alick Finlayson felt the light had gone out of his life. The girl he had loved with all his heart, who had been everything to him for the last two years, was it possible—was it really possible, she cared for this man. He had once thought so, it was true—had been very jealous of him, but then, when he thought of his own passing fancy for Dolly Marsden, he remembered how quickly it had 消えるd away before his 深い true love for her sister—surely Ruth's liking for Maitland must have been just such a passing fancy. It was passing. It was only of the imagination, he had already dreamt she loved him—and now—now—could Maitland's words be true? He had had too much to drink, it was true, but still there was sense in them. He 提起する／ポーズをとるd as a hero—nay, the honest doctor gave him his 予定 as he walked あわてて away from the 郡区 up the blackened gully, from which every green thing had 消えるd—nay, he was a hero in very truth. 非，不，無 but a man with more than ordinary pluck, goaded on by a love 深い and 激しい as his own, would have 直面するd the danger.
And so he walked on and on, turning over in his mind the events of the morning, trying to piece together the broken fragments of his happiness. Broken? Oh, yes; it was all gone—his hopes, his happiness—and if Ruth 認める saw her life stretching out before her drearily, still more dreary and empty of happiness was his.
It was characteristic of him that he did not 非難する her—was only sorry for her, and thought pitifully it was hard she too should have made such shipwreck of her life. For himself he was hardly surprised, now the first shock was over. Much happiness had not come to him, he had never 推定する／予想するd it, and it was only natural the cup should be dashed from his lips, but it was hard—cruelly hard—and then he looked around him and 設立する he had wandered far from the 郡区 into the blackened forest.
Turning 支援する, he quickened his pace, and 設立する himself の近くに to the 郡区 again. He must catch the coach, and he stepped out briskly till he reached the house, on the 郊外s, when Dolly Marsden （機の）カム running up and put her 手渡す on his arm.
"Oh, doctor, doctor,"—she did not seem to be in the least surprised to see him—"I can't find Roger anywhere, and—and—Ruth—Ruth——"
"井戸／弁護士席, what of Ruth?" he asked.
"She told me she would go away to-day—I don't know why—I really can't make out why—but go she will to Melbourne. She says she's going to earn her own living. I want to try and go and get Roger to stop her, and I can't find him anywhere, and Mr. Maitland is as cross as a 耐える. I do believe Roger's 権利; he's been drinking. When I asked him where she was he said I'd better ask you, and—and—oh dear, the coach started three ４半期/4分の1s of an hour earlier and I never knew," Dolly ran on in a 一連の agitated gasps, that gave the doctor time to collect his ideas.
"To Melbourne, poor child," he said. "She has a perfect 権利 to go if she pleases. Do you think she has any money?"
"About ｣10, I 推定する／予想する," said Dolly.
"And a few trinkets?"
"They're not of much value except her watch. And, oh, here's a letter she left for you. It's got your （犯罪の）一味 in it. I suppose she meant to 地位，任命する it and forgot, or did she know you were here."
"I'm afraid she hasn't thought much about me at all," said the doctor sadly, 開始 his letter and ちらりと見ることing 負かす／撃墜する it. He put it in his pocket with a half sigh, and then turned to his companion.
"Don't fret, Mrs. Marsden. Your sister will be all 権利 She's not a child and if she wants to earn her own living——"
"But—but—what's she breaking her 約束／交戦 with you for—or—is it your fault," and Dolly turned ひどく on him.
"Certainly it isn't my fault," he said; and he spoke so sadly his listener pitied him for the first time. "She has broken her 約束／交戦 簡単に because she doesn't love me enough, and that is fair, I suppose. Walk a little way with me, Mrs. Marsden, if you're not too hot."
Dolly was only too glad. Ruth's 行為／行う had 完全に mystified her, and she was eager for a 患者 listener.
She began at the beginning. She told of the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, their flight, their 救助（する）, Maitland's devotion to Ruth, and she only pulled herself up short when she 設立する herself 開始する，打ち上げるing out into a 自白 that she herself had wished success to Maitland's 原因（となる）.
"Never mind, Mrs. Marsden," said her listener kindly as he saw her 混乱. "I suppose it was only natural you should think it a fitting 勝利，勝つd-up. Poetic 司法（官） that she should marry her deliverer."
"Why, yes," said Dolly, emboldened by his 冷静な／正味の way of taking it. "He's just 長，率いる over ears in love with her. I believe that's what's been the 事柄 the last two days. He's been unhappy and eaten nothing and drank a good 取引，協定."
"You are やめる 権利."
"But why should he be unhappy? That's what I can't understand."
"He can't get the girl he wants. It's a ありふれた （民事の）告訴 just now," said the doctor grimly.
"But why can't he? She's 解放する／自由な now."
"Probably she didn't care enough about him."
"Oh, stuff! She must love one of you."
"I don't really see the necessity," murmured Finlayson. And Dolly went on,
"It's やめる against nature, it really is. A woman must love somebody. If she didn't love the man she's engaged to, she'll love the man who saved her life. And you come and tell me she 辞退するd both of you?"
"井戸／弁護士席, it looks like it."
They walked on some distance in silence, then Dolly without a word turned 支援する, and the doctor silently turned with her.
"I'll tell you what," he said at last, "do you think you could 信用 me to look after her?"
"You?" said Dolly dubiously. "How could you?"
"井戸／弁護士席, I can go up to town, find out where she is, keep an 注目する，もくろむ on her, and if she wants help, help her, as if I were her brother."
"It is very good of you," said Dolly 滞るing, "very good of you, but she mightn't like it."
"How is she to know? I shan't help her unless she wants help. I shan't let her know I'm anywhere about, but I'll see her settled in life before I go 支援する."
"You can't spare the time," 反対するd Dolly.
"McIlwraith, of Gaffer's Flat, is looking after my 患者s, and I've got a locum tenens going up for two months," he said, "so I may as 井戸／弁護士席 have a holiday." And Dolly guessed the truth, that 審理，公聴会 of the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 and Ruth's homelessness he had 用意が出来ている to marry her at once, and had come 負かす／撃墜する for that 目的. She stole a ちらりと見ること at his 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な 直面する, and then and there fell to pitying him from the 底（に届く） of her heart, but she did not agree to his proposition.
"I'll ask Roger," she said; "but you're sure she's all 権利?"
"All 権利," he assented; pulling himself up as he very nearly 追加するd, "much better there than here."
"And you won't come and have 昼食 with us? I'm sure Mr.———"
"No, no. Good-by. I shall leave Tamba as soon as I can. There's no use in stopping here."
He shook 手渡すs and turned away, and Dolly looked after him as he went quickly up the street.
"Poor fellow, he really is a very 罰金 fellow when you don't look at his ugly 直面する. I wonder if Roger is 権利, and he would make the best husband after all. But to tell me Ruth 辞退するd 刑事 Maitland! It's impossible, 簡単に impossible. She must love one of them, and it isn't Alick Finlayson." And Dolly turned into the house more puzzled than ever.
They are all alike, these little 郡区s. They stand at four cross-roads, and the land is （疑いを）晴らすd for a mile or so—just （疑いを）晴らすd enough to make the place look desolate, and the houses are 工場／植物d 負かす／撃墜する at intervals along the three-chain road, which is wide and 明らかにする and 申し込む／申し出s no 避難所 from sun or 勝利，勝つd or rain. There are no hedges, no trees, only the three-rail 盗品故買者, with here and there a picket to 保護する a garden just struggling into 存在, and 権利 at the very corners are the bank, two public-houses, a general 蓄える／店, and a little lower 負かす／撃墜する the blacksmith's shop.
Opposite the 主要な／長／主犯 public-house, the Shearers' 武器, Cobb's coach was standing, the four horses were harnessed up, and the driver was taking his parting glass, all the idlers in the place looking on admiringly. Ruth, who had left Maitland's house and walked slowly up the street, went straight for it, wondering ばく然と where Dolly could be that she had not yet returned; but short as the distance was, before she reached it she heard footsteps behind her, and a moment after Maitland was at her 味方する.
He looked shamefaced and broken. The shock of her sudden 外見 had gone far に向かって 安定したing him. But what shall bring 支援する to us yesterday?—and to Ruth this man could never again be the hero who had come through the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 for her sake. For the moment all his heroism and daring were forgotten. She had learned there were two 味方するs to his character, and the knowledge filled her with disgust and 狼狽. He might love her, but he had dragged her 指名する 負かす／撃墜する to the depths; he had scrupled not to avow her love for him, and with that avowal it had almost 出発／死d. It was no excuse to her that he had been drinking. That he should drink, the idol she had raised on such a pinnacle—oh, the feet of clay were very poor dross indeed, and she could not raise her 注目する，もくろむs from them!
"行方不明になる 認める—Ruth," he said at last, seeing she would not speak. "Where are you going?"
"To Melbourne," she said laconically; and he followed her 注目する，もくろむs as she looked in the direction of the coach.
"No, no, for Heaven's sake don't do that. I'll go away—I'll do any thing—only for God's sake don't let me 運動 you away."
"You are not 運動ing me away. I should have gone in any 事例／患者," and her 発言する／表明する even to herself sounded even and 冷淡な.
"It was because of this morning. 許す me. I was mad. If you only knew what it has been to me these last two days. To see you every day and know—And then Finlayson to come with his 空気／公表する of 静める proprietorship. I was mad, I know. But, oh, Ruth! 許す me, don't go."
"You have made it necessary."
"But I'll go—I'll go."
"You may do as you please. I'm going to Melbourne to-day."
How 冷淡な and cruel her 発言する／表明する sounded! She felt it herself, and tried to be a little warmer.
"I must have gone in any 事例／患者," she said. "Don't 非難する yourself. It is more my fault than yours."
She had reached the group 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the coach now, and there was no chance for その上の conversation.
"At least, let me get your ticket," he 勧めるd, and then 追加するd in a lower トン. "It will look better."
What woman does not 注意する 外見s, and Ruth let him open the coach door and see her comfortably seated. Then she 手渡すd him her purse and saw him enter the coach office, which was in the hotel. A minute or two later he returned and 手渡すd 支援する the purse.
"It's all 権利 now," he said in a monotonous 激しい 発言する／表明する, "and the coachman has 約束d to look after you. There are only two other 乗客s inside, so you won't be （人が）群がるd. Will you ever come 支援する?"
"Never," she said wearily. "Surely I need not tell you that."
"Then before you go," he muttered, "許す me. I know, nothing can blot out this morning. I was mad—I was drunk, if you will, but try and think 同様に as you can of me."
The abject 悲惨 in his 直面する and 発言する／表明する touched her.
"I must go," she said gently. "I can't see you again. You see that, but all my life I will think only of the 勇敢に立ち向かう man who saved my life. Good-bye."
"God bless you," he muttered, and caught her 手渡す. Then a man laid his 手渡す on his shoulder with rough good nature.
"Come, mister, I say. You're 封鎖するing up the gangway," and Maitland stepped 支援する and let him pass.
The other man followed, the coachman climbed to the box-seat, gathered up the reins, and they started off at 十分な gallop 負かす／撃墜する the road, and very soon had left the 郡区 behind.
Ruth leaned 支援する and shut her 注目する，もくろむs. There was nothing to see beyond the dreary 解雇する／砲火／射撃-swept bush, but the two young fellows inside talked to each other にもかかわらず the 動揺させるing of the coach, told tales of the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, and leaned out of the windows to compare 公式文書，認めるs with the driver and the outside 乗客s. Then they passed beyond the 限界s of the 解雇する／砲火／射撃.
At Colac she left the coach and made her way to the 鉄道 駅／配置する, and 設立する she had fully an hour to wait for the Melbourne train, so she went to the refreshment-room and 軍隊d herself to eat a little 昼食. She had a 水盤／入り江 of soup, and when she took out her purse to 支払う／賃金 for it 設立する its contents 損なわれていない. 刑事 Maitland had paid her coach fare then. In very truth, the sight of the slender little 蓄える／店 had 完全に upset the repentant man. The 発見 made Ruth angry. What 権利 had he to pity her? What 権利 to imagine she stood in need of help? It was mean to lay her under an 義務—he, of all men. She would 令状 to Dolly and enclose the money, 説 it was a mistake, and thanking him for his 親切, and having arrived at that 結論 just as she left the train at Spencer-street, she felt 慰安d.
The next thing was to 補充する her wardrobe and look for lodgings. It was already 5 o'clock, she could not do more that day. She had never been to town since she had first gone to Kooringa and the bustle of the （人が）群がるd streets 公正に／かなり 脅すd her. Ruth was thankful when she 設立する herself in Moubray's shop.
They knew her there, and the shop-walker was all smiling attention, all 利益／興味d sympathy when she told how they had been burnt out and she had come up to get a few things. She thought of the fortnight's hard work she and Dolly had wasted, and the calico that was not yet paid for, and told them 静かに she was poor and her 購入（する）s must be of the simplest.
When they were 結論するd she bought a small 捕らえる、獲得する to put them in, and then calling a cab 始める，決める out for her lodgings. She had decided where to go. An old servant had 投資するd her 貯金 in the 好意／親善 of a 搭乗-house in one of the terraces opposite the 展示, and there she decided to go. She had never seen Maria the cook since she had blossomed out into 行方不明になる Gates, but she had liked her as Maria, and she thought it would be nicer to have a familiar 直面する about her. She rang the bell, and in 予定 course the door was opened, and she was 迎える／歓迎するd first by a strong smell of dinner, and then by 行方不明になる Gates herself, an untidy, good-natured woman with a 一連の会議、交渉／完成する red 直面する.
"Bless us, bless us, who'd a' thought it. Come in, 行方不明になる 認める, come in."
Ruth explained her 状況／情勢, and the good woman was loud in her lamentation.
Every blessed room in the house was let, every blessed room, till 復活祭 next, except the small one next her own.
Ruth was so tired she felt unequal to going a step その上の. She sat 負かす／撃墜する on the rickety hall 議長，司会を務める, and 問い合わせd about the small room.
"P'非難するs you'd look at it," 示唆するd 行方不明になる Gates.
When a Melbourne lodginghouse-keeper 述べるs a room as small it is a 確かな sure 調印する it is not much bigger than an ordinary-sized packing 事例／患者, but Ruth did not know this, and followed her whilom cook upstairs with the 十分な 意向 of taking the room, but when the landlady opened the door with a 疑わしい 空気／公表する and 勧めるd her into a small cupboard with a window in it she felt somewhat 狼狽d. A 狭くする bed stood against one 塀で囲む, just 許すing the door to be opened at its foot, and an アイロンをかける tripod in the opposite corner held a 水盤／入り江 and jug. That was all the furniture, and Ruth looked more than doubtful.
She was still more 狼狽d when she heard that the rent of the room was a guinea a week, and the landlady, seeing this, 急いでd to say,
"But if you didn't mind having your meals in my little room, why I'd let you have it for 16 shilling a week, an' really, 行方不明になる, I can't say no fairer than that."
Ruth run あわてて over in her own mind her さまざまな expenses; they rose up like a cloud 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her. She must save if she かもしれない could. She was very tired, too; still she hesitated. The idea of taking her meals in her old cook's sitting-room was repugnant to her, and her hesitation saved her another shilling.
"井戸／弁護士席, s'提起する／ポーズをとる we was to say 15s., seeing you're a lady, and not likely to give the same trouble as they dratted men, acomin' in an' out asingin' at the 最高の，を越す of their 発言する／表明するs, be it six in the mornin' or twelve at night."
Ruth 保証するd 行方不明になる Gates she was not likely to indulge in vagaries of that sort, and so the 取引 was struck, and she went 負かす／撃墜する and 解任するd her cabman and saw her scanty luggage brought upstairs.
That night she repented. She had never even pictured such 不快 to herself. At Kooringa things had been about as rough as they could be, but at least there had been plenty of space, and she had not been 閉じ込める／刑務所d up in a tiny room six by eight over the kitchen—she knew it was over the kitchen by the heat—the only 代案／選択肢 her old cook's sitting-room. The 見解（をとる） was over dreary dull Carlton 支援する-yards, in which hung out the family washing belonging to the さまざまな houses in the terrace. She had no 調書をとる／予約するs, no newspapers to distract her from her own sad thoughts, and she sat there all the evening stitching away industriously, brooding over the shipwreck she had made of her life.
At 11 without any 警告 the gas went out, leaving her in total 不明瞭, and she pulled up her blind and undressed by the 薄暗い light of the 星／主役にするs. But though she was tired and 疲れた／うんざりした, aching in every 四肢, sleep would not come. It seemed weeks since she had left Tamba, years and years since she had listened to Maitland and Finlayson. She was not so passionately angry, so 激しく ashamed now, it seemed so far away. She wondered a little if she had been cruel. Maitland had shamed her, had filled her with loathing, and the remembrance of his bravery and that love which had been such a tender memory to her so many months was wiped away when she learned, as she had learned that morning, there were two 味方するs to his character. She tried to be just to him, even to herself she pleaded many an excuse. It was only 証拠不十分, she knew—but the excuse itself was 致命的な. All through their acquaintanceship she saw the blot, now that her 注目する，もくろむs were opened—he had drifted—drifted into a の近くに friendship with her, he a man who knew he was not 解放する／自由な to form any 関係, he had let her love him, he had won her by his tenderness—for weeks he had not by 調印する or 記念品 let her see he had no 権利 to 申し込む／申し出 her love. Tenderly, passionately loving he had been, but to-night lying there on the hard 宿泊するing-house bed 星／主役にするing into the 不明瞭 she only remembered he had had no 権利 to come 近づく her at all. To-night she 計器d things at their proper value. And she hid her 直面する in the pillow and cried 静かに for the first time, but with those 涙／ほころびs she washed away much of the passion of her love.
Then her thoughts wandered to Finlayson. Was he 哀れな? she wondered. Hardly. He could not care much for her after what Maitland had said. He would count it a lucky escape. They were 平行の 事例／患者s. He had loved and 設立する the loved one unworthy; she had loved and 設立する,—No, no, it was impossible. Only last night she had felt that parting from 刑事 Maitland was leaving half her life behind her—that the very sound of his 発言する／表明する, the touch of his 手渡す brought her happiness. Only last night she had kissed him of her own 解放する／自由な will, and now she was 説 to herself she had loved him, forgetting even that he had saved her life at the 危険 of his own. And so she 投げ上げる／ボディチェックするd and turned all the hot night through, and not till the 夜明け （機の）カム in at the open window did she 落ちる into a restless slumber.
It is very seldom that a woman of the middle classes is 絶対 alone, at least a young unmarried woman. Even if she earns her own living, she lives with her family or friends—there is 一般に someone to take an 利益／興味 in her be it ever so slight, to whom she 借りがあるs some 義務 be it ever so small. And now for the first time in her life Ruth 設立する herself 絶対 alone, no one to question her, no one to 支配（する）／統制する her, no one to take the faintest 利益／興味 in her. There was no one even to whom she could 適用する for advice and help. A governess's 状況／情勢 might be hard to get, she supposed she must have so many 言及／関連s; should she give it up, and try for a parlourmaid's, where her 外見 would tell in her favour? She would not mind the work, but the 協会s—no, she would try for a place as governess or companion, and, counting up her 資源s, decided that, after buying 着せる／賦与するs and other necessaries, she must get a 状況／情勢 at once. If she stayed here a month, or even a fortnight, there would be 広大な／多数の／重要な 危険 of her starting her new life やめる penniless.
Her first thought was for a 言及／関連. She did not think she was 特に good at anything, except perhaps music, but she had heard she must have a 言及／関連, and surely her old schoolmistress would give her one of some sort—and for another she would 適用する to the clergyman of St. Anselm's. He had known her all her life and might be 信用d to say something in her favour.
But first she would go to 行方不明になる Wigram, and accordingly she dressed herself as neatly as possible and 旅行d out to East St. Kilda, only to find when she got there the house in 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of a very smutty old charwoman, who, after looking through a drawer, 設立する a crumpled piece of paper which showed that 行方不明になる Wigram was spending her summer holiday at some small country place in Tasmania.
And the steamers went to Tasmania so seldom. She must not count on an answer for a week at least, and now her only hope was in Mr. Thompson, of St. Anselm's.
And that, too, failed her.
"Oh, yes. Mr. Thompson's in," said the maid, "and you're to walk into the 熟考する／考慮する."
Rather surprised, she did as she was 企て，努力，提案, and 設立する herself 直面する to 直面する with a young fellow in clerical dress, who looked very much astonished to see her.
"The maid told me," she said apologetically, "I should find Mr. Thompson here."
And then he explained he had 推定する／予想するd one of his Sunday-school teachers, and he was Mr. Thompson, but not her Mr. Thompson, who had gone for his summer holiday to Sorrento. He was his locum tenens, and anything he could do—-
Ruth shook her 長，率いる and rose to go, but Mr. Thompson, pitying her tired 直面する—a little taken perhaps by her beauty, for clergymen are but men, 主張するd on her sitting 負かす／撃墜する again and having some tea.
"It will refresh you," he said pleasantly, "and it's so hot outside."
The tea did refresh her and inspirited her, and she 設立する herself telling her difficulty to the kindly young fellow, who smiled and told her it really did not 事柄 much.
"If you 令状 at once you can get an answer to-morrow or the next day, and I suppose if you don't get a place for a week it doesn't very much 事柄, does it?"
Oh, no, a week would not 事柄, and she took her 出発 somewhat 元気づけるd, and returning to Flinders-street by train went straight to the Governesses' 学校／設ける, in Little Lonsdale-street, as her new friend had advised her to do.
It was simple enough 適用するing for a 状況／情勢, but she 設立する it rather hard when she （機の）カム to be questioned as to her 資格s and 言及／関連s.
No 言及／関連s, and her 資格s were so very meagre. She had not passed the matriculation—she had not even passed the civil service. She knew nothing of Greek or Latin—had not even a smattering of Euclid or algebra. The only thing that in her own heart she felt 有能な of teaching was music, and that in her modesty and shyness she did not make enough of.
The superintendent shook her 長，率いる over her kindly enough, but still shook her 長，率いる.
"Every girl nowadays has passed the matriculation, and knows a little of Latin and mathematics. We get so many 使用／適用s, more than we can find places for even の中で the fully qualified. Still a 井戸／弁護士席-educated woman always 命令（する）s her price. I got a 状況／情勢 for a young lady only last week, she had taken her B.A. degree, and got ｣96 a year, and next year, I dare say, will be making over a hundred, and she's not as old as you."
Ruth sighed.
"Couldn't I be a nursery governess, then?" she asked. "I love little children, and surely I know enough to teach them?"
Again the superintendent shook her 長，率いる.
"Every girl who imagines herself too good for a nurse's or a housemaid's place calls herself a nursery governess, and we're just 侵略（する）／超過（する） with them; and then the 支払う／賃金 is so small, not nearly as good as a housemaid's."
"Then, perhaps," said Ruth, "I had better try for the housemaid's place. I thought of that before."
The lady looked at her 批判的に.
"My dear," she said gently, "don't do that. We will see what we can do for you; but I wouldn't advise you to do that. There's no 疑問 you'd get a place easily enough and earn from ｣30 to ｣40 a year; very likely more, but you wouldn't like the 協会s. And then—容赦 me—but I dare say you know, you are very good looking, and—井戸／弁護士席—no, my dear, it would never do."
"Then what shall I do?"
"井戸／弁護士席, leave your 指名する and 演説（する）／住所, and we'll see what can be done. Come again to-morrow."
That night （機の）カム a letter from Dolly, loving and tender, わずかに aggrieved, but still rather cheerful than さもなければ.
"You are a naughty girl," she wrote; "it really is ridiculous your running off in that way, and I should be very angry with you only Roger won't."
"He says, 'There's 推論する／理由 in everything, even in the roasting of eggs,' and he dares say you have your 推論する／理由s. And I'm not going to be anxious, for Dr. Finlayson is going up to town and he has 約束d to look after you. He's got six weeks' holiday, and it'll be nice for you to have him to take you about, and you'll soon get over the awkwardness of it with a dear old thing like him. I'm sure he talked to me about you as nicely as possible, just as if you never had been engaged at all, so just you 扱う／治療する him like the dear old friend he is and you won't find it a bit ぎこちない. I shouldn't mind 存在 looked after by him. I'm sure he'd take the greatest care of one, and never think about himself at all.
"Mr. Maitland is as glum as possible—awfully civil and 肉親，親類d you know—but just deadly dull. I suppose those fascinating sort of men, who talk to you as if you were the only person in the world, are like that—deadly dull at home.
"Our new house is begun, and will be, not finished, but ready for us to go into in a fortnight, and then, Ruth, you really must come and help me, because we'll have hardly anything to spend on furniture, so there'll be a lot of cutting and contriving to do, and we'll want you. I shall 令状 to you to buy me some things soon, but you can keep them and bring them 負かす／撃墜する with you, for if you don't come Roger'll have to come up and fetch you. And you'll never let him do that, for I shall just cry my 注目する，もくろむs out if I'm left alone in that desolate, burnt-up place even for a day.
"Baby kisses his fat little 手渡す to you. He really can't send his love, he's too shocked at your 行為／行う, but his mother does and is,—
Ever your loving sister,
DOLLY."
The letter 元気づけるd Ruth up, and she 設立する herself 現実に looking 今後 to seeing Dr. Finlayson again.
Dolly would never have said he was coming unless she had good 当局 for it, and she was surprised to find how eager she was to see the kindly ugly 直面する again. She heartily 是認するd Dolly's opinion, "he never thought about himself." No, never for one moment, and she began wondering if there were any 可能性 of his coming this evening. The 声明 about Maitland she hardly noticed. During the past few days he had been so 絶えず in her mind, she had so worn herself out with thinking of him that she seemed to have exhausted all 力／強力にするs of caring.
But Alick Finlayson—yes—how glad she would be to see him again. She had not the slightest 意向 of 受託するing Dolly's 申し込む／申し出 and going 支援する to Bolwarra, not even though Roger himself should come to fetch her. It might be all very 井戸／弁護士席 now; she knew she would be a welcome guest, knew that no sister could be more tender, more loving, no brother kinder than Roger; but they were poor and struggling, and she felt, both for their sakes and her own, it was better she should make a place for herself in the world.
But the letter 慰安d her, and in her hot little room, with the window-sill for a 令状ing-（米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, she wrote an answer that was almost gay, and for the first time since the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 went to sleep the moment her 長，率いる touched the pillow.
The next day was Saturday. There was nothing for her at the Governesses' 学校／設ける. The shops shut at 2 in the afternoon, and the whole town takes on itself a dreary 砂漠d 面, so Ruth retired to her little room and sat there sewing all day. It was a 猛烈な／残忍な hot day, and the afternoon sun 注ぐing 十分な upon it almost made it untenable; but she stitched on, borne up by the hope that Dr. Finlayson would call.
After her humble evening meal, which partook of the nature of a tea dinner, she went out and walked in the 展示 gardens till dusk, carefully leaving word with Mary Anne that if anyone called for her they were to be told where she was and asked to wait. But she need not have troubled, nobody called, and she went to bed disappointed.
Next day she went to church as in 義務 bound—to St. Peter's on the Eastern Hill and there の中で the congregation saw the man who was 占領するing all her thoughts. He was in Melbourne then. Dolly was so far 権利, but evidently he was not thinking of her. He did not even look in her direction, and all his attention was taken up by the girl beside him. Rather a 有望な-looking fair girl, who 設立する the places and 株d his hymn-調書をとる／予約する with him as if she rather liked his proximity. Ruth 設立する herself hating that fair-haired, happy-looking girl without 正確に／まさに having any 推論する／理由 for it. She had certainly not cared for Dr. Finlayson. Of her own 解放する／自由な will had she broken her 約束／交戦. Why, then, did she grudge him to another woman. She 推測するd as to whether he would speak to her coming out of church, and she ぐずぐず残るd a little on 目的. But no, he never looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する, and went 負かす／撃墜する the hill に向かって Collins-street, still beside the unknown girl, and she went 支援する to her dull, hot little room and sewed on feverishly all the afternoon, to the 率直に 表明するd スキャンダル of her landlady, who felt やめる sure no blessing would …に出席する such desecration of the Sabbath. Perhaps, he would come this afternoon, but he did not come, and she was ashamed of herself to find what 蓄える／店 she 始める，決める by his coming. It was evident he considered she had broken with him finally, and she 認める reluctantly to herself she had 扱う／治療するd him very 不正に, and he had 権利 on his 味方する.
Next morning brought her a 肉親，親類d little 公式文書，認める from Sorrento, regretting there should be any necessity for such a thing, but sending her the 言及／関連 she asked for and wishing her every success.
She started off at once for Little Lonsdale-street, and there also received some hope. A lady from Western Queensland 手配中の，お尋ね者 a governess who would teach three little boys, all under twelve, and at the same time be a companion for herself, as there was no other lady within seventy miles. She was at Menzies' Hotel, and Ruth was to go and see her that afternoon.
Her heart （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 high with 苦悩 as she 上がるd the 幅の広い staircase and was 勧めるd into a sitting-room, where a thin, sickly-looking woman was lying on a sofa.
"Sit 負かす／撃墜する, 行方不明になる, 行方不明になる—er—yes, thank you, 行方不明になる 認める. You are the young lady Mrs. Forest spoke about?"
Ruth bent her 長，率いる.
"And you wouldn't mind a 駅／配置する in the 支援する 封鎖するs?—it's very dull, you know; though to be sure it couldn't be duller than Melbourne at 現在の. And hot—it's very hot, but really not hotter than we've had it these last few days."
Ruth wondered if she were to be engaged there and then, and 宣言するd, truly enough, she minded neither heat nor 孤独.
"About salary, I give ｣40 a year, but I 推定する／予想する you to stay with me three years, and then, of course, I 支払う／賃金 your fare both ways. The children don't want much teaching, only to be 井戸／弁護士席 grounded, and Mr. Kennedy wants particular attention paid to arithmetic, Latin, and Euclid."
And then Ruth had to explain that though she might manage the arithmetic, the Latin and Euclid were a の近くにd 調書をとる／予約する to her.
"Oh dear, oh dear," sighed Mrs. Kennedy, as if she had done her a personal 傷害. "I やめる thought you had passed the matriculation. I'm sure all I've seen—and I've interviewed dozens—had all passed the matriculation. And Mr. Kennedy 主張するs on Latin and Euclid. Twenty girls did I see on Saturday, and they all knew Latin and Euclid, so I never thought of asking you. They were all most suitable, but I couldn't have borne one 近づく me. I'm sure they only thought of young men, and that there'd be more chance of their marrying up there, and you don't look that sort, but it's no good. Mr. Kennedy would never agree. I must look out again, I suppose."
And Ruth went 支援する disappointed to Mrs. Forest.
Next day （機の）カム 行方不明になる Wigram's letter, most 誘発する and 満足な, and on reading it Mrs. Forest at once despatched her out to South Yarra to interview another lady who also lived on a 駅／配置する out in the 支援する 封鎖するs. She was fat, 一連の会議、交渉／完成する, and good-natured, with a jolly red 直面する that no one could かもしれない call good-looking. She was sitting at tea with another woman in a luxuriously furnished 製図／抽選-room, 冷静な／正味の and dark after the glare outside, and welcoming Ruth as if she had been a friend asked her to sit 負かす／撃墜する, and gave her cake and tea in the kindest manner, and then after asking a low questions said kindly,
"井戸／弁護士席, I may 同様に tell the truth at once, 行方不明になる 認める. You wouldn't 控訴 me. I want if possible an 年輩の person. I think she could manage the children better."
To that there was nothing to be said. It seemed to Ruth she felt old enough for anything, but once outside in the hall she heard the real 推論する／理由. She could not open the 前線 door, and as she stood there trying—hoping that the maid, for whom Mrs. Winter had rung, would make her 外見 soon—she heard her say やめる distinctly,
"She's too pretty, my dear Louey, she's perfectly lovely. My John is a very good fellow, but I believe in not putting 誘惑 in his way. That's the way to keep your husband. Fancy John sitting 負かす／撃墜する and comparing me to a governess. No, I wouldn't 危険 it. I'd rather——"
And here, to Ruth's 救済, the maid appeared and let her out and she heard no more.
It was always the same. All that week she spent interviewing people till she was heart-sick and 疲れた／うんざりした, but always with the same result. As a 支配する her want of education stood in the way, but いつかs it was evident there were plenty more people of Mrs. Winter's opinion in the world who did not 認可する of a good-looking governess. If she had 疑問d her good looks before she was sadly 確かな of them now that they stood in the way of her 収入 her bread.
It was very 疲れた／うんざりした work, though, and she thought with a sad little smile that if this went on her looks would not stand in the way much longer. Already she had grown pale and thin, and there were dark lines under her 注目する，もくろむs, for the monotonous loneliness of her life told on her. She slept and lived in her tiny room and had her meals in Mrs. Gates's stuffy little parlour. She went to see no one and no one （機の）カム to see her. She had long given up hope of seeing Alick Finlayson; she had lost even his friendship by her own fault as she 定評のある to herself. He was in Melbourne still, she knew, for she had seen him twice in Collins-street, once in company with the girl she had seen in St. Peter's and once alone; but neither time had he seen her, and she had 欠如（する）d courage to go up and speak to him, and so the days wore slowly on, the hot dull monotonous days, and her only recreation, if it could be called a recreation, was to stroll or sit in the 展示-gardens in the 冷静な／正味の of the evening.
"If you please, 行方不明になる, there was two letters come for you while you was out."
The week Ruth had 許すd herself was past and gone and two days besides, and this evening as she walked in the gardens as usual she decided that to-morrow must end it. She had sought for a 状況／情勢 in vain. She had interviewed ladies in Toorak and Moonee Ponds, in Flemington and Malvern, and the result had always been the same. Her scanty 蓄える／店 of money was 減らすing, and she was no nearer a 状況／情勢 than she was when she began. To-morrow she would go to the registry offices, and as a parlourmaid she knew she could 選ぶ and choose. She （機の）カム 支援する when she had come to that 決定／判定勝ち（する）, and as she entered the house Mary Ann thrust two letters into her 手渡す.
They were not from Dolly, and no one else was likely to 令状 to her, and she took them, wondering as she went upstairs that they were both in the same handwriting. In her own room she opened them. They were both from the superintendent of the Governesses' 学校／設ける, one written 直接／まっすぐに after the other had been 地位，任命するd. The first, in kindly 条件, said she 恐れるd she must be much disheartened at her 非，不，無-success, and that she, the writer, had just been asked to send a nursery governess up to Geelong to take entire 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of five little children, the salary 存在 ｣20 a year. It was not much, but it would do to begin on; would she take it and go in a day or two?
The second letter 事実上 cancelled that 申し込む／申し出.
A middle-老年の 未亡人 lady, a friend of Mrs. Forest's, had come to the 学校／設ける asking for a companion who must be young, good-looking, cultivated, though a technical education such a governess needed was not necessary, while music was 絶対 不可欠の.
"She has left everything to me," wrote Mrs. Forest, "we are such old friends, so you are 事実上 engaged, and I wish you all success in your new life. Mrs. Hodson is a very cheery woman and a 広大な／多数の／重要な traveller. She starts next month for America, and thence is going for a three years' 小旅行する 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the world. I'm sure you will like her, as she is really in need of a companion who will be a friend to her. She only 規定するs you must dress 井戸／弁護士席, and your salary will be ｣90 per 年."
The letter went on to arrange for her to 会合，会う Mrs. Hodson next day and 追加するd, "Of course the Geelong 状況／情勢 is 完全に out of the question now."
Ruth laid both the letters 負かす／撃墜する 静かに. She せねばならない have been pleased, she せねばならない have been delighted, most girls in her 状況／情勢 would have been 圧倒するd by such an 申し込む／申し出. She had always 手配中の，お尋ね者 to see the world, ever since Dolly had been married. She had longed, ardently longed to get away from her 狭くする surroundings, and now the chance had come, such a chance as （機の）カム not to one girl in a thousand, and instead of rejoicing over it she was sitting there mournfully thinking she would have to leave the 植民地 for years. Next month she would be gone, and—and how could she go? But, after all, why should she mind? What was there to keep her? Dolly? Dearly as she loved her she was but a 第２位 consideration in Dolly's life now. Maitland? She had been imagining herself in love with him for two long years, and yet she knew now that 喜んで would she put the seas between them, thankfully would she know that she should never see his 直面する again. What was it then? Alick Finlayson—she buried her 直面する in the pillows as she 定評のある to herself at last that the plain, 静かな Scotch doctor had all her heart, now that it was too late. And the bitterness of it lay in the knowledge that by her own 行為／法令／行動する she had sent him away. The cup of happiness had been raised brimming-over to her lips, and with her own 手渡す had she dashed it to the ground. Oh, if only she might have blotted out two 哀れな days from her life—if only——
"Please, 行方不明になる, there's a gentleman downstairs in the parlour as wants to see you."
She sat up 敏速に, and tried to tidy her hair and wash away the traces of 涙／ほころびs from her 直面する. It could only be Alick Finlayson come at last, and she would not—no, not for worlds—have him think she had been crying at the thought of leaving him. She gathered up the letters in her 手渡す; they would be some excuse for her 涙／ほころびs. It was only natural she should be 苦しめるd at the thought of leaving Dolly, and then a 燃やすing blush overspread her 直面する, as it struck her he might think she was grieving over parting from Maitland. But he had to be 直面するd. Hard as it was to 会合，会う him, it would be harder still to send him away without seeing him, and she went 負かす／撃墜する to the parlour with the letters in her 手渡す. The gas had been lighted, and Finlayson was sitting 星／主役にするing at the abomination in pink and gold paper with which 行方不明になる Gates filled her fireplace during the summer months.
He rose as Ruth entered, and held out his 手渡す.
"井戸／弁護士席," he said in the old way, and she murmured—
"I am so glad to see you."
"Are you?" he said. "Are you sure? I only （機の）カム because I 約束d your sister. She wrote to me the other day to ask if I'd seen you, and so I felt bound to come."
"I'm sorry you only （機の）カム to please Dolly."
"I would have come before if it had been to please myself," he said, "only, you see, I thought about pleasing you 同様に."
"You might have known I'd be glad to see you," she said, and then 追加するd あわてて, "How is Dolly?"
"井戸／弁護士席, I left Tamba the day after you did, but she seemed very 井戸／弁護士席 and happy, only a little worried about you. You don't look very 井戸／弁護士席," he said, regarding her 批判的に, and she wondered if he saw she had been crying.
"I'm all 権利, only it's hot, and these lodgings are not comfortable. We have had fearfully hot 天候, 港／避難所't we?"
He assented, and there was silence between them. It was so ぎこちない, Ruth felt. There was 強制 on her 味方する, stiffness on his, and they had been such friends—such dear friends.
The silence grew unbearable, and at last she timidly hoped he had been enjoying his holiday.
"No, I have not; you せねばならない know I have not," he said curtly, and his very curtness, though it 脅すd her, made her feel happier. He was not then やめる indifferent to her.
"And you," he said, "what have you been doing with yourself?"
"Trying to get a 状況／情勢 as governess."
"Have you done it, then?"
"Not till to day," and she passed over the letters she had in her 手渡す for him to read.
He read them, 倍のd them up, and put them 支援する in their envelopes without looking at her.
"There is not the least 疑問, of course, which you will 受託する."
"Which do you think?"
"Which do I think? Why, there's not the least 疑問, of course, if you must earn your own living, Mrs. Hodson's is a splendid 申し込む／申し出."
"I—I—would have to go away," she 滞るd.
"Yes. You will like that, won't you?"
"N—o I shall be so lonely. I think I'll go to Geelong."
"Nonsense, you're 行方不明の an 適切な時期. Your sister is happy without you now. I don't want to be cruel," he said gently, "but it would be a pity to sacrifice yourself for her."
"It would not be sacrificing myself," she 滞るd. "I—I don't want to go out of the 植民地."
He rose from his seat and walked up and 負かす／撃墜する the 十分な length of the room. Then he stopped opposite her and spoke with an 成果／努力.
"I can't let you do a foolish and a wicked thing," he said, "if you are going to stay because—because—Maitland——"
The 血 急ぐd to Ruth's 直面する. Whatever he thought he must not think she still cared for Maitland.
"Oh, don't," she cried, and for the first time she looked him straight in the 直面する. "I will tell you the truth and you must not think worse of me than you can help. I—yes I did care for Mr. Maitland—I didn't know he was married, and I cared very much—and then I did know, and I pitied him and cared more than ever, but he went away when he'd told me, and I heard nothing of him and you （機の）カム and were so good to me—in all my life no one was ever so good to me—I should have forgotten—I'm sure now I had forgotten, only there was the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 and—and—he saved my life and Dolly's and baby's—and I was 感謝する and fancied—I mean—I—I——" She was getting incoherent, for it is difficult to explain away kisses and the look on Finlayson's 直面する 混乱させるd her. "I hated him that day I ran away. I knew what a mistake I had made. I—if it were only for him I would 喜んで start to-morrow—I would, indeed," she finished passionately. "I would never come 支援する again."
Finlayson crossed over and took both her 手渡すs.
"So it's Dolly you don't like to leave. Is that what you've been crying for?"
There was a tenderness in his 発言する／表明する now, and the 強制 had all 消えるd. It was the Alick Finlayson of Kooringa days who had come 支援する.
"I suppose so," she 滞るd.
"Ruth," he said 厳粛に, still 持つ／拘留するing her 手渡すs 急速な／放蕩な, "that is a very attractive 申し込む／申し出 of Mrs. Hodson's, very attractive indeed. Any girl might be glad to take it—a country doctor would stand a poor chance beside such an 申し込む／申し出."
"Do you think so," she whispered, "if it were the 権利 country doctor——"
"How is he to know that? A man doesn't like to make a fool of himself twice."
"It is the girl who has made a fool of herself in this instance," she said, hanging her 長，率いる. "What must you think of me?"
"Think that if you would only love me as I love you, I would be the happiest man in the 植民地. Do you think you ever could, Ruth?"
He put his 手渡す under her chin, and turned her 直面する up to his, and he needed no other answer.
"Oh, my little girl, my darling."
And when 行方不明になる Gates （機の）カム into the parlour, she 設立する, to her astonishment, her lonely lodger in a tall stranger's 武器.
"I suppose," whispered Finlayson, as he 企て，努力，提案 her good-bye late in the evening, "as you are so anxious to take a 状況／情勢 next week you can be ready by Tuesday. Remember, you've undertaken to look after a poor country doctor, so you've only to 準備する to go 一連の会議、交渉／完成する Tasmania instead of 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the world. I suppose I may 令状 and tell Dolly and Marsden to be in Melbourne for Tuesday."
And Ruth whispered a shy assent.
* * * * * * *
Ruth is happy; far happier than she had ever hoped to be. The peace and happiness she had envied Dolly are her own, and there is no man she thinks to equal her husband, no man so tender, so loving, so unselfish. Her love for Maitland, she 認めるs to herself as an unalterable fact much to be 嘆き悲しむd, but which taught her perhaps to value more 完全に the other man's unselfish love, and she is 感謝する to her husband, who out of delicacy and 親切 has never referred to that episode in her life.
Once only did he について言及する Maitland and they were やめる old married people then.
"Maitland's going to India, I see," he said, laying 負かす／撃墜する The Argus. "Poor beggar, I hope he'll do 井戸／弁護士席 there."
His wife had her baby on her （競技場の）トラック一周 then, and what woman is at a loss under those circumstances.
"I'm sure I hope he will," she said. "I'm going to spend the day at Kooringa to-morrow, Alick."
For once she was married Ruth had made peace with the Kooringa 認めるs. Ann was the only one it was difficult to soothe, and even she （機の）カム to 許容する her at the end of three months, and Mrs. 認める herself was very glad to be friends. Young Clegg was very 安定した and doing very 井戸／弁護士席, and Polly was very happy, so that there was really no 推論する／理由 why Ruth should be kept at a distance, and once they had decided to 許す the Cleggs, Ruth, too, had the 権利 手渡す of fellowship 延長するd to her.
She went over next day as she had 約束d, and Mrs. 認める took the boy in her 武器 admiringly.
"Polly's little girl is just his age—only a day younger. Fancy Polly with a baby. Dear, dear, how one's children leave one. And there's Willie wanting to go and settle in the Northern 領土. The three young Littles, from Gaffer's Flat, are going, and he's wild to go, too."
"A good thing, too; I'd let him go if I were you," advised Ruth.
"井戸／弁護士席, I don't know. Father thinks the Little boys rather wild."
"Alick thinks they're very good fellows," said Ruth, "only he says their father is ridiculously strict with them."
"Oh, Ruth, what do you think?" Mrs. 認める sunk her 発言する／表明する so that Vera should not hear. "What do you think? I believe old Little is after our Ann. Lil says she's sure of it."
"What a family for weddings! But he's too old for her. Sixty-five if he's a day."
"井戸／弁護士席, you see Ann's not like other girls—and—Vera, you bad, wicked, naughty child, what did you do to the baby?"
For Alick Finlayson, the younger, raised a most pitiful 抗議する against Vera's 方式 of entertainment, and his mother had to 選ぶ him up in her 武器 and 激しく揺する him backwards and 今後s for ten good minutes before she 後継するd in soothing his ruffled feelings, Vera looking on with her finger in her mouth.
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