and both her and the
bairns got on brawly. The loss of the sheep was no such great matter in
these times, for there was so little market for them, that we had to
boil them down for the sake of the tallow--that could be sent to
England. Times were changed before I left the colony, for the diggings
made a great demand for sheep and cattle to kill; but when I was up the
country the waistrie of flesh was sinful to behold. I have many a day
sinsyne thought on the beasts and the sheep that were slaughtered there
for the working men, and how the bits that they threw about or left on
their plates might be a good dinner for many a hungry stomach in
Scotland.

"Well, after I had been more than a year and a half at Mr. Phillips's,
my wages just running on as they had done at Mr. Brandon's, and five
pounds sent every quarter, as opportunity offered, for the bairns, I
heard word of a cousin of William Lowrie's coming out to Melbourne, to
follow his trade of a stone-mason there, and I had a strong desire to
see him, to ask after my orphans; for if my letters to them were but
poor, the letters I got back were no better, so my heart was set on
seeing Sandy Lowrie, who had lived close by, and knew the bairns well.
It chanced that Mr. Phillips had a man and his wife on the station at
the time that had no family. The man was nothing of a hand at work, but
the wife was one of those bright, clever, cheery little Englishwomen
that can turn hand to anything, and had such a fine temper--nothing
ever could put her out. So, as she could do for the mistress as well as
myself, I asked leave from the master and Mrs. Phillips to go to the
town and see Sandy. The mistress was fashious, for she did not like
anybody about her to please themselves, and she had got used to me, as
I said before; but the master was as reasonable as she was the contrary.

"He said to me, the day before I left, 'Peggy, I owe you a great debt.
You have saved the life of my wife and children.'

"'Under Providence, sir,' said I.

"'Under Providence, of course,' said he; 'but I fear Providence would
have done little for them if Martha had been the only instrument
Providence had at hand to use, so I am over head and ears in debt to
you.'

"'No, Mr. Phillips,' said I, 'my work you have paid me well for; my
kindness you have returned with kindness and consideration such as I
never hoped to meet with in a strange land. If I have nursed and cared
for your children you have com