dicoots at the garden again!" and
she rose and seized her gun.

"May I come and have a shot, too?" said Aulain.

"Do. It is as clear as noon-day. Take father's gun, Mr Aulain. I have
plenty of cartridges in my pocket."

They stepped out together into the brilliant moonlight, and then Kate,
driving the dogs away, led the way to the garden--a small cleared space
enclosed with a brush fence. Peering over the top, the girl saw more
than a dozen of the energetic little rodents busily engaged in their
work of destruction. Indicating those at which she intended to fire,
she motioned to Aulain to shoot at a group which were further away,
and occupied in rooting up and devouring sweet potatoes. They fired
together, and three or four of the creatures rolled over, dead. The rest
scampered off.

"They will come back in ten or fifteen minutes," said Kate; "shall we
wait? See, there is a good place, under that silver leaf ironbark, where
it is rather dark. There is a log seat there."

Aulain eagerly assented. This would give him the opportunity to which he
had been looking forward.

As soon as they were seated he took Kate's gun from her hand, and leant
it with his own against the bole of the tree.

"Kate," he said, speaking very quickly, "I am glad to have this chance
of speaking to you alone. I want to ask your forgiveness for that letter
I wrote when----"

"I did forgive you, long ago, Randolph. I was very, very angry when
I read it, and I daresay you too were angry when you wrote such cruel
things to me, but then"--and she smiled--"you have such a very hasty
temper."

He placed his hand on hers. "Only you can chasten it, Kate. And now you
know why I have come to Black Bluff."

"It is very good of you, Randolph, but, as I have said, I forgave you
long ago, and I am sorry that you have come so far just to tell me
that you are sorry for what occurred, although both father and I are
sincerely glad to see you."

"Ah, Kate! You don't understand what I mean. In asking for your
forgiveness I ask for your love. I came here to ask you to be my wife."

"Don't, please, Randolph," and she drew herself away from him. "I
cannot marry you. I like you--I always liked you--but please do not say
anything more."

"Kate," and the man's voice shook, "you cared for me once. Forget my
mad, angry letter, and----"

"I _have_ forgotten it. Did I not say so? But please do not again ask me
to marry you. Come, let us go back to the house. Y