Marmot kept more brands of
tobacco than varieties of dress material, and beyond the resources of
Marmot's, the Birralong maidens knew not. But a plain grey dress has
many a charm when the wearer has a figure of native worth and a carriage
as free and graceful as that of a bush-bred girl. The likeness between
the two, however, did not extend beyond the clothes they wore, and
beyond the fact that both were attractive. Where Ailleen was fair as a
Saxon, Nellie was dark brown of hair and eyes, slight in build, and
quick in temper.

There was more than a suspicion of the latter in her eyes as she turned
her head at the sound of the approaching horses and saw who was
Ailleen's companion. Her greeting was brief, and she at once mounted her
horse, saying that there was no time to lose now that the others had
managed to arrive. As the four rode off towards Barellan, Ailleen, with
more loyalty than her friend gave her credit for, tried to keep behind
with Bobby; but Dickson was in no way anxious to fall in with the
arrangement, and instead of following Nellie as she cantered ahead, hung
back till the others caught him up.

"Go on with Nellie; what are you dawdling for?" Ailleen called out as
they came up.

"Why can't we all keep together? What's the good of splitting up?"
Dickson answered, as he came alongside Ailleen on the opposite side to
young Murray.

The latter looked over at him with an expression that showed he at least
had a considerable objection to keeping all together. He was only a
youngster of sixteen, but he was one among the many of Ailleen's
admirers, and the price of his accompanying his sister was that he
should have the enjoyment of Ailleen's company all the way to Barellan
and back. There was little sympathy between him and Dickson; but the
absent Tony was his ideal of all that a man should be, so that if there
was any truth in the rumour that Tony and Dickson were rivals, he would
not miss an opportunity of praising the one at the expense of the other,
being satisfied that with Tony already a claimant, he could have no hope
of ever enjoying Ailleen's undivided affections.

"It was the arrangement, anyway. If you don't like it, why did you hurry
out? We didn't ask you," he said.

Nellie, finding herself alone, had turned back and rejoined the others.

"Heavens! are you all going to camp, or what?" she exclaimed. "Don't you
want us to go to the station, Willy? Or perhaps Bobby and I can go back
home--