ed to admit that she had gone
farther than was quite seemly, which somewhat naturally increased her
displeasure against the man. In the meanwhile she, however, made a
little gracious gesture. "Then I don't think the explanation was
necessary," she said.

Alton laughed a little, and held out his hand. "Do you know I'm
thankful that's over once for all, and now we can be friends," he said.
"There are lots of things I can show you in the valley, and a good deal
more that you can teach me."

Alice Deringham could not afterwards quite decide why she shook hands
with him, for she had no intention of teaching him anything, just then;
but she did, and felt as the hard brown fingers closed upon her own
that the friendship of this curious man could in time of necessity be
relied upon. In any case, and obeying some impulse, she shook off her
chilliness, and asking questions about the district evinced a gracious
interest in all he had to tell her, while presently induced by his
naive frankness she smiled at him as she noticed him regarding her
gravely.

"I presume a dress of this kind is scarcely suitable for the bush," she
said.

Alton laughed. "I wasn't looking at the dress, though it's a very
pretty one," he said. "You see, except my mother and Miss Townshead, I
have never spoken to an English lady."

"But you must have been very young when you lost her," said the girl.

Alton took off his hat, and pointed to a hillside shrouded with sombre
firs. "Yes," he said quietly. "She sleeps up there, and in a little
while my father followed her. He was lonely without her, and because
of what she had done for him, proud of his countrywomen. He often used
to talk about them."

"And," said Alice Deringham, "you wondered if he was mistaken?"

Alton made a little gesture that in a curious fashion implied a wide
chivalric faith. "No," he said gravely, "I believe he was right."

Miss Deringham felt a faint warmth creep into her cheek, and it was not
because the speech might have been deemed a personal compliment. She
saw a little deeper into the man's nature than that, and, if she had
not, the tone of grave respect would have enlightened her. Then she
turned with a little sense of relief as Deringham came out upon the
verandah.

"I am pleased to see you and Mr. Alton have made friends," he said, and
the girl, who noticed a faint twinkle in his eyes, turned quietly and
looked down the valley as she remembered one odious