What a dreadfully long journey for you! Does it not alarm you? And you
are surely not travelling alone?"

"Oh, no; I am fortunate in having quite a large escort. Will you send
the luggage down as soon as possible, Mrs. Trappeme?"

"Certainly," replied the lady--this time with a stiff bow; for she was
now inwardly raging at not having learnt more. Then she went off to tell
Juliette this new development.

At ten o'clock, after Mallard had breakfasted, he and Grainger (the
latter bidding Mrs. and the Misses Trappeme a polite goodbye) went
away, and shortly after Dick Scott appeared, leading a pack-horse. He
took off the empty bags, and marched up to the front door.

"Mr. Grainger has sent these to Miss Caroline, miss," he said to Lilla
Trappeme, "and will you please ask her to put her things into 'em and
I'll wait?"

Myra helped Sheila pack some clothing, rugs, &c, into the bags, and Mary
took them out to the burly Dick.

"By jingo! you're the finest woman I've seen here yet," said he affably
to the blushing Mary. "Now, will you tell Miss Caroline and Miss
Grainger that I'll be up with the horses in half an hour? Goodbye,
bright eyes."

He returned within the time, riding his own horse and leading two
others.

"Sidesaddles," said Juliette to her mother as they watched through the
dining-room windows the big digger dismount and hang the horses' reins
over the front gate.

As he strode across the lawn, they heard Mary's voice in the hall. It
sounded as if she were half crying.

"Goodbye, miss, and Hivin's blessin' on ye; and may God sind ye a good
husband."

A moment or two later she entered, wiping her eyes. "The ladies are
goin', and wish to spake to yez," she said.

Mrs. Trappeme and her daughters rose, as Myra and Sheila, clad in their
neatly-fitting habits, came into the room.

"I am going to accompany Miss Carolan and my brother for a few miles,
Mrs. Trappeme, so I shall not be here for lunch," said Myra.

"Oh, indeed," said Mrs. Trappeme faintly; and then, with a pleasant
smile from Myra, and a coldly polite bow from Sheila, they were gone.

Scott swung them up into their saddles, and in another minute they were
descending the hill.

Mother and daughter looked at each other.

"So she's going with Mr. Grainger," said Juliette, with an unpleasant
twitch of her thin lips; "the--the little _cat!_ I'd like to see her
fall off!"

"Never mind her--she's gone now--and I have had six guineas from her,"