pounds for the purchase of a wedding-gift; and the pleasure
Polly felt at being able to announce John's generosity helped to make
up to her for his absence. The only other guest present was an elder
sister, Miss Sarah Turnham, who, being out of a situation at the
moment, had sailed down from Melbourne. This young lady, a sprightly
brunette of some three or four and twenty, without the fine, regular
features of Ned and Polly, but with tenfold their vivacity and
experience, caused quite a sensation; and Tilly's audible raptures at
beholding her Purdy again were of short duration; for Purdy had never
met the equal of Miss Sarah, and could not take his eyes off her. He
and she were the life of the party. The Beamishes were overawed by the
visitor's town-bred airs and the genteel elegance of her dress; Polly
was a mere crumpled rose-leaf of pink confusion; Mahony too preoccupied
with ring and licence to take any but his formal share in the
proceedings.

"Come and see you?" echoed Miss Sarah playfully: the knot was tied; the
company had demolished the good things laid out by Mrs. Beamish in the
private parlour of an hotel, and emptied a couple of bottles of
champagne; and Polly had changed her muslin frock for a black silk
travelling-gown. "Come and SEE you? Why, of course I will, little
silly!"--and, with her pretty white hands, she patted the already
perfect bow of Polly's bonnet-strings. Miss Sarah had no great opinion
of the match her sister was making; but she had been agreeably
surprised by Mahony's person and manners, and had said so, thus filling
Polly's soul with bliss. "Provided, of course, little goosey, you have
a SPARE ROOM to offer me.--For, I confess," she went on, turning to the
rest of the party, "I confess I feel inordinately curious to see, with
my own eyes, what these famous diggings are like. From all one hears,
they must be MARVELLOUSLY entertaining.--Now, I presume that you, Mr.
Smith, never touch at such RUDE, OUT-OF-THE-WORLD places in the course
of YOUR travels?"

Purdy, who had discreetly concealed the fact that he was but a
poverty-stricken digger himself, quibbled a light evasion, then changed
the subject, and offered his escort to the steam-packet by which Miss
Sarah was returning to Melbourne.

"And you, too, dear Tilly," urged little Polly, proceeding with her
farewells. "For, mind, you promised. And I won't forget to ... you know
what!"

Tilly, sobbing noisily, wept on Polly's neck that