pel," retorted Sarah, laying
stress on the aspirate.

"Oh no, ma'am. I 'ope I didn't presume to suggest such a thing"; and
with a hangdog air Hempel prepared to slink away.

"Well, well!" said Sarah double quick; and ceasing to jerk her
crochet-needle in and out, she nimbly rolled up her ball of thread.
"Since you're so insistent ... and since, mind you, there's no society
worth calling such, on these diggings...." The truth was, Sarah saw
that she was about to be left alone with Mahony--Jerry had sauntered
off to meet Ned--and this TETE-A-TETE was by no means to her mind. She
still bore her brother-in-law a grudge for his high-handed treatment of
her at the time of John's bereavement. "As if I had been one of the
domestics, my dear--a paid domestic! Ordered me off to the butcher's in
language that fairly shocked me."

Mahony turned his back and strolled down to the river. He did not know
which was more painful to witness: Hempel's unmanly cringing, or the
air of fatuous satisfaction that succeeded it. When he returned, the
pair was just setting out; he watched Sarah, on Hempel's arm, picking
short steps in dainty latchet-shoes.

As soon as they were well away he called to Polly.

"The coast's clear. Come for a stroll."

Polly emerged, tying her bonnet-strings. "Why, where's Sarah? Oh ... I
see. Oh, Richard, I hope she didn't put on that--"

"She did, my dear!" said Mahony grimly, and tucked his wife's hand
under his arm.

"Oh, how I wish she wouldn't!" said Polly in a tone of concern. "She
does get so stared at--especially of an evening, when there are so many
rude men about. But I really don't think she minds. For she HAS a
bonnet in her box all the time." Miss Sarah was giving Ballarat food
for talk, by appearing on her promenades in a hat: a large, flat,
mushroom hat.

"I trust my little woman will never put such a ridiculous object on her
head!"

"No, never ... at least, not unless they become quite the fashion,"
answered Polly. "And I don't think they will. They look too odd."

"Another thing, love," continued Mahony, on whom a sudden light had
dawned as he stood listening to Sarah's trumpery. "I fear your sister
is trifling with the feelings of our worthy Hempel."

Polly, who had kept her own counsel on this matter, went crimson. "Oh,
do you really think so, Richard?" she asked evasively. "I hope not. For
of course nothing could come of it. Sarah has refused the most eligible
offers."

"Ah, but