et off to the aid of his bereaved relative--had been enormous.
Trade had run dry, and throughout Polly's long illness he had dipped
blindly into his savings. He could never have said no to Mrs. Beamish
when she came to him for money--rather would he have pawned the coat
off his back. And she, good woman, was unused to cheeseparing. His
men's wages paid, berths booked, the numerous expenses bound up with a
departure defrayed, he would have but a scanty sum in hand with which
to start on the other side.

For himself he was not afraid; but he shrank from the thought of Polly
undergoing privations. So far, they had enjoyed a kind of frugal
comfort. But should he meet with obstacles at the outset: if patients
were laggardly and the practice slow to move, or if he himself fell
ill, they might have a spell of real poverty to face. And it was under
the goad of this fear that he hit on a new scheme. Why not leave Polly
behind for a time, until he had succeeded in making a home for
her?--why not leave her under the wing of brother John? John stood
urgently in need of a head for his establishment, and who so well
suited for the post as Polly? Surely, if it were put before him, John
must jump at the offer! Parting from Polly, and were it only for a
little while, would be painful; but, did he go alone, he would be free
to do his utmost--and with an easy mind, knowing that she lacked none
of the creature-comforts. Yes, the more he considered the plan, the
better he liked it. The one flaw in his satisfaction was the thought
that if their child had lived, no such smooth and simple arrangement
would have been possible. He could not have foisted a family on Turnham.

Now he waited with impatience for Polly to return--his reasonable
little Polly! But he did not hurry her. Polly was enjoying her holiday.
Having passed to Melbourne from Geelong she wrote:

JOHN IS SO VERY KIND. HE DOESN'T OF COURSE GO OUT YET HIMSELF, BUT I
WAS PRESENT WITH SOME FRIENDS OF HIS AT A VERY ELEGANT SOIREE. JOHN
GAVE ME A HEADDRESS COMPOSED OF BLACK PEARLS AND FROSTED LEAVES. HE
MEANS TO GO IN FOR POLITIES AS SOON AS HIS YEAR OF MOURNING IS UP.

Mahony replied:

ENJOY YOURSELF, MY HEART, AND SET ALL THE SIGHTS YOU CAN.

While into more than one of his letters he slipped a banknote.

FOR YOU KNOW I LIKE YOU TO PAY YOUR OWN WAY AS FAR AS POSSIBLE.

And at length the day came when he could lift his wife out of the
coach. She emerged powdered bro