vine in his spring-cart; it was some one on horseback, was
a lady, in a holland habit. The horse, a piebald, advanced at a sober
pace, and--"Why, good gracious! I believe she's coming here."

At the first of the three houses the rider had dismounted, and knocked
at the door with the butt of her whip. After a word with the woman who
opened, she threw her riding-skirt over one arm, put the other through
the bridle, and was now making straight for them.

As she drew near she smiled, showing a row of white teeth. "Does Dr.
Mahony live here?"

Misfortune of misfortunes!--Richard was out.

But almost instantly Polly grasped that this would tell in his favour.
"He won't be long, I know."

"I wonder," said the lady, "if he would come out to my house when he
gets back? I am Mrs Glendinning--of Dandaloo."

Polly flushed, with sheer satisfaction: Dandaloo was one of the largest
stations in the neighbourhood of Ballarat. "Oh, I'm certain he will,"
she answered quickly.

"I am so glad you think so," said Mrs. Glendinning. "A mutual friend,
Mr. Henry Ocock, tells me how clever he is."

Polly's brain leapt at the connection; on the occasion of Richard's
last visit the lawyer had again repeated the promise to put a patient
in his way. Ocock was one of those people, said Richard, who only
remembered your existence when he saw you.--Oh, what a blessing in
disguise had been that troublesome old land sale!

The lady had stooped to Trotty, whom she was trying to coax from her
lurking-place. "What a darling! How I envy you!"

"Have you no children?" Polly asked shyly, when Trotty's relationship
had been explained.

"Yes, a boy. But I should have liked a little girl of my own. Boys are
so difficult," and she sighed.

The horse nuzzling for sugar roused Polly to a sense of her remissness.
"Won't you come in and rest a little, after your ride?" she asked; and
without hesitation Mrs. Glendinning said she would like to, very much
indeed; and tying the hone to the fence, she followed Polly into the
house.

The latter felt proud this morning of its apple-pie order. She drew up
the best armchair, placed a footstool before it and herself carried in
a tray with refreshments. Mrs. Glendinning had taken Trotty on her lap,
and given the child her long gold chains to play with. Polly thought
her the most charming creature in the world. She had a slender waist,
and an abundant light brown chignon, and cheeks of a beautiful pink, in
which t