ool, and thought
very highly of herself in consequence, though it had only been for a
year, to finish. At the National Bank the manager's wife waved a
friendly hand to the children, and at the Royal Mail Hotel where they
drew up for passengers or commissions, Mrs. Paget, the stout landlady,
came out, smoothing down her black satin apron.

"Well, I'm sure I wonder your ma likes sendin' you off so alone."

The ride had comforted Pin a little; but when they had passed the chief
stores and the flour-mill, and were come to a part of the road where
the houses were fewer, her tears broke out afresh. The very last house
was left behind, the high machinery of the claims came into view, the
watery flats where Chinamen were for ever rocking washdirt in cradles;
and O'Donnell dismounted and opened the door. He lifted the three out
one by one, shaking his head in humorous dismay at Pin, and as little
Frank showed sighs of beginning, too, by puckering up his face and
[P.22] doubling up his body, the kindly man tried to make them laugh by
asking if he had the stomach-ache. Laura had one more glimpse of the
children standing hand in hand--even in her trouble Pin did not forget
her charges--then a sharp bend in the road hid them from her sight.

She was alone in the capacious body of the coach, alone, and the proud
excitement of parting was over. The staunchly repressed tears welled up
with a gush, and flinging herself down across the seat she cried
bitterly. It was not a childishly irresponsible grief like Pin's: it
was more passionate, and went deeper; and her overloaded feelings were
soon relieved. But as she was not used to crying, she missed the moment
at which she might have checked herself, and went on shedding tears
after they had become a luxury.

"Why, goodness gracious, what's this?" cried a loud, cheerful and
astonished voice, and a fat, rosy face beamed in on Laura. "Why, here's
a little girl in here, cryin' fit to break 'er heart. Come, come, my
dear, what's the matter? Don't cry like that, now don't."

The coach had stopped, the door opened and a stout woman climbed in,
bearing a big basket, and followed by a young man with straw-coloured
whiskers. Laura sat up like a dart and pulled her hat straight, crimson
with mortification at being discovered in such a plight. She had
instantly curbed her tears, but she could not disguise the fact that
she had red eyes and a swollen nose--that she was in short what Sarah
called