ng our tongues of
the weather, there was silence for some time, which he broke with, "So
you are Mrs Bossier's grand-daughter, are you?"

"Not remembering my birth, I can't swear; but I believe myself to be that
same, as sure as eggs is eggs," I replied.

He laughed. "Very good imitation of the coach-driver. But Mrs Bossier's
grand-daughter! Well, I should smile!"

"What at?"

"Your being Mrs Bossier's grand-daughter."

"I fear, Mr Hawden, there is a suspicion reverse of complimentary in your
remark."

"Well, I should smile! Would you like to have my opinion of you?"

"Nothing would please me more. I would value your opinion above all
things, and I'm sure--I feel certain--that you have formed a true estimate
of me."

At any other time his conceit would have brought upon himself a fine
snubbing, but today I was in high feather, and accordingly very pleasant,
and resolved to amuse myself by drawing him out.

"Well, you are not a bit like Mrs Bossier or Mrs Bell; they are both so
good-looking," he continued.

"Indeed!"

"I was disappointed when I saw you had no pretensions to prettiness, as
there's not a girl up these parts worth wasting a man's affections on,
and I was building great hopes on you. But I'm a great admirer of
beauty," he twaddled.

"I am very sorry for you, Mr Hawden. I'm sure it would take quite a
paragon to be worthy of such affection as I'm sure yours would be," I
replied sympathetically.

"Never mind. Don't worry about it. You're not a bad sort, and
think a fellow could have great fun with you."

"I'm sure, Mr Hawden, you do me too much honour. It quite exhilarates me
to think that I meet with your approval in the smallest degree," I
replied with the utmost deference. "You are so gentlemanly and nice that
I was alarmed at first lest you might despise me altogether."

"No fear. You needn't he afraid of me; I'm not a bad sort of fellow," he
replied with the greatest encouragement.

By his accent and innocent style I detected he was not a colonial, so I
got him to relate his history. He was an Englishman by birth, but had
been to America, Spain, New Zealand, Tasmania, etc.; by his own make out
had ever been a man of note, and had played Old Harry everywhere.

I allowed him to gabble away full tilt for an hour on this subject,
unconscious that I had taken the measure of him, and was grinning broadly
to myself. Then I diverted him by inquiring how long since the wire fence
on our right