comprehend
every thing.

"He is dead--he is dead," she cried, starting to her feet, in spite of
the gentle restraint which Smith sought to impose upon her.

She saw the body of the man who had been murdered, and with a loud cry
she fell upon it, laid her head upon its cold bosom, and sobbed as
though her heart would break. We did not interrupt her grief, but the
faithful dog lay down beside her, and added his subdued howls to her
tears; and when she mourned the loudest, he would lick her hands and
face, and seek to comfort her with his love.

We heaped up fuel on the fire, and waited patiently for the time when
the woman would exhaust her grief, and give us some account of the
proceedings by which she and hers had suffered.

While Smith and Fred remained near the fire, they examined the cart to
see if it contained any thing that would be useful to the unfortunate
woman in her present hour of grief. There were a few culinary utensils,
besides a thin mattress and blankets--all thrown in promiscuously, as
though the load had been ransacked and rifled of every thing that was
valuable, and the remainder not considered worth taking away.

The night wore on, and light would soon herald the approach of day. It
was necessary that we should return to our camp, and look after our
effects; for who could tell how long they would he safe unless guarded
by a display of rifles? Besides, the cattle needed looking after, and
collecting, or they would be likely to stray back towards Melbourne and
get mixed with the wild animals which belonged to some of the numerous
stockmen on the road. Or the bushrangers might take a fancy for a change
of diet, and prefer beef to mutton; and in this case they would not be
likely to ask the permission of the owner of the animals, unless he was
stronger-handed than the robbers.

I saw Smith glance uneasily along the ravine, and edge towards the woman
as though he wished to cheer her in her affliction, and yet explain
about the large amount of property which he had left unprotected. As
her sobs had somewhat subsided, worn out by the violence of her
emotions, she appeared more calm; he made the attempt, and kneeling
beside her spoke,--

"We are strangers," he said, taking her sunburnt hand between his rough
palms, and looking at her as tenderly as though she had been his sister;
"we are strangers, but there is not a man present but will shed his
blood in your defence; and while we have strength ther