ute strangers.

Brandon went about his purchase of sheep on his way to Adelaide, and
made what he thought a very satisfactory bargain. It was to be a joint
speculation between himself and Mr. Phillips, and he was sure it would
turn out very well. When he had left directions as to delivery, he and
his nephew went down to Adelaide, to see what they thought of that
little colonial capital. Edgar was charmed with Adelaide, and preferred
it out-and-out to Melbourne, but as he had only passed through the
latter, and had got acquainted with none of the people there, his
preference was perhaps not worth much. Brandon, however, could not help
confessing that the Adelaide men had some cause for the patriotism so
strongly, and, as he had thought, so tiresomely expressed at the time
of the diggings. It had less bustle than Melbourne, and certainly was
not so wealthy; but it was a quiet, cheap, and hospitable place, and
its prosperity rested on a very solid basis. The amount of cultivation,
both agricultural and horticultural, contrasted favourably with that of
Melbourne, which had been almost exclusively pastoral till the gold
diggings broke out, and had had many drawbacks, in the shape of land
regulations, to its becoming a corn and wine bearing country.

Brandon took up his abode at the York Hotel, of course, and met with
some pleasant people in and about Adelaide. Some of them he had known
in London, and they introduced him to others. If his heart had not been
fixed at this present time on Elsie Melville, he might have taken a
fancy to one of the Adelaide girls whom he met. They were not so
formidable in the array of their accomplishments and acquirements as
the modern English young lady; they were frank, agreeable, and not
ignorant of domestic matters, and they had no apparent horror of the
bush. But Brandon's affections were really engaged, and he put
considerable restraint on his flirting powers during this visit, which
all engaged men ought to do, but which, I must say, I have found very
few engaged men do; they feel so perfectly safe themselves that they
care very little for what construction other people may put on their
attentions, or their polite speeches.

Brandon had sent directions for Mr. Talbot to get his letters and
forward them to him in Adelaide, for he was now daily expecting Elsie's
answer. In case of his being accepted, he would cross over to Melbourne
in time to receive her from the next mail-steamer, would