le trembling form.

'Oh! Biddy--my darling. I've been a brute. I'm not fit to take care of
you. I ought to have thought of all that. But one gets used to such
goings-on in the Bush, and they aren't bad chaps--the bullockys, and
you've got to discount their lurid language a bit. I don't know whether
it is that bullocks are more profane than most animals, but it's
certain sure that you can't get them to move without swearing at them.'

Then, as she said, half crying, half laughing, 'I see. So this is my
baptism into the Bush! You should have taught me the vocabulary, Colin,
first.'

'Don't be too hard on me. You won't have this kind of thing at
Moongarr. That's the worst of these cursed coast townships. I shouldn't
have left you alone, but if I hadn't, we couldn't have got off properly
to-morrow, and I'd set my heart on having things ship-shape for our
first camping out. Everything's fixed up now--I've been wiring like mad
up the line .... The buggy's at the Terminus all right, and I've got
the black-boys there, and the tent and all that. It's going to be an
experience you'll never forget. THAT'S to be your baptism into the
Bush, my dear .... If only there's water enough left in the Creek yet
.... But if there isn't we can dig for it. Oh, Biddy, think of it--a
night like this--moonlight and starlight--MY starlight--MY star, that I
used to look up at and wonder about, come down to earth. No, no, I
won't maunder, I won't be a romantic zany--not till to-morrow night--I
know the very spot for our camp ....'

He began to describe it--a pocket by the river bed--pasturage for the
horses--then pulled himself short. No! He wanted it all to be a
surprise .... She was to have just the very thing she had often said to
him she would like best .... And now it was getting late and they must
be up in good time to-morrow. Would she go to bed and try to sleep....

He took her to the door of her room .... Was she as comfortable as she
could be here, anyhow? .... He knew it must seem cruelly rough to her;
but it wouldn't be his fault in the future if she didn't have things as
she liked them--so far as conditions would permit .... And after all,
there women who enjoyed a wild life with their husbands. There was Lady
Burton--and scores of other women--Biddy had asked him to have
patience--and he meant to be patient--he worshipped her too much not to
be patient. Well, she must be patient too with him, and with this queer
old Bush which she