d to burn herself.
Nevertheless she was favored with her usual childlike artlessness of
speech, and answered, "I am glad you find it agreeable."

Nothing more from Ralph for a minute; he was recovering his breath and
self-possession.

"You cannot think how much safer I feel because you and your men are with
us," said Clara.

Thurstane unconsciously gripped the handle of his sabre, with a feeling
that he could and would massacre all the Indians of the desert, if it were
necessary to preserve her from harm.

"Yes, you may rely upon my men, too," he declared. "They have a sort of
adoration for you."

"Have they?" asked Clara, with a frank smile of pleasure. "I wonder at it.
I hardly notice them. I ought to, they seem so patient and trusty."

"Ah, a lady!" said Thurstane. "A good soldier will die any time for a
lady."

Then he wondered how she could have failed to guess that she must be
worshipped by these rough men for her beauty.

"I have overheard them talking about you," he went on, gratified at being
able to praise her to her face, though in the speech of others. "Little
Sweeny says, in his Irish brogue, 'I can march twic't as fur for the
seein' av her!'"

"Oh! did he?" laughed Clara. "I must carry Sweeny's musket for him some
time."

"Don't, if you please," said Thurstane, the disciplinarian rising in him.
"You would spoil him for the service."

"Can't I send him a dish from our table?"

"That would just suit his case. He hasn't got broken to hard-tack yet."

"Miss Van Diemen," was his next remark, "do you know what you are to do,
if we are attacked?"

"I am to get into a wagon."

"Into which wagon?"

"Into my aunt's."

"Why into that one?"

"So as to have all the ladies together."

"When you have got into the wagon, what next?"

"Lie down on the floor to protect myself from the arrows."

"Very good," laughed Thurstane. "You say your tactics well."

This catechism had been put and recited every day since he had joined the
train. The putting of it was one of the Lieutenant's duties and pleasures;
and, notwithstanding its prophecy of peril, Clara enjoyed it almost as
much as he.

Well, we have heard these two talk, and much in their usual fashion. Not
great souls as yet: they may indeed become such some day; but at present
they are only mature in moral power and in capacity for mighty emotions.
Information, mental development, and conversational ability hereafter.

In one way or another