mningly of his policy.

Underneath the ostensible war-whoops many private and personal
cross-fires were at work to intensify the contest. The people on the
land quite naturally had a grudge against the railway folk, who only
had to work eight hours per day for more than a farmer could make in
sixteen; further, the perquisites of the railway employes were
inconceivable. By an unwritten but nevertheless imperative etiquette,
farmers had to render them tribute in the form of a portion of
whatever fruit or vegetables were consigned at Noonoon, and the
townspeople also had little to say in favour of them, averring they
were a floating population who had no interest in the welfare of the
town in which they resided, were bad customers--patronising the
publicans more than the storekeepers, and by means of their connection
with the railway were able to buy their meat and other necessaries
where they listed--where it was cheapest, and frequently this was
otherwhere than Noonoon, and yet they were in such numbers that they
could rule the political market.

Then the men on the Ministerial side were nearly gangrene with
disgust, because, as one put it, "nearly all Walker's men were women,"
and rallied round him thick and strong, and with a thoroughness and
energy worthy of their recent emancipation.

Dawn's next day for Sydney fell on another night when Leslie Walker
was speaking, but she and I did not attend this meeting, the family
being represented on this occasion by Andrew, and we went to bed and
discussed the Sydney trip while waiting for his return.

Ernest Breslaw, it appeared, had again had urgent business in Sydney
that day.

"Dawn," I said, "this is somewhat suspicious. Are you sure you are not
flirting with Ernest? I can't have his wings singed; I think too much
of him, and shall have to warn him that you are booked for 'Dora'
Eweword." This was said experimentally, for to do Dawn justice, though
she had every temptation, she had nothing of the flirt in her
composition.

"I can't go and say to him, 'Don't you fall in love with me,'" said
Dawn contentiously.

"Are you sure he has never in any way attempted to pay you a lover's
attentions?"

"Well, it's this way," she said confidentially--"you won't think me
conceited if I tell you everything straight? There have been two or
three men in love with me, and I was always able to see it straight
away, long before _they_ knew; but with Ernest, sometimes he seems to