The usual hand-shake followed, and then Hollingworth, farmer-like, began
to growl.

"Rinderpest? I should think so. Why, I've hardly a hoof left. No
fear. I'm going to chuck farming and go prospecting again. But come
along in and have a drop of something after your ride. It'll be
breakfast-time directly."

"Er--could one have a tub--among other things?" said Tarrant.

"Tub? Why, of course. Here--this way." And their host piloted them
behind the scenes.

When the two men re-appeared, refreshed both inwardly and out, the
residue of the household were gathered. Tarrant, already appraising his
hostess, decided that Moseley's judgment was not at fault. She was a
pretty little woman, dark-eyed and sparkling, albeit somewhat overtanned
by sun and air; but it took him just two minutes to determine that she
had not an idea or thought outside her very restive progeny, which, in
proportion of one to the other, were even as a row of organ-pipes. Then
a diversion occurred--a diversion strange and startling. The door
behind him opened, and there entered somebody; yet was that any reason
why Moseley should suddenly jump up from his seat like a lunatic, at the
risk of upsetting no end of things, and vociferate--"Great Heavens!
Miss Commerell, who'd have thought of meeting _you_ here? When on earth
did you get here? Well, I _am_ glad!" No; there was no need for
Moseley to kick up such a fuss. It was beastly bad form; but then,
Moseley always was such an impulsive chap.

"So you've met before?" cried Mrs Hollingworth, who had been about to
introduce them.

"Rather. I should rather think we had met before," sung out Moseley, in
what his travelling chum was wont to call his "hail-the-maintop"
voice. "Why, we were fellow-passengers, fellow-actors,
fellow-all-sorts-of-things, weren't we, Miss Commerell? But how did you
find your way up here, and when?"

"You've asked me about four questions at once, Mr Moseley," said Nidia,
in her bright, laughing way, "but I'll only ask you one--How am I going
to answer them all at once?"

Tarrant, the while, was murmuring to himself, "Oh, never mind me.
Perhaps in half an hour or so he may remember that we are pards, and
that I'm entitled to share his acquaintance with the young lady." And
indeed at that moment the same idea occurred to Moseley himself, and he
proceeded to introduce them.

Nidia was looking her very best. Here, in a settler's homestead,
perforce rough, in