icest man I ever met. Be sure you come to see us when
you return. Good-night." Another tender squeeze of the hand, another
affectionate look, and she disappeared among the palms and camellias.

Jack mounted his horse, and rode it to its stables. Then he went to The
Lucky Digger, where he changed his clothes and had dinner, after which
he directed his steps towards the house of Pilot Summerhayes.

His knock was answered by Rose herself, who conducted him into the
quaint dining-room, where, upon the polished table, lay the materials
for a dress which she was making, and beside them the hundred-and-one
oddments which are necessary for such a task.

"Father's out. He has gone to fetch a steamer in."

"I'm sorry," said Jack. "I should like to see him before I go back to
the bush."

Rose sat silent. She was very demure, and her manner was somewhat stiff;
therefore, seeing that his experiences had exhilarated him, Jack said,
"I've had a great day. Two of the prettiest girls I ever saw almost
devoured me."

"Where have you been, Mr. John Scarlett? You want watching."

Rose's bashfulness had entirely disappeared, but she was blushing
profusely.

"I went out to see the wreck," said Jack, "and met your little Maori
friend."

"Your life's preserver."

"My life's preserver. She ferried me across an impassable strip of water
on a barrel, and almost captured my heart in the saloon."

"Don't play any games with Amiria's heart, or I shall cut you dead. I
tell you that plainly."

"I assure you I have no intention whatever of playing with Amiria's
heart. It was she who played with mine, and nearly won. But I saved
myself by flight. It was fortunate I had a good horse."

Rose laughed. "One would imagine you were hardly big enough to look
after yourself. That's the kind of young man they generally send out
from England. Well?"

"As I was coming home I met a digger molesting another friend of mine, a
Miss Varnhagen."

"You'd better be careful--she's a flirt."

"Then I rather like flirts. I threw the digger into the river, and took
her home. She has the most lovely eyes I ever saw."

"And she knows how to use them."

"You're jealous, I'm afraid. Wouldn't you want to look at the man who
had saved you from an ugly brute, who met you in the dark on a narrow
bridge from which you couldn't possibly escape?"

"Perhaps. But why don't you feel a little sentimental over the girl who
saved you from a watery grave? You're callou