till fine and straight, the nostrils swelling wide.
His forehead was rugged and broad under its wrinkles. His chin was
square. His frame still gave one the impression of tireless powers of
endurance. His blue eyes still gleamed unsubdued in their dark,
overhanging caverns. Yes! He had lived, this man. He had lived and
suffered and kept his manhood still. To be like him! To follow him into
the Valley of the Shadow! To live only for the Cause and by his side to
save the world alive! Ned thought thus, as Connie came back, her face
bathed and beaming again, her theatre dress replaced by a soft red
dressing gown, belted loosely at the waist and trimmed with an abundance
of coffee coloured lace. Her first words were a conundrum to Ned:

"Geisner! Haven't you dropped that unpleasant trick of yours after all
these years? Two long steps and a short step! Turn! Two long steps and a
short stop! Turn! Now, just to please me, do three long steps."

He smiled. "Connie, you are becoming quite a termagant."

She looked at Ned questioningly: "Well?"

"Oh, Ned and I are beginning to understand one another," said Geisner.

"Of course," she replied. "All good men and women are friends if they get
to the bottom of each other. Let us go on the verandah with the rest. Do
you know I feel quite warm now. I do believe it was only that ridiculous
dress which made me feel so cold. Give me your arm, Ned. Bring me along a
chair, Geisner."

CHAPTER VII.

A MEDLEY OF CONVERSATION.

Ned dreaded that rejoining the others on the verandah, but he need not
have. They had forced the conversation at first, but gradually it became
natural. It had turned on the proper sphere of woman, and went on without
being interrupted by the new-comers. Nobody took any notice of them. The
girls were seated. Stratton lay smoking in the hammock. The other men
perched smoking on the railing. The gaslight had been turned down and in
the gloom the cigar ends gleamed with each respiration. In spite of the
damp it was very cosy. From the open door behind a ray of light fell upon
the darkness-covered water below. Beyond were circling the lights of
Sydney. Dotting the black night here and there were the signal lamps of
anchored ships.

"We want perfect equality for woman with man," asserted Ford, in a
conclusive tone of voice.

"We want woman in her proper sphere," maintained Stratton, from the
hammock.

"What do you call 'her proper sphere?'" asked Nellie.

"T