of his presence. She was full grown at last, in woman's
virgin prime, her mind, her soul, her body, all full and strong with pure
thoughts, natural instincts and human passions. Her very sadness gave her
depths of feeling that never come to those who titter and fritter youth
away. Her very ignoring of the love-instincts in her, absorbed as her
thoughts were in other things, only gave those instincts the untrammelled
freedom that alone gives vigorous growth. She was barbarian, as her
thoughts had been beside the dying baby: the barbarian cultured, as
Shakespeare was, the barbarian wronged, as was Spartacus, the barbarian
hating and loving and yearning and throbbing, the creature of her
instincts, a rebel against restrictions, her mind subject only to her own
strong will. She was a woman of women, in Ned's eyes at least. One kiss
from her would be more than all other women could give, be their
self-abandonment what it might. To be her lover, her husband, a man might
yield up his life with a laugh, might surrender all other happiness and
be happy ever after. There was none like her in the whole world to Ned,
not one--and he came to say good-bye to her, perhaps for ever.

In the black shadows thrown by the high-rising moon, the crossing
alley-way cut a slice of brilliancy as if with a knife. From the shadow
into the moonshine two hands stretched towards her as Ned's voice greeted
her. She saw his tall form looming before her.

"Ned!" she cried, in answer, grasping both his hands and drawing him
forward into the light. "I was expecting you. I've been thinking of you
every minute for the last week. How tired you look! You're not ill?"

"No! I'm all right," he answered, laughing. "It's those confounded
trains. I can't sleep on them, and they always give me a headache. But
you're looking well, Nellie. I can't make out how you do it in this
stuffed-up town."

"I'm all right," She replied, noticing a red rose in his coat but saying
nothing of it. "Nothing seems to touch me. Did you come straight
through?"

"Straight through. We rushed things all we could but I couldn't get away
before. Besides, as long as I get Saturday's boat in Brisbane it'll be as
soon as it's possible to get on. That gives me time to stay over to-night
here. I didn't see you going down and I began to wonder if I'd see you
going back. You can do a pitch, Nellie. When a fellow's waiting for you,
too."

Nellie laughed, then sobered down. "The baby's dead,