d up where they'd heard all kinds of
rough talk ever since they was little kiddies, and you couldn't well put
them out.

They were a bit afraid of Starlight at first, though, because they seen
at once that he was a swell. Jim they knew a little of; he and father
had called there a good deal the last season, and had done a little in
the stock line through Jonathan Barnes. They could see I was something
in the same line as Jim. So I suppose they had made it up to have a bit
of fun with us that evening before we started. They came down into the
parlour where our tea was, dressed out in their best and looking very
grand, as I thought, particularly as we hadn't seen the sight of so much
as a woman's bonnet and shawl for months and months.

'Well, Mr. Marston,' says the eldest girl, Bella, to Jim, 'we didn't
expect you'd travel this way with friends so soon. Why didn't you tell
us, and we'd have had everything comfortable?'

'Wasn't sure about it,' says Jim, 'and when you ain't it's safest to
hold your tongue. There's a good many things we all do that don't want
talking about.'

'I feel certain, Jim,' says Starlight, with his soft voice and pleasant
smile, which no woman as I ever saw could fight against long, 'that any
man's secret would be safe with Miss Bella. I would trust her with my
life freely--not that it's worth a great deal.'

'Oh! Captain,' says poor Bella, and she began to blush quite innocent
like, 'you needn't fear; there ain't a girl from Shoalhaven to Albury
that would let on which way you were heading, if they were to offer her
all the money in the country.'

'Not even a diamond necklace and earrings? Think of a lovely pendant, a
cross all brilliants, and a brooch to match, my dear girl.'

'I wouldn't "come it", unless I could get that lovely horse of yours,'
says the youngest one, Maddie; 'but I'd do anything in the world to have
him. He's the greatest darling I ever saw. Wouldn't he look stunning
with a side-saddle? I've a great mind to "duff" him myself one of these
days.'

'You shall have a ride on Rainbow next time we come,' says Starlight.
'I've sworn never to give him away or sell him, that is as long as
I'm alive; but I'll tell you what I'll do--I'll leave him to you in my
will.'

'How do you mean?' says she, quite excited like.

'Why, if I drop one of these fine days--and it's on the cards any
time--you shall have Rainbow; but, mind now, you're to promise me'--here
he looked very grave--