at to the diggings by the
coach. She was always a quiet, hard-working, good little soul, awful
timid, and prudent in everything but in taking a fancy to Jim. But
that's neither here nor there. Women will take fancies as long as the
world lasts, and if they happen to fancy the wrong people the more
obstinate they hold on to 'em. Jeanie was one of the prettiest girls
I ever set eyes on in her way, very fair and clear coloured, with big,
soft blue eyes, and hair like a cloud of spun silk. Nothing like her was
ever seen on the field when she came up, so all the diggers said.

When they began to write to one another after we came to the Turon, Jim
told her straight out that though we were doing well now it mightn't
last. He thought she was a great fool to leave Melbourne when she was
safe and comfortable, and come to a wild place, in a way like the Turon.
Of course he was ready and willing to marry her; but, speaking all for
her own good, he advised her not. She'd better give him up and set
her mind on somebody else. Girls that was anyway good-looking and kept
themselves proper and decent were very scarce in Melbourne and Sydney
now, considering the number of men that were making fortunes and were
anxious to get a wife and settle down. A girl like her could marry
anybody--most likely some one above her own rank in life. Of course
she wouldn't have no one but Jim, and if he was ready to marry her, and
could get a little cottage, she was ready too. She would always be his
own Jeanie, and was willing to run any kind of risk so as to be with him
and near him, and so on.

Starlight and I both tried to keep Jim from it all we knew. It would
make things twice as bad for him if he had to turn out again, and there
was no knowing the moment when we might have to make a bolt for it; and
where could Jeanie go then?

But Jim had got one of his obstinate fits. He said we were regularly
mixed up with the diggers now. He never intended to follow any other
life, and wouldn't go back to the Hollow or take part in any fresh cross
work, no matter how good it might be. Poor old Jim! I really believe
he'd made up his mind to go straight from the very hour he was buckled
to Jeanie; and if he'd only had common luck he'd have been as square and
right as George Storefield to this very hour.

I was near forgetting about old George. My word! he was getting on
faster than we were, though he hadn't a golden hole. He was gold-finding
in a different wa