and never marry at all. And she used to say she
didn't think she ever would. She never seemed to trouble her head about
the thing at all, but I always knew that if ever she did set her fancy
upon a man, and take a liking to him, it would not be for a year or two,
but for ever. Though she'd mother's good heart and softness about her,
she'd a dash of dad's obstinacy in her blood, and once she made up her
mind about anything she wasn't easy turned.

Jim and I could see clear enough that she was taking to Starlight; but
then so many women had done that, had fallen in love with him and had
to fall out again--as far as we could see. He used to treat them all
alike--very kind and respectful, but like a lot of children. What was
the use of a wife to him? 'No,' he said, once or twice, 'I can bear my
fate, because my blood does not run in the veins of a living soul in
Australia. If it were otherwise I could not bear my reflections. As
it is, the revolver has more than once nearly been asked to do me last
service.'

Though both Aileen and he seemed to like each other, Jim and I never
thought there was anything in it, and let them talk and ride and
walk together just as they pleased. Aileen always had a good word for
Starlight, and seemed to pity him so for having to lead such a life, and
because he said he had no hope of ever getting free from it. Then, of
course, there was a mystery about him. Nobody knew who he'd been, or
almost where he had come from--next to nothing about him had ever come
out. He was an Englishman--that was certain--but he must have come young
to the colony. No one could look at him for a moment and see his pale,
proud face, his dark eyes--half-scornful, half-gloomy, except when
he was set up a bit (and then you didn't like to look at them at
all)--without seeing that he was a gentleman to the tips of his
delicate-looking fingers, no matter what he'd done, or where he'd been.

He was rather over the middle size; because he was slight made, he
always looked rather tall than not. He was tremendous strong, too,
though he didn't look that, and as active as a cat, though he moved
as if walking was too much trouble altogether, and running not to be
thought of.

We didn't expect it would do either of 'em much good. How could it, even
if they did fall in love with one another and make it up to get married?
But they were both able to take care of themselves, and it was no use
interfering with 'em either. They wer