r
life's end--and that as soon as I could get away from the country and
promise her to leave our wild lives behind she was ready to join us and
follow me all over the world. Over and over again she tried to persuade
me to get away like Jim, and said how happy he was now, and how much
better it was than stopping where we were, and running terrible risks
every day and every hour. It was the old story over again; but I felt
better for it, and really meant to try and cut loose from all this cross
work. We hadn't too much time. Aileen was fetched back to her seat, and
then Starlight went off to his friends at the other end of the room,
and was chaffed for flirting with a regular currency lass by one of the
Dawsons.

'I admire his taste,' says the Commissioner. 'I really think she's the
prettiest girl in the room if she was well dressed and had a little more
animation. I wonder who she is? What's her name, Lascelles? I suppose
you know all about her by this time.'

'Her name is Martin, or Marston, or some such name,' answered Starlight,
quite cool and pleasant. 'Deuced nice, sensible girl, painfully quiet,
though. Wouldn't dance, though, at all, and talked very little.'

'By Jove! I know who she is,' says one of the young chaps. 'That's
Aileen Marston, sister to Dick and Jim. No wonder she isn't over lively.
Why, she has two brothers bush-rangers, regular out-and-outers. There's
a thousand on each of their heads.'

'Good gad!' says Starlight, 'you don't say so! Poor girl! What a most
extraordinary country! You meet with surpwises every day, don't you?'

'It's a pity Sir Ferdinand isn't here,' said the Commissioner. 'I
believe she's an acquaintance of his. I've always heard she was a
splendid girl, though, poor thing, frets to death about her family. I
think you seem to have cheered her up, though, Lascelles. She doesn't
look half so miserable as she did an hour ago.'

'Naturally, my dear fellow,' says Starlight, pulling his moustache;
'even in this savage country--beg your pardon--one's old form seems to
be appreciated. Pardon me, I must regain my partner; I am engaged for
this dance.'

'You seem disposed to make the most of your opportunities,' says the
Commissioner. 'Dawson, you'll have to look after your friend. Who's the
enslaver now?'

'I didn't quite catch her name,' says Starlight lazily; 'but it's that
tall girl near the pillar, with the pale face and dark eyes.'

'You're not a bad judge for a new chum,' sa