g straight before her, and I fancied her eyes glistened.
I put my arm round her shoulders, but she didn't seem to notice it. In
fact, I scarcely noticed it myself at the time.

'So you think you'll be sorry to go away?' I said.

'Yes, Mr Wilson. I suppose I'll fret for a while. It's been my home, you
know.'

I pressed my hand on her shoulder, just a little, so as she couldn't
pretend not to know it was there. But she didn't seem to notice.

'Ah, well,' I said, 'I suppose I'll be on the wallaby again next week.'

'Will you, Mr Wilson?' she said. Her voice seemed very soft.

I slipped my arm round her waist, under her arm. My heart was going like
clockwork now.

Presently she said--

'Don't you think it's time to go back now, Mr Wilson?'

'Oh, there's plenty of time!' I said. I shifted up, and put my arm
farther round, and held her closer. She sat straight up, looking right
in front of her, but she began to breathe hard.

'Mary,' I said.

'Yes,' she said.

'Call me Joe,' I said.

'I--I don't like to,' she said. 'I don't think it would be right.'

So I just turned her face round and kissed her. She clung to me and
cried.

'What is it, Mary?' I asked.

She only held me tighter and cried.

'What is it, Mary?' I said. 'Ain't you well? Ain't you happy?'

'Yes, Joe,' she said, 'I'm very happy.' Then she said, 'Oh, your poor
face! Can't I do anything for it?'

'No,' I said. 'That's all right. My face doesn't hurt me a bit now.'

But she didn't seem right.

'What is it, Mary?' I said. 'Are you tired? You didn't sleep last
night----' Then I got an inspiration.

'Mary,' I said, 'what were you doing out with the gun this morning?'

And after some coaxing it all came out, a bit hysterical.

'I couldn't sleep--I was frightened. Oh! I had such a terrible dream
about you, Joe! I thought Romany came back and got into your room and
stabbed you with his knife. I got up and dressed, and about daybreak
I heard a horse at the gate; then I got the gun down from the
wall--and--and Mr Barnes came round the corner and frightened me. He's
something like Romany, you know.'

Then I got as much of her as I could into my arms.

And, oh, but wasn't I happy walking home with Mary that night! She was
too little for me to put my arm round her waist, so I put it round
her shoulder, and that felt just as good. I remember I asked her who'd
cleaned up my room and washed my things, but she wouldn't tell.

She wouldn't go back