money enough to support her after we are married. I've waited
too long for her arrival to waste time with silly delays," he answered,
earnestly.

"And you love her well enough to overlook all of her faults, if she has
any, and to be a kind, affectionate husband?" asked Fred.

"Of course I do," ejaculated Herrets. "I ain't a particular man, by any
means; and if she will only look out for my tent while I am absent, and
have my dinner ready when I get home, we shall get along as happy as
pigs."

I saw that Fred gave the man a look of intense disgust, and perhaps he
also thought what chance of happiness a girl would have with a man who
compared his matrimonial life with a pigsty.

"Your intended wife," I said, "has been well educated, and never known
hardships or misery until she reached this country and you must
carefully consider that she requires the society of her own sex to pass
her time pleasantly so far from the land of her birth. You say that you
have money enough to support her; then take my advice, and remove to
Melbourne or Sydney, and enter into business, and where you can form new
associations. The mines of Ballarat are no place for a young wife."

"O, I shall be company enough for her," he answered, carelessly, and
with an air that plainly betokened that he considered I was meddling
with things that did not concern me.

"You fool," I muttered, "stay here and you will be wifeless in less than
a month. The girl will never be contented with such affection as you are
disposed to give."

Not another word was spoken until we reached the store, and ushered Mr.
Herrets into the room where the girl was seated. The latter looked up,
smiled, but did not appear very enthusiastic or particularly overjoyed.

"Hullo, Molly," cried the lover, roughly, rushing frantically towards
her, and throwing his arms around her neck; and in spite of a slight
struggle, he succeeded in imprinting half a dozen kisses upon her cheeks
and lips.

We noted that the interview was too interesting for us to witness, and
we retired and left them together.

"Poor girl," muttered Fred, with a sigh; "what chance for happiness does
she possess with a man whose education has been neglected, and whose
manners have been blunted by a lengthy residence in the mines?"

"He is better than he appears," I replied, "and I have no doubt that
they will soon understand each other's ways, and get along quite
happily. We have no right to interfere."