"I think that we have. She is a _protegee_ of ours, and as such it is
our duty to see lest she comes to harm. I think that I shall object to
this marriage."

Confound it. I feared as much all the time, but I was not disposed to
relinquish all hope of getting Fred from committing himself to such a
course. I know that if my friend but gave the least encouragement to the
girl she would repudiate her lover, and then I could readily foresee
what would follow. Clergymen were not abundant at Ballarat, and Fred, I
knew, had no thought of marriage.

I reasoned with Fred for a long time, and told him (God forgive me for
the lie) that great affection existed between the parties, and that they
were not disposed to show it before us, as we were comparatively
strangers, and had no right to judge of their hearts or their heads; and
at last I so worked on the mind of my friend that he readily accompanied
me to the police office, where we were directed to a clergyman's, and
with the reverend gentleman returned to the store, where our appearance
created some surprise in the heart, at least, of one of the parties.

We insisted upon the girl's changing her clothes--the trunk which she
spoke of having been found and taken to our place of business; and while
she was doing so behind a screen of sail-cloth, we commenced making
preparations for the wedding.

Mary presented an entirely different aspect when she appeared, dressed
in her well-fitting garments; and although her face and hands were
sunburned, and her manners were embarrassed, we did not fail to
compliment her on her beauty, and to congratulate her on her near
approaching nuptials.

"Let me speak with you for a moment," she said, turning to Fred just
before the knot was tied.

Fred stepped a few paces from the group, and waited to hear her
commands.

"When I made a promise to that man," she said, pointing to her lover, "I
thought that I loved him. I was much younger than I am now, and knew but
little of the world. Even when I reached these shores, I thought that my
heart was entirely possessed by Mr. Herrets, and perhaps I should have
continued to think so had not accident revealed to me what real love
is."

Fred looked astonished and remained silent. He did not suspect the state
of her heart.

"It would be unmaidenly," she continued, with a slight air of vexation
to think that Fred remained cool, "for me to speak plainer, and if you
cannot solve my meaning I must remain