An Outback Marriage

Thus she rattled on, while he, because it was his nature found it

no trouble to reply in kind, with a good imitation of sincerity.

On such a night, with such a girl clinging to him, it would have

been a very poor specimen of a man who could not have trumped up a

sort of enthusiasm. But in his heart he was cursing his luck that

just as chance had thrown the heiress in his way, and put her under

an obligation to him, he was held to his old bargain--the bargain

that he had made for position's sake, and which he would now have

liked to break for the same reason.

It would be wearisome to record their talk, all the way up to the

house. The girl--impetuous, hot-blooded, excitable--poured out her

love-talk like a bird singing. Happiness complete was hers for the

time; but Gavan's heart was not in the wooing, and he listened and

was silent.

Hugh and Mary, walking on ahead, knew nothing of the love scenes

just behind them. They talked of many things, of the moonlight and

the river and the scent of the flowers, but all the time Hugh felt

diffident and tongue-tied. He had not the glib tongue of Gavan

Blake, and he felt little at ease talking common-places. Mary Grant

thought he must be worried over something, and, with her usual

directness, went to the point.

"You are worrying over something," she said. "What is it?"

"Oh, no; nothing."

"It is not because I asked Mr. Blake here, is it?"

"Oh no! Goodness, no! Why, he is fifty times better than most of

the people that come here. It just happens we had never asked him

before. I think he is a very nice fellow."

"I'm glad of that. I have asked him to come out again. He seems to

know Miss Harriott quite well, though he doesn't know your mother."

"Yes, he met Miss Harriott at some of the race-balls, I think. She

is a queer girl, full of fancies."

"She seems a very quiet sort of girl to me," said Miss Grant. But

if she could have known what was going on about two hundred yards

behind her, she might have altered her opinion.