"Not at all," said Stafford, "and now you will take a drink with me, or
shall we make it a cigar?" for he did not want to lead the man any
further on the road of inebriety.
"A cigar? Right you are," the settler replied, promptly. He took out an
envelope, intending to screw it up for a light, but suddenly caught
sight of the address, and with genial gravity handed the envelope to
Stafford. "There's my name--Henery Joffler, and there's my address, and
anybody at Melbourne will tell you the best way of getting there. Come
when you like, winter or summer, and you'll find Henery Joffler ready
to receive you with a welcome. _Now_ I will have a drink," he remarked,
as if he had not partaken of one for a calendar month.
When Stafford left the little public house, he held the envelope in his
hand and was about to tear it up, when he checked himself and
mechanically put it into his pocket. The incident, if it had not
actually amused him, had diverted his mind in a wholesome manner for a
short space; but he had almost forgotten it when has reached his rooms.
The time had slipped by him and it was now twilight and as he was
crossing the room in the dusk to ring the bell for a light, a woman
rose from his chair and came towards him with out-stretched hands and
his name on her lips.
"Maude!" he exclaimed, startled out of his self-possession. Then it
flashed upon him that she should not be there, in his rooms, alone; and
he looked at her gravely.
"Why have you come, Maude?" he said. "Wait but one moment and I will
call a cab--go home with you."
"No," she said, presently. "Did you think I should not come, Stafford?
I have been here for hours." She drew nearer to him, her eyes, so cold
to others, burning like sapphires as they were raised to his. "Did you
think when I had heard what you had done that I should keep away? No!
I--I am proud of you--can you not guess how proud?--my heart is aching
with it. Ah, but it was like you, Stafford!"
As she put her hand on his shoulder and looked at him with a smile of
pride, and of adoration, Stafford's eyes fell before hers.
"I could do nothing else," he said. "But I am sorry you came, Maude.
Didn't Mr. Falconer tell you?"