'I never believed it for one moment,' he said, and kissed her, and led her back to the house.
CHAPTER IX
Mortimer Stevenson
He was a man, take him for all and all.'
Morty came up to the selection the next Sunday—Mortimer Stevenson.
'Glad to see you, Morty,' Cameron said. 'What's the news of the war? It is a week since we have seen the paper.
Mortimer fastened his horses' reins to the verandah-post, then drew half a dozen papers out of his saddle-bag—a daily or two, a couple of weeklies, one or two English special war numbers.
'I'd rather you read for yourself,' he said, handing them to the older man; 'it's not pretty enough to talk about much. Those Boers take a lot of beating. Of course, it will be all right as soon as Lord Roberts takes charge.'
The crisp papers were in Cameron's hands; a few yards away an old canvas chair stretched itself out invitingly.
'Hermie, my dear—Miss Browne—here is Mr. Stevenson,' he called down the passage of the little house.