"Oh, I thought—yes, it's a shadow," she said, as she walked to the end of the verandah and, leaning her hands on the rail, looked away into the distance.
He turned and followed her, and had one of his hands over hers and his arm ready to put round her.
"Ailleen, you're all alone now. Let me be your——"
"You are always my friend," she answered softly, but without raising her eyes, and with a barely perceptible movement away from him.
The arm that was ready was around and restrained her, and her hand he was clasping was pressed to his breast.
"More than that, Ailleen."
She turned her head quickly, and looked at him with a flash in her eyes as she disengaged her hand and stepped away.
"It will be less than that," she retorted quickly; and he, shamefaced and repulsed, stood hesitating what to do—and so failed. "I am perfectly comfortable here," she went on rapidly, lest he should recover his wits and renew an attack she knew she could not withstand. "Mrs. Dickson is very kind, and I've got my horse and all that I want; and besides, I can do a lot for her, and I'm not like I should be if I stayed with any one at Birralong."
He stood awkwardly, looking at her now that her eyes were no longer turned upon him, and wondering, in a dim, uncertain way, whether she was angered at the overtures he had made, or annoyed because he stopped when he did. She, half regretting her brusqueness, feared she had offended him, as he made no apparent effort to speak.
"And you have found gold," she went on, anxious that silence should not come between them at that moment. "Tell me all about it. Was it in the creek where they said it was—Boulder Creek, wasn't it?"