travel, than the Bride became suddenly and unaccountably silent. Alfred stole curious glances as he walked at her side, and it seemed to him that the dark eyes roving so eagerly over the landscape were grown wistful and sad.
'How like it is to the old place!' she exclaimed at last.
'You don't mean your father's run, Gladdie?'
'Yes, I do; this reminds me of it more than anything I've seen yet.'
'What nonsense, my darling!' said Alfred, laughing. 'Why, there is no such green spot as this in all Australia!'
'Ah! you were there in the drought, you see; you never saw the run after decent rains. If you had, you'd soon see the likeness between those big paddocks in what we call the "C Block" and this. But the road spoils this place; it wants a Bush road; let's get off it for a bit.'
So they bore inward, to the left, and Gladys was too thoroughly charmed, and too thoughtful, to say much. And now the cool bracken was higher than their knees, and the sun beat upon their backs very fiercely; and now they walked upon turf like velvet, in the shadow of the trees.
