james　vane　looked　into　his　sisters　face　with　tenderness。　〃i　want　you　to　e　out　with　me　for　a　walk；　sibyl。　i　dont　suppose　i　shall　ever　see　this　horrid　london　again。　i　am　sure　i　dont　want　to。〃
  〃my　son；　dont　say　such　dreadful　things；〃　murmured　mrs。　vane；　taking　up　a　tawdry　theatrical　dress；　with　a　sigh；　and　beginning　to　patch　it。　she　felt　a　little　disappointed　that　he　had　not　joined　the　group。　it　would　have　increased　the　theatrical　picturesqueness　of　the　situation。
  〃why　not；　mother？　i　mean　it。〃
  〃you　pain　me；　my　son。　i　trust　you　will　return　from　australia　in　a　position　of　affluence。　i　believe　there　is　no　society　of　any　kind　in　the　colonies　nothing　that　i　would　call　societyso　when　you　have　made　your　fortune；　you　must　e　back　and　assert　yourself　in　london。〃
  〃society！〃　muttered　the　lad。　〃i　dont　want　to　know　anything　about　that。　i　should　like　to　make　some　money　to　take　you　and　sibyl　off　the　stage。　i　hate　it。〃
  〃oh；　jim！〃　said　sibyl；　laughing；　〃how　unkind　of　you！　but　are　you　really　going　for　a　walk　with　me？　that　will　be　nice！　i　was　afraid　you　were　going　to　say　good…bye　to　some　of　your　friends　to　tom　hardy；　who　gave　you　that　hideous　pipe；　or　ned　langton；　who　makes　fun　of　you　for　smoking　it。　it　is　very　sweet　of　you　to　let　me　have　your　last　afternoon。　where　shall　we　go？　let　us　go　to　the　park。〃
  〃i　am　too　shabby；〃　he　answered；　frowning。　〃only　swell　people　go　to　the　park。〃
  〃nonsense；　jim；〃　she　whispered；　stroking　the　sleeve　of　his　coat。
  he　hesitated　for　a　moment。　〃very　well；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃but　dont　be　too　long　dressing。〃　she　danced　out　of　the　door。　one　could　hear　her　singing　as　she　ran　upstairs。　her　little　feet　pattered　overhead。
  he　walked　up　and　down　the　room　two　or　three　times。　then　he　turned　to　the　still　figure　in　the　chair。　〃mother；　are　my　things　ready？〃　he　asked。
  〃quite　ready；　james；〃　she　answered；　keeping　her　eyes　on　her　work。　for　some　months　past　she　had　felt　ill　at　ease　when　she　was　alone　with　this　rough　stern　son　of　hers。　her　shallow　secret　nature　was　troubled　when　their　eyes　met。　she　used　to　wonder　if　he　suspected　anything。　the　silence；　for　he　made　no　other　observation；　became　intolerable　to　her。　she　began　to　plain。　women　defend　themselves　by　attacking；　just　as　they　attack　by　sudden　and　strange　surrenders。　〃i　hope　you　will　be　contented；　james；　with　your　sea…faring　life；〃　she　said。　〃you　must　remember　that　it　is　your　own　choice。　you　might　have　entered　a　solicitors　office。　solicitors　are　a　very　respectable　class；　and　in　the　country　often　dine　with　the　best　families。〃
  〃i　hate　offices；　and　i　hate　clerks；〃　he　replied。　〃but　you　are　quite　right。　i　have　chosen　my　own　life。　all　i　say　is；　watch　over　sibyl。　dont　let　her　e　to　any　harm。　mother；　you　must　watch　over　her。〃
  〃james；　you　really　talk　very　strangely。　of　course　i　watch　over　sibyl。〃
  〃i　hear　a　gentleman　es　every　night　to　the　theatre　and　goes　behind　to　talk　to　her。　is　that　right？　what　about　that？〃
  〃you　are　speaking　about　things　you　dont　understand；　james。　in　the　profession　we　are　accustomed　to　receive　a　great　deal　of　most　gratifying　attention。　i　myself　used　to　receive　many　bouquets　at　one　time。　that　was　when　acting　was　really　understood。　as　for　sibyl；　i　do　not　know　at　present　whether　her　attachment　is　serious　or　not。　but　there　is　no　doubt　that　the　young　man　in　question　is　a　perfect　gentleman。　he　is　always　most　polite　to　me。　besides；　he　has　the　appearance　of　being　rich；　and　the　flowers　he　sends　are　lovely。〃
  〃you　dont　know　his　name；　though；〃　said　the　lad　harshly。
  〃no；〃　answered　his　mother　with　a　placid　expression　in　her　face。　〃he　has　not　yet　revealed　his　real　name。　i　think　it　is　quite　romantic　of　him。　he　is　probably　a　member　of　the　aristocracy。〃
  james　vane　bit　his　lip。　〃watch　over　sibyl；　mother；〃　he　cried；　〃watch　over　her。〃
  〃my　son；　you　distress　me　very　much。　sibyl　is　always　under　my　special　care。　of　course；　if　this　gentleman　is　wealthy；　there　is　no　reason　why　she　should　not　contract　an　alliance　with　him。　i　trust　he　is　one　of　the　aristocracy。　he　has　all　the　appearance　of　it；　i　must　say。　it　might　be　a　most　brilliant　marriage　for　sibyl。　they　would　make　a　charming　couple。　his　good　looks　are　really　quite　remarkable；　everybody　notices　them。〃
  the　lad　muttered　something　to　himself　and　drummed　on　the　window…pane　with　his　coarse　fingers。　he　had　just　turned　round　to　say　something　when　the　door　opened　and　sibyl　ran　in。
  〃how　serious　you　both　are！〃　she　cried。　〃what　is　the　matter？〃
  〃nothing；〃　he　answered。　〃i　suppose　one　must　be　serious　sometimes。　good…bye；　mother；　i　will　have　my　dinner　at　five　oclock。　everything　is　packed；　except　my　shirts；　so　you　need　not　trouble。〃
  〃good…bye；　my　son；〃　she　answered　with　a　bow　of　strained　stateliness。
  she　was　extremely　annoyed　at　the　tone　he　had　adopted　with　her；　and　there　was　something　in　his　look　that　had　made　her　feel　afraid。
  〃kiss　me；　mother；〃　said　the　girl。　her　flowerlike　lips　touched　the　withered　cheek　and　warmed　its　frost。
  〃my　child！　my　child！〃　cried　mrs。　vane；　looking　up　to　the　ceiling　in　search　of　an　imaginary　gallery。
  〃e；　sibyl；〃　said　her　brother　impatiently。　he　hated　his　mothers　affectations。
  they　went　out　into　the　flickering；　wind…blown　sunlight　and　strolled　down　the　dreary　euston　road。　the　passersby　glanced　in　wonder　at　the　sullen　heavy　youth　who；　in　coarse；　ill…fitting　clothes；　was　in　the　pany　of　such　a　graceful；　refined…looking　girl。　he　was　like　a　mon　gardener　walking　with　a　rose。
  jim　frowned　from　time　to　time　when　he　caught　the　inquisitive　glance　of　some　stranger。　he　had　that　dislike　of　being　stared　at；　which　es　on　geniuses　late　in　life　and　never　leaves　the　monplace。　sibyl；　however；　was　quite　unconscious　of　the　effect　she　was　producing。　her　love　was　trembling　in　laughter　on　her　lips。　she　was　thinking　of　prince　charming；　and；　that　she　might　think　of　him　all　the　more；　she　did　not　talk　of　him；　but　prattled　on　about　the　ship　in　which　jim　was　going　to　sail；　about　the　gold　he　was　certain　to　find；　about　the　wonderful　heiress　whose　life　he　was　to　save　from　the　wicked；　red…shirted　bushrangers。　for　he　was　not　to　remain　a　sailor；　or　a　supercargo；　or　whatever　he　was　going　to　be。　oh；　no！　a　sailors　existence　was　dreadful。　fancy　being　cooped　up　in　a　horrid　ship；　with　the　hoarse；　hump…backed　waves　trying　to　get　in；　and　a　black　wind　blowing　the　masts　down　and　tearing　the　sails　into　long　screaming　ribands！　he　was　to　leave　the　vessel　at　melbourne；　bid　a　polite　good…bye　to　the　captain；　and　go　off　at　once　to　the　gold…fields。　before　a　week　was　over　he　was　to　e　across　a　large　nugget　of　pure　gold；　the　largest　nugget　that　had　ever　been　discovered；　and　bring　it　down　to　the　coast　in　a　waggon　guarded　by　six　mounted　policemen。　the　bushrangers　were　to　attack　them　three　times；　and　be　defeated　with　immense　slaughter。　or；　no。　he　was　not　to　go　to　the　gold…fields　at　all。　they　were　horrid　places；　where　men　got　intoxicated；　and　shot　each　other　in　bar…rooms；　and　used　bad　language。　he　was　to　be　a　nice　sheep…farmer；　and　one　evening；　as　he　was　riding　home；　he　was　to　see　the　beautiful　heiress　being　carried　off　by　a　robber　on　a　black　horse；　and　give　chase；　and　rescue　her。　of　course；　she　would　fall　in　love　with　him；　and　he　with　her；　and　they　would　get　married；　and　e　home；　and　live　in　an　immense　house　in　london。　yes；　there　were　delightful　things　in　store　for　him。　but　he　must　be　very　good；　and　not　lose　his　temper；　or　spend　his　money　foolishly。　she　was　only　a　year　older　than　he　was；　but　she　knew　so　much　more　of　life。　he　must　be　sure；　also；　to　write　to　her　by　every　mail；　and　to　say　his　prayers　each　night　before　he　went　to　sleep。　god　was　very　good；　and　would　watch　over　him。　she　would　pray　for　him；　too；　and　in　a　few　years　he　would　e　back　quite　rich　and　happy。
  the　lad　listened　sulkily　to　her　and　made　no　answer。　he　was　heart…sick　at　leaving　home。
  yet　it　was　not　this　alone　that　made　him　gloomy　and　morose。　inexperienced　though　he　was；　he　had　still　a　strong　sense　of　the　danger　of　sibyls　position。　this　young　dandy　who　was　making　love　to　her　could　mean　her　no　good。　he　was　a　gentleman；　and　he　hated　him　for　that；　hated　him　through　some　curious　race…instinct　for　which　he　could　not　account；　and　which　for　that　reason　was　all　the　more　dominant　within　him。　he　was　conscious　also　of　the　shallowness　and　vanity　of　his　mothers　nature；　and　in　that　saw　infinite　peril　for　sibyl　and　sibyls　happiness。　children　begin　by　loving　their　parents；　as　they　grow　older　they　judge　them；　sometimes　they　forgive　them。
  his　mother！　he　had　something　on　his　mind　to　ask　of　her；　something　that　he　had　brooded　on　for　many　months　of　silence。　a　chance　phrase　that　he　had　heard　at　the　theatre；　a　whispered　sneer　that　had　reached　his　ears　one　night　as　he　waited　at　the　stage…door；　had　set　loose　a　train　of　horrible　thoughts。　he　remembered　it　as　if　it　had　been　the　lash　of　a　hunting…crop　across　his　face。　his　brows　knit　together　into　a　wedgelike　furrow；　and　with　a　twitch　of　pain　he　bit　his　underlip。
  〃you　are　not　listening　to　a　word　i　am　saying；　jim；〃　cried　sibyl；　〃and　i　am　making　the　most　delightful　plans　for　your　future。　do　say　something。〃
  〃what　do　you　want　me　to　say？〃
  〃oh！　that　you　will　be　a　good　boy　and　not　forget　us；〃　she　answered；　smiling　at　him。
  he　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃you　are　more　likely　to　forget　me　than　i　am　to　forget　you；　sibyl。〃
  she　flushed。　〃what　do　yo