"Then come to the matron, and I'll have you out of
this hole in half a jiffy ! "

But the matron was otherwise engaged; and when a
degree of order had been restored, and the competition
for the remaining male had been decided by his capitu-
lation to an Amazon of vast physique; and when the
brawlers had been banished indoors with threats of
shaved heads and solitary cells, then the good lady
would have given much to pack Tom off wifeless for his
pains. Not so much, however, as had lain between the
leaves of Daintree's letter. So by noon Peggy O'Brien
was a comparatively free woman. Alas! she was an
unutterably happy one.
Her arm stole within Tom's as he drove: he had
neither the courage nor the heart to tell her the truth
outright. It was a cruel position for them both; he



A MABBIAQE MARKET 833

glanced with horror at her radiant face; and again he
noticed her hair.
" Where's it all gone to, Peggy? " he asked, pointing to
the short strong locks, " What have you done with it? "

They had reached the outskirts of Parramatta; new
buildings were springing up in every direction, and
Peggy jerked her head towards some scaffoldings.
"Is it where me hair's gone?" she said with a laugh.
