When Mrs. Carnaby wrote, they had spent a fortnight at Mel-
bourne, and were going on to Brisbane. Mr. Carnaby is going to
do something in Queensland — something about mines. Til read
you that part."

The letter lay in the book she was holding. Sibyl wrote inde-
finitely, but Harvey was able to gather that the mining engineer,
Dando, had persuaded Carnaby to take an active interest in his
projects. Discussion on speculative enterprises did not recom-
mend itself to the present company, and Rolfe could only express
a hope that his friend had at lay found a pursuit in which he
could interest himself.
" But fancy Sibyl at such places I " exclaimed Alma, with
amusement. " How curious I shall be to see her when she comes
back ! Before she left England, I'm sure she hadn't the least idea
in what part of Australia Brisbane was, or Melbourne either. I
didn't know myself; had to look at a n^p. You'll think that a
shameful confession, Mr. Rolfe."

" My own ideas of Australian geography are vague enough."

'* Oh, but haven't you been there ? "

" Not to any of the new countries ; I don't care about them. A
defect, I admit. The future of England is beyond seas. I would
have children taught all about the Colonies before bothering them
with histories of Greece and Rome. I wish I had gone out there
myself as a boy, and grown up a sheep-farmer."

Alma laughed.
