I'll tell her that you got two years' hard for horse-stealing.
That ought to make her interested in you, if she isn't already.'

We smoked a while.

`And was that all she said?' I asked.

`Who? -- Oh! 'Possum,' said Jack rousing himself. `Well -- no;
let me think ---- We got chatting of other things -- you know
a married man's privileged, and can say a lot more to a girl
than a single man can. I got talking nonsense about sweethearts,
and one thing led to another till at last she said, "I suppose Mr Wilson's
got a sweetheart, Mr Barnes?"'

`And what did you say?' I growled.

`Oh, I told her that you were a holy terror amongst the girls,' said Jack.
`You'd better take back that tray, Joe, and let us get to work.'

I wouldn't take back the tray -- but that didn't mend matters,
for Jack took it back himself.

I didn't see Mary's reflection in the window again, so I took the window out.
I reckoned that she was just a big-hearted, impulsive little thing,
as many Australian girls are, and I reckoned that I was a fool
for thinking for a moment that she might give me a second thought,
except by way of kindness. Why! young Black and half a dozen
better men than me were sweet on her, and young Black was to get
his father's station and the money -- or rather his mother's money,
for she held the stuff (she kept it close too, by all accounts).