books can show one. On the whole, I am not dissatisfied with my four
years. I have not learnt what I expected; but I have learnt something
else. What have you been doing?"

"Nothing."

"That is not possible. I shall find out by and by."

They still stepped on side by side over the dewy bushes. Then suddenly she
turned on him.

"Don't you wish you were a woman, Waldo?"

"No," he answered readily.

She laughed.

"I thought not. Even you are too worldly-wise for that. I never met a man
who did. This is a pretty ring," she said, holding out her little hand,
that the morning sun might make the diamonds sparkle. "Worth fifty pounds
at least. I will give it to the first man who tells me he would like to be
a woman. There might be one on Robbin Island (lunatics at the Cape are
sent to Robbin Island) who would win it perhaps, but I doubt it even there.
It is delightful to be a woman; but every man thanks the Lord devoutly that
he isn't one."

She drew her hat to one side to keep the sun out of her eyes as she walked.
Waldo looked at her so intently that he stumbled over the bushes. Yes,
this was his little Lyndall who had worn the check pinafores; he saw it
now, and he walked closer beside her. They reached the next camp.