made a remark that produced no effect at the time. He said, "People
don't go to Australia to die--they go to Australia to make money, and
come home and marry--and it is what you must do--this "Grove" is a
millstone round your neck. Will you have a cigar, farmer?"

George consented, premising, however, that hitherto he had never got
beyond a yard of clay, and after drawing a puff or two he took the
cigar from his mouth, and looking at it said, "I say, sir! seems to me
the fire is uncommon near the chimbly." Mr. Winchester laughed; he
then asked George to show him the blacksmith shop. "I must learn how
to shoe a horse," said the honorable Frank.

"Well, I never!" thought George. "The first nob in the country going
to shoe a horse," but with his rustic delicacy he said nothing, and
led Mr. Winchester to the blacksmith's shop.

While this young gentleman is hammering nails into a horse's hoof, and
Australia into an English farmer's mind, we must introduce other
personages.

Susanna Merton was beautiful and good. George Fielding and she were
acknowledged lovers, but marriage was not spoken of as a near event,
and latterly old Merton had seemed cool whenever his daughter
mentioned the young man's name.

Susanna appeared to like George, though not so warmly as he loved her;
but at all events she accepted no other proffers of love. For all that
she had, besides a host of admirers, other lovers besides George; and
what is a great deal more singular (for a woman's eye is quick as
lightning in finding out who loves her), there was more than one of