“Don’t you believe it,” says Jim; “women are not so bad as all that.” (“Are they not?” says Starlight.) “I’ll go bail we’ll be snug and safe here till Christmas, and then we’ll give out, say we’re going to Melbourne for a spree, and clear straight out.”

Chapter XXVIII

CHAPTER XXVIII

As everything looked so fair-weather-like, Jim and Jeanie made it up to be married as soon after she came up as he could get a house ready. She came up to Sydney first by sea and after that to the diggings by the coach. She was always a quiet, hard-working, good little soul, awful timid, and prudent in everything but in taking a fancy to Jim. But that’s neither here nor there. Women will take fancies as long as the world lasts; and if they happen to fancy the wrong people the more obstinate they hold on to ‘em. Jeanie was one of the prettiest girls I ever set eyes on in her way, very fair and clear coloured, with big, soft blue eyes, and hair like a cloud of spun silk. Nothing like her was ever seen on the field when she came up, so all the diggers said.

When they began to write to one another after we came to the Turon, Jim told her straight out that though we were doing well now it mightn’t last. He thought she was a great fool to leave Melbourne when she was safe and comfortable, and come to a wild place, in a way, like the Turon. Of course he was ready and willing to marry her; but, speaking all for her own good, he advised her not. She’d better give him up and set her mind on somebody else. Girls that was anyway good-looking and kept themselves proper or decent were very scarce in Melbourne and Sydney now, considering the number of men that were making fortunes and were anxious to get a wife and settle down. A girl like her could marry anybody—most likely someone above her own rank in life. Of course she wouldn’t have no one but Jim, and if he was ready to marry her, and could get a little cottage, she was ready too. She would always be his own Jeanie, and was willing to run any kind of risk so as to be with him and near him, and so on.

Starlight and I both tried to keep Jim from it all we knew. It would make things twice as bad for him if he had to turn out again, and there was no knowing the moment when we might have to make a bolt for it; and where could Jeanie go then?