say in a voice that sounded different somehow from his ordinary deep
drawl:

'I wonder why I was chosen for this honour?'

And Bridget's reply:

'I'd been told that you were an explorer--that you're a kind of Bush
Cecil Rhodes--I don't know Mr Cecil Rhodes, but I have an adoration
for him--I wanted to talk to a real Bushman--I always felt that I
should like Australian Bushmen from Joan Gildea's description of
them. . . . And you. . . .'

The rest was lost, as the groups converged and the long line of couples
went forward.




CHAPTER 9



It was not an altogether successful party. The dinner had portentous
suggestiveness; the Leidchardt'stonians were at first rather difficult.
Sir Luke a little too conscious of his responsibilities towards the
British Throne: Lady Tallant so brilliant as to be bewildering. But
except as it concerns Lady Bridget and McKeith, the Tallant's first
dinner-party at Government House is not of special importance in this
story. Mrs Gildea, very well occupied with Dr Plumtree, only caught