Allan had written to him now and then with his father's wishes and orders, and everybody desired to be kindly remembered to him. Amy Staunton sometimes had a message—indeed Allan was fond of bringing her name into his letters at all times; but there was no special mention of Jessie or any message or letter from her though George had written to her twice.
Had he not been rash and foolish in thus in a measure binding himself without any particular affection for her; nothing stronger than esteem and a wish to feel love? Was she not forgetting him in his absence?
It was when he was puzzling himself vainly over this matter that he received a letter from both of his parents that did him good, and inspired him with fresh courage. The joy that his mother expressed on hearing that he had been brought under the influence of a good woman reminded him of what Jessie had said and how she had looked on that memorable Sunday; and the hope she entertained that one day he might bring his wife home where she would be received as a daughter, helped George to weather that long year at Gundabook. And when he took a retrospective view of what had been done for the station during the year he felt
