His was the appearance of a man who had been riding hard after stock and sleeping, between his blankets only, under the stars.
Lady Bridget mixed him his drink and went to see Chen Sing in the kitchen.

When she came back, Colin was in the front veranda.

He had tumbled the rest of the letters and papers out of the mail-bag, and was hastily and eagerly scanning the last LEICHARDT'S TOWN CHRONICLE.
'Any news, Colin ?' 'I don't know, I was looking to see if the Government were going to act against the strikers--I see they are sending troops.' 'And is Luke Tallant coming at the head of them, in official uniform, to read the Riot Act ?--if there is a Riot Act in Australia.

I'd like to see Luke maintaining the supremacy of the British Crown on the Leura.' He looked up at her in vague rebuke of her levity, and there was suppressed tenderness in his eyes, notwithstanding his preoccupation with his own troubles.
'No, no.

But there's something in the paper about Lady Tallant being ill and having an operation.