Page 86 - An Australian Lassie

golden hair, and there would be patient tired lines at the corners of her mouth."

But it was only the first day after school now, and she had much to think of. She was not going to commence
the new order of things by being an elder sister, although the home needed her sorely.

As things had fallen out, it was necessary, she found, to set duty aside for a while.

She was invited to spend the end of December and the whole of January with Alma Montague at Katoomba.
They were to stay at the best hotel there--Mrs. Montague, her sister Mrs. Stacey, Alma and Dot. Rooms had
already been engaged for the party (Alma's and Dot's adjoining each other's), and all sorts of intoxicating
details been settled.

Dot, indeed, spoke to her mother once about coming home to help, instead of going away, but even if she had
meant it--which must be questioned--Mrs. Bruce was quite decided that she should go.

"Tt will do you good," she said, "and we don't need you at home at all. Betty will be here--it will be
holiday-time and she must help."

For February Dot had an invitation to Tasmania. Tn her wildest imaginings she did not dream of accepting it,
but Minnie Stevenson, whose school-days lay behind her too, was going down before Christmas and declared
she could not be without Dot longer than the middle of February.

And Mona--Mona, her nearest and dearest friend, said it was very hot on the Richmond River till the end of
March, but April was a perfect month there, and in April she would take no refusal. She must have Thea in her
own home all to herself then.

Nellie Harden had her mother's consent to ask Dot to "come out" with her. The debut was to take place in
June, at a big ball, and Nellie had "set her heart" on Thea and herself coming out at the very same ball, on the
very same night as each other, "All in white, you know, Thea darling, and we will look so nice."

So it will be seen Dot's idea of being elder sister and home daughter had every chance of remaining an idea
for the present. With such alluring pleasures, where was there room for duty?

"T'll do my best every time T am at home," said Dot to herself, weighing pleasure and duty in the balance and
finding duty sadly wanting, "and T'll write Betty good letters of advice, and take some mending away with me
to do."

But all that belonged to yesterday.

To-day Dot was at home, and in the important position of being about to set out upon a journey. She was to
start early in the morning and to go direct to the Redfern railway station.

Mr. Bruce had gone to town to draw a five guinea cheque for his eldest daughter. He also had to do a little
shopping on her account. All his instructions were written down in Dot's fair round hand-writing upon a piece
of foreign notepaper and slipped into his waistcoat pocket.

For those who are at all curious to know what the items were we will steal a look at the paper-­

1. Pair of white canvas shoes, size 2.

2. One cake of blanco (for cleaning them with).