Page 89 - An Australian Lassie

CHAPTER XXI

"GOOD-BYE, GOOD-BYE"

All was ready very early in the morning, for Dot was to start upon her journey at ten o'clock.

The little school trunk and the family portmanteau stood side by side in the hall, labelled and ready to go
forth--neat clean labels, bearing the inscription in Dot's best hand-writing--

"MTSS BRUCE, Passenger to Katoomba, Blue Mountains."

A strange excitement was upon Dot. She had never before in her life been upon a railway journey.

The household generally, from her father down to little Nancy, treated her with gentle politeness as a newly
arrived and just departing guest.

At breakfast the bread was handed to her without her once asking for it; Nancy watched her plate eagerly, that
she did not run out of butter; Mary ran in with a nicely poached egg just at the right moment; Mrs. Bruce kept
her cup replenished without once asking if it was empty.

"Don't do any view hunting or gully climbing alone," said Mr. Bruce. "Tt's the easiest thing in life to be lost in
the bush. Besides, no girl should roam about alone."

"Oh, don't be too venturesome, darling!" said Mrs. Bruce. "Just think if you fell down one of those valleys or
gaps or falls!"

Yet Dot had never been "too venturesome" in her life.

"A little more bread?" inquired Cyril; "don't bother to eat that crusty bit; we can, and T'll give you some fresh."

"More butter?" piped Nancy; then taking a leaf from Cyril's book--"Don't bover to eat it if it's nasty; we will.
Have some jam astead."

And Betty, in the silence of her bedroom, was drinking cold water and eating dry bread, without any one
asking solicitously "if she would have a little more, or leave that if she did not like it, and have something
nicer."

"Yet T was trying to earn money for them all," she said aloud. "T won't try any more. Dot only spends it, but
they love her more than me."

Tt was while these thoughts were busy in her mind that Dot ran down the passage and opened the door
suddenly. Such a dainty pretty Dot, in her new blue muslin dress that almost reached to the ground, and fitted
closely to her slender little figure, and a new white straw hat with a new white gossamer floating out behind
waiting to be tied when the kisses were all given and taken.

The girl's face was like a tender blush rose; her eyes were shining with actual excitement (rare thing in placid
Dot), and her hair hung down her back in a thick plait tied with blue ribbon.

Tt was the plait which caught Betty's attention.

"Oh!" she cried in disappointment, and then stopped, remembering the silence that had been imposed upon
her.