"Tell your mistress," said Martha, "that I cannot afford to do any more work for her: for she does not pay me enough for it. Tell her, that I hope she will not be much disappointed; but that I really cannot sew any more for her. Will you tell her that?" "Yes, thank you!" said Sarah, "but I don't think she'll be much disappointed: for she said she did not think you would do any more work now; and she only sent it to see." We had enough to talk about that evening. Olliphant had been acquainted with our poor mother; and expressed much regret that she had died so unhappily. We all had explanations to make; and Olliphant and I listened with equal interest to a long recital of my sister's struggle to maintain herself, and to an explanation of her sorrow at being unable to comply with my request, when I had entreated her to leave Sydney. This confession was as pleasant to me as to the Elephant; but perhaps still pleasanter was it for him to hear that, during his long absence, she had never felt a doubt about his returning, and that such a suspicion had never remained for an instant in her mind. As events had turned out, I could not regret that my sister had been, what I had too rashly termed foolish; and that her faith in Olliphant's promise had remained unshaken under such strong temptations, as those to which she had been subjected. She had proved herself worthy of a good husband; and there was no one, whom I should have preferred seeing her united to, before the man, for whom she had so long and patiently waited. Volume Three, Chapter XXII. AT SEA. On the third day after my arrival in Sydney, I started back for Melbourne, in the steamer "Warratah," accompanied by Olliphant and Martha. On arriving at Melbourne, my sister was taken to the residence of Mrs Morell, where she had the pleasure of meeting her brother William; and making the acquaintance of her future sister-in-law. Sarah Morell and Martha became warm friends upon sight; and on the evening of our return, a more happy party, than the one assembled in Mrs Morell's cottage, could not have been found in the colony. At intervals, a thought of my own life-long disappointment would flash across my mind; but the sight of so many happy faces around me, would soon restore me to a feeling of tranquil contentment. Next day, preparations were made for the double marriage, which took place shortly after. The occasion was not marked by any grand ceremonial display--such as I have often witnessed at the "weddings" of lucky gold-diggers. All the arrangements were conducted with the same sense of propriety and taste, that appeared to have guided the previous conduct of the principal parties concerned. My brother's honeymoon tour, was to be a voyage in the first ship that should sail for England. As I did not much like the idea of separating from him so soon; and, having no great desire to return to the diggings, I resolved to accompany him.