Eveline

She sat at the window watching the evening invade the avenue. Her head was leaned against the window…

Few people passed. The man out of the last house passed on his way home; she heard his…

Home! She looked round the room, reviewing all its familiar objects which she had dusted once a week…

“He is in Melbourne now.”

She had consented to go away, to leave her home. Was that wise? She tried to weigh each…

“Miss Hill, don’t you see these ladies are waiting?”

“Look lively, Miss Hill, please.”

She would not cry many tears at leaving the Stores.

But in her new home, in a distant unknown country, it would not be like that. Then she…

She was about to explore another life with Frank. Frank was very kind, manly, open-hearted. She was to…

“I know these sailor chaps,” he said.

One day he had quarrelled with Frank and after that she had to meet her lover secretly.

The evening deepened in the avenue. The white of two letters in her lap grew indistinct. One was…

Her time was running out but she continued to sit by the window, leaning her head against the…

“Damned Italians! coming over here!”

As she mused the pitiful vision of her mother’s life laid its spell on the very quick of…

“Derevaun Seraun! Derevaun Seraun!”

She stood up in a sudden impulse of terror. Escape! She must escape! Frank would save her. He…

She stood among the swaying crowd in the station at the North Wall. He held her hand and…

A bell clanged upon her heart. She felt him seize her hand:

“Come!”

All the seas of the world tumbled about her heart. He was drawing her into them: he would…

“Come!”

No! No! No! It was impossible. Her hands clutched the iron in frenzy. Amid the seas she sent…

“Eveline! Evvy!”

He rushed beyond the barrier and called to her to follow. He was shouted at to go on…