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           AndhewaslikeFee,also.Quiet,self-contained,notonetoairhisfeelingsoropinions.Hehadtobeintohismiddlethirties,Meggiethoughtinsuddensurprise,andstillhewasn’tmarried.ThenJackandHughiecamein,twoduplicateBobswithouthisauthority,theirshysmileswelcomingherhome.Thatmustbeit,shereflected;theyaresoshy,itistheland,forthelanddoesn’tneedarticulatenessorsocialgraces.Itneedsonlywhattheybringtoit,voicelessloveandwholeheartedfealty.

           TheClearymenwereallhomethatnight,tounloadatruckofcornJimsandPatsyhadpickedupfromtheAML&FinGilly.

           "I’veneverseenitsodry,Meggie,"Bobsaid."Norainintwoyears,notadrop.Andthebunniesareabiggercursethanthekangas;they’reeatingmoregrassthansheepandkangascombined.We’regoingtotrytohand-feed,butyouknowwhatsheepare."

           OnlytoowelldidMeggieknowwhatsheepwere.Idiots,incapableofunderstandingeventherudimentsofsurvival.Whatlittlebraintheoriginalanimalhadeverpossessedwasentirelybredoutofthesewoollyaristocrats.Sheepwouldn’teatanythingbutgrass,orscrubcutfromtheirnaturalenvironment.Buttherejustweren’tenoughhandstocutscrubtosatisfyoverahundredthousandsheep.

           "Itakeityoucanuseme?"sheasked.

           "Canwe!You’llfreeupaman’shandsforscrubcutting,Meggie,ifyou’llridetheinsidepaddocksthewayyouusedto."

           Trueastheirword,thetwinswerehomeforgood.