C©RNELL U nSk V E R S 1 T Y LIBRARY Gift of Susan Williams Beelick Class of 1961 3 1924 085 200 081 Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924085200081 In Sunny Australia a movei NONINE ST. CLAIR George Robertson & Company Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and London 1896 ^^^^ici\.^ BuTLES & Tanner, The Selwood Printing Works, Frome, and London. 2)c5(catea BY KIND PERMISSION TO HER EXCELLENCY VISCOUNTESS HAMPDEN CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGB I. Compensation 9 II. Master and Man. . . . . 16 III. The Minister's Lovely Wife . . 23 IV. The Greys at Home 32 V. Mrs. Maynard's Garden Party . . 39 VI. Irrigation 47 VII. How NORRINGTON STAYED AT BRALGA . 55 VIII. "Just Chubby!" 65 IX. In which Noel Found it Hard to Say Good-bye 76 X. Not a " Chubby " 89 XI. The Advent of a New Particular Star 102 XII. That Invitation ! 115 XIII. Two Together 129 XIV. After the Ball 142 XV. "I Love You" 155 XVI. Chubby to tjie Rescue . . ' . .166 7 CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE XVII. The Beginning of Harvest . . -175 XVIII. Things Move Along a Little . ■ i86 XIX. Mrs. Grey's Plan in Execution . .197 XX. Love Scores 208 XXI. The Rectory Discards an Inmate . . 219 XXII. A Little Action— A Little Talk ! . .227 XXIII. The Crisis 233 XXIV. Hal's Record is Closed .... 244 XXV. "Too Late the Balm when the Heart is Broke!" 251 XXVI. What Noel Lost 258 XXVII. A Denunciation 268 XXVI II. The Heir Comes into his Own Again . 275 XXIX. After Seven Years 283 CHAPTER I COMPENSATION " /^~\ F course, now that tkat proof has turned up, it ^^ will make a lot of difference to you." "Apparently," was' the sole response. " It's more than apparently," exclaimed the first speaker, " it's certainty ! And what's more, restitution is demanded." - "Say, rather, compensation," said the young man hurriedly. "Well, compensation, then," returned the man, called Morris, ungraciously. " Anyhow you can see from these " (tapping some papers which he had in his hand) " what your father's intention was. Of course I can well understand it all, seeing / knew, and your father knew, what the worth of my silence was. There were some things your father would never remember if he could help it." The young fellow winced, and glanced again at the papers which Morris held just beneath his range of vision. " I cannot think," he said impatiently, " why you 10 IN StlNNY AUSTRALIA did not turn up long ago, since you seem to find it so very important." Morris looked black, but he answered civilly, — "When your father died, it was some years before I heard of it, as I was away trading in the Islands, and when I did hear I could not come, as I had just entered upon an agreement with a man for three years' fishing there. After the three years I came over, but could not find the papers. Since then it has taken me all my time to trace them ; but here they are, at last." The , young fellow glanced again at them ; they looked faded and old. " Oif course," he remarked, regaining something of his firm composure, " these papers, I should think, are hardly legal, and it is not absolutely necessary that I should give up Durend." "Of course you recognise the signature ; but then it is not always necessary to preserve one's name and honour," answered Morris, knowing well how he was putting on the screw-wrench. The set pained look on his companion's face deep- ened. He turned to the table, and picking up a pen, affixed his name to the paper Morris handed him. Morris folded it up with satisfaction. " Arid—? " queried the young^ man tentatively. " And," pursued Morris, taking up his thought, " I know how to keep silence. Have I not done so all these years ? " COM PENS A TION 1 1 " You must have been very sure of eventually find- ing the papers to do so," he returned uncompromis- ingly. Morris had the good grace to grow red, but his companion noticed him not. He had taken up his hat, and had stepped out on to the rising ground to take his last look at his old home — the home which he had voluntarily given up for his honour's sake and for something which had happened years ago. Durend Estate was a large and fertile place. The massive stone house, built in the old convict days, the splendid orchard, and well-grassed lands, watered by the Sarwindi, all formed part of the beaujtiful home he knew and loved so well. " Great river ! " said Morris familiarly at his elbow ; " runs from here into the neighbouring colony ! One should be able to make something out of a place like this." Already he had the " man-in-possession " air. The tall brown man at his side answered nothing. It was cruel that his last few sacred moments should be snatched from him like this. " I have some places on the Sarwindi, lower down in the next colony," went on Morris ; but he was interrupted by^-" Oh, you really must excuse me ! It is quite three miles to the station, and I do not wish to miss the train " " Oh, all right ; that's your affair," returned Morris, sauntering away towards the house, and in his vulgar, selfish way, he never thought of placing a horse at 12 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA his late host's disposal. He had been over a week at Durend, and had gradually but surely transferred things to his rule. It gave him a pleasure to look once more over his new possession. The former owner had taken nothing away save a few family relics. Half an hour later Morris had returned to the garden, while his late companion had walked down to pay his farewell visit to the grave on the hill-side. Suddenly a shadow was thrown before Morris as he smoked in the garden, and turning, he found him- self face to face with a poorly clad woman. She was carrying a child in her arms, while another tugged at her threadbare skirt. " What do you want, woman ? " he asked roughly. " Don't you know me, Josiah Morris ? " she asked humbly. " Give me money, that I and mine may not starve." "No; I do Ko# know you," he answered deliberately; " and what's more, I want no beggars here." Her face hardened. " Do you not know me .' " she cried shrilly, pushing back her hood and disclosing a face which, though marked by privation and sorrow, was still handsome. " Ay, look at me hard ; look again ; make no mistake. If lines are on my face, they are there through you." " Be off ! I do not know you," he repeated sullenly. "That's a lie ! and not the first you have told either, Josiah Morris," said the woman bitterly. " You do COMPENSATION 13 not forget Pattie ! I have followed you here, and I want what is rightly mine." He shook her off impatiently. " Don't be ridicu- lous, Pattie," he said uneasily ; " I owe you nothing ! " "Owe me nothing! " she exclaimed passionately. " Merciful Heavens ! owe me nothing ! You owe too much ! Give me compensation for all that you have done to us ! Make it fair to my poor dear husband's name; to the children whom you have robbed ; to us whose happiness and peace you have destroyed, on whose neck you have put your heel! Justice shall be meted out to you yet ! " " Stop, woman ! " thundered Morris, suddenly stung into fury. Her eyes were all ablaze, the pinched, hungry look vanishing for the time. " I will not stop. I am not afraid of you ! " she said defiantly. He turned on his heel contemptuously. The child at her breast began to cry piteously in its hunger. She forgot her anger in a moment. There was Morris going away — to leave her alone, and her children must have food. She ran after him with all her feeble strength, and falling on her knees at his feet, caught his hand that he might not escape her. " Do not go away," she panted desperately. " Have mercy, Josiah ! We are starving — yes, starving, and in the land that is called 'Sunny Australia' too. To-morrow, if the rent be not paid, I and my little 14 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA ones are to be turned out of doors ; homeless and hungry. Give me only five pounds, I will pay you back in time, and never, oh never, Josiah, will I say a word against you. You cannot refuse me. See — and she held it up to him — my poor babe is ill and starving, and I can get no work to do." Morris smiled slightly. It was a moment of triumph to him to have the woman who had refused to leave her husband for his sake kneeling at his feet. " I can't give you anything," he said. " And yet," said the woman, glancing around, "you have all this. Did you get it by the same means as you got others ? Oh, Josiah! Do not mind what I have just said. Only help me this once, for I cannot see my little ones perish, and I have no one to whom to appeal." No answer. Morris knew that should this woman die that night her secret would die with her. He was not really murderous enough to wish it so, but he naturally wished to feel secure and at ease. She saw the answer in his face. " God help us ! " she moaned, sinking down. " Yes, let God help you," he returned ; "and here, Pattie, is half a crown for you to clear out." She rose to her feet at that, and flung the money from her. " Do you think I could take that — that- and from you who ought to do so much ? For your cruelty to-day to one crushed fellow creature, I pray that God will withhold from you all that is beautiful COMPENSATION 15 and best in life ; that you may call, but He will hide His face ; that your dearest desires may turn to gall while you are yet tasting them ; your prosperity be blighted, and your last days be full of fear and dark- ness. And let every one of your kindred, and all who may come after you, or who are in any way dear to you, be cursed for your sins ; and I myself will follow you with curses while there is breath in my body, unless you repent of your cruelty ! Heaven bear me witness ! " The clear, high voice stopped, and with uplifted hand she stepped away, leaving Morris too surprised to call her back. He trembled at her fierce denunciation, then laughed at his superstition, and finally strode away to attend to some work. It was one of Morris's good qualities that he was most industrious and an inde- fatigable worker. The thought of "Pattie" made him uneasy, but he had not repented. CHAPTER II MASTER AND MAN '"p^HE late master of Durend stood bareheaded ■*■ within an iron railing enclosure, that surrounded his mother's grave. How glad he was to know she had not lived to see timt day, when at the time of her death he thought he could be glad for nothing. He stooped down and plucked a few flowers as a memento of the spot dearest to him on earth. Closing the gate, he turned oh to a cattle track, when he came face to face with Pattie. He noticed that she was young and toil-worn, and that the whole three were ill-clad and ill-fed ! Sympathetically the thought uppermost in his mind was, that this one of God's creatures was suffering ; and stepping forward he spoke as courteously to her as he would have done to the finest lady in the land. " You seem very tired," he said ; " if you are going to the head station you had better rest here awhile first, and I will^see if there is any conveyance at hand to drive you there." She looked up quickly, as if to assure herself of his sincerity. 16 MASTER AND MAN I7 "No, I am not going near there, thank you," she answered, sinking back into apathy. " You look ill," he continued kindly ; " and you must accept this little gift," pressing some gold pieces into her hand, "for the wee ones. You can easily get some milk for yourself and them at any settler's or farmhouse." Tears came to her eyes as she looked at the money lying in her palm. Here was relief for her hungry children. " You do not know what blessings will follow you for this," she said tearfully. "May you be as well rewarded as those who refused me aid will be punished. I do not forget faces, and if ever the opportunity comes that I can serve you, I will." The young fellow smiled. " You are very welcome to the money," he said ; and then the woman called Pattie went on her way across a paddock well covered with blue gum and stringy bark trees. The man watching her sighed, and sighed again, as, turning into the main road, he happened to catch a glimpse of the tall chimneys and roof of Durend amid the waving tree-tops. He had proceeded about a quarter of a mile on the rough, irregular road, when he was suddenly brought to a standstill on hearing a familiar voice exclaim : " Tare an ages ! master dear, on me sowl how fast you du walk with them long legs of yours. It's me- self that thought oi should niver catch up wid ye, bar- rin' me conscience, that towld me oi 'would. Shure, B l8 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA at the rate ye go, ye will git to hiven inside o' half an hour, laving alone the fact that this road is nearer purgathory than hiven ! " " What, Tim ! " exclaimed the young fellow, wheel- ing round with a quick smile of surprise and pleasure ; " I did not think to see you again." " Shure it's Tim O'Kelly that Would follow ye from the Gulf of Carpentary to Van Dieman's Land, an' ye want me," said the old servant with a comically affec- tionate glance. He had known and worked for the young man's father, and the son valued and respected his faithful- ness. Suddenly his smiles died away, and he looked at Tim hard. That worthy, after the manner of bush- men, was taking it easy on saddle-tree. He lay back, with his arms folded under his head for support and his visage upturned to the sun, right along the horse's back, and conveniently steadied himself by crossing his feet just along the animal's neck. It was a quiet animal, that had long given over buck-jumping. But that was not Tim's only attitude. Sometimes he raised himself on one elbow and dangled' down one leg at a right angle ; or he would bring one limb across the pommel, and tilting his body slightly for- ward, would lean his two arms on it, smoking vigor- ously all the while. " Tim ! " exclaimed his master, looking significantly at the two horses. MASTER AND MAN 19 "Master Noel!" responded the old Irishman promptly, shooting upright in his stirrups. " Did Morris lend you those horses ? " he asked. " Divil a bit of it, yer hanour ! '' answered Tim, quite unabashed; "the dhirty, low, blatherskiting scoundrel. Sorra a thing would he lend any one ; though, con- siderin' the jinerous way ye acted by him, the best part of him should have ris up an' dhriven ye to the station. Ah ! the mane, low-lived baste." " Do not abuse him, Tim," returned Noel good- temperedly ; nevertheless he could not help smiling at Tim's hot indignation, for the old man spoke in all good faith ; " doubtless he has his good qualities, as I suppose we all have." "Good qualities or no, 'tis meself that wouldn't sthay wid the crathur, if ye would only take me wid ye, master dear ! " " Can't do it, Tim ! I could not accept your service without paying for it, and," trying to speak lightly, " I am a poor man now ! You will need money and rest in your old age, you know ! " " All I have belongs to ye. Master Noel," declared O'Kelly eagerly. " No," said the young fellow quietly. " I could not be so mean, so dishonourable, as to wish to take any of your well-earned savings. My dear old Tim, you must not ask me to do it ! " Tim jumped down suddenly off his horse, and com- menced unfastening the other bridle from his own. 20 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA then led up the animal to Noel. They had been standing in the middle of the road all this while, as is the custom of bushmen. Noel took hold of the rein, and with one foot in the stirrup paused to ask : " But how did you get the horses, Tim ? " ' Faith, as the sayin' is, I took 'em. Morris, he comes to me an' sez : ' O'Kelly, take care that none o' the ridin' horses is used to-day, oi am not goin' out ! ' Arrah ! sez oi to meself, it's letting the p8or young master thramp away on foot, he is ! So oi just un- locks the stable door, an' here's the horse, Considerin' as the horse was yer own up to to-day, he ought to have lint it ye." So saying Tim swung himself into his saddle, leaving Noel to do likewise. Noel was silent on the way in, and O'Kelly, seeing his disinclination to talk, broke into a wild, melan- choly Irish song. " Dry up, Tim, old chap," he said gently, for the song brought back painful memories. Tim's jaw went to with a snap instantly. It opened, however, again in less than a minute, but this time it was to speak, and not to sing. " Shure, me bhoy, oi had no intintion of hurtin' your feelings, for they be tinder things with some o' us ! " " I know it, Tim ; I know it," answered Noel softly. With a sharp turn in the road the station came in sight. It was a small wooden affair, put up by MASTER AND MAN 21 Government for the convenience of those who daily sent milk to the metropolis, and for any stray passengers. It therefore boasted of no station- master, and any one who wished to signal a train waved a flag wildly up and down on its approach ; or if at night, they used a lantern in a similar fashion. Along the line, on either side, the wattle- trees (acacia) grew in stifling companionship, and having sd little space, were somewhat stunted ; but one stronger than the rest struggled to assert its supremacy. Perched on one of its boughs was a laughing - jackass, with a half-grown, half - asleep snake dangling from its beak, which the unusually warm spring day had brought out of its hole in search of water. He shook the snake vigorously three or four times, when it lay motionless. " Foine specimen of a bird, that," said Tim, as they dismounted at the slip-rails and tied up their horses in the station-yard. It was some time before the train arrived, and during the half-hour's waiting Tim related lively Irish yarns while Noel smoked, only removing his pipe to give a cheery assent now and then. Soon the train drew up in answer to their signal, and master and man were quickly separated. " Oh, me bhoy ! me bhoy ! Him that oi held in me arms a babby, twinty-foive years ago, come Christ- mas, will they part me from ye ? " and Tim held on to the carriage door. 22 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " You must go back," said Noel kindly but firmly. " Good-bye, Tim ; I will see you soon," he called out cheerily, keeping bright to the last. " God bless you ! Maister Noel," responded the old man fervently. Then the train steamed out of sight. CHAPTER III THE minister's LOVELY WIFE " /^ OOD-BYE, Mrs. Grey ; I suppose then I may ^^ count on seeing you on Tuesday ? " " You must not make too sure of me," came in soft, measured tones, half-ingratiating, half-plaintive ; " a poor clergyman's wife has so many demands upon her time 1 " " Of course," returned the elder lady ; " we all know that." Her companion, a young bride whose name was Mrs. Brereton, thought the reply slightly sarcastic ; but Mrs. Grey apparently did not, or would not. " But you must come if you can," spoke up young Mrs. Brereton impulsively. " It is too much to ex- pect that you should never have any recreation." Mrs. Grey sighed, and the pretty golden head drooped a little, which one woman put down to affectation, and the other, to sweet submissiveness. " Ah ! when I was a girl I used to have lovely times ; but when I married I found I had so many new duties to perform that, rather than leave them undone, I gave up all my pleasures." 24 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " How unselfish you must be ! " exclaimed Mrs. Brereton warmly, while Mrs. Maynard remarked drily, *' At least, Mrs. Grey, you can thank Heaven for giving you a good husband when you married." Mrs. Grey turned with a very sweet smile to the bride, saying, " Oh, Mrs. Brereton, Mrs. Maynard is a great admirer of my husband ! She thinks so much of his preaching, but she does not think of the poor wife who has helped to make him what he is ! Will you not take pity on me ? " "Mrs. Grey misjudges me," put in Mrs. May- nard ; but Mrs. Grey sweetly and gently shook her head. The two ladies then made their adieux, and as they came out of the gate Mrs. Brereton exclaimed enthusiastically, " What a sweetly charming woman, and so lovely too ! Mr. Grey has indeed a beautiful wife. Did you notice her tiny hands and feet and the beautiful golden hair ? And then, what a lovely complexion and sweet blue eyes she has ! " " Why, Aileen ! " exclaimed Mrs. Maynard, re- covering her usual good temper now that they had quitted the Rectory (usually the clergyman's house is called the Parsonage ; but this one old-fashioned place had been called by its first inhabitant the Rectory, and now the parishioners never called it anything else), " why, one would think you were a man to hear you ! " Mrs. Brereton laughed. " Do not the women THE MINISTER'S LOVELY WIFE 25 praise her, then ? " she asked. " At all events, they should give her due credit for her works ! " " Oh, they "do ; any amount of credit." Aileen looked up quickly. " I do not quite under- stand you, Marion. Sometimes I fancy you have a double meaning to your words." " Well, my dear child," returned that lady uncom- promisingly, " fancies are but fancies, you know ! " Then Aileen asked a straight question : " Do you not like your minister's wife, then ? " "She is not one of my greatest friends," replied Mrs. Maynard guardedly. " I shall like her," said the bride decidedly. She was wondering whether her old friend Marion was growing prejudiced. Marion, being some years older, had married first and settled in Bourketown, and it was a strange coincidence that her friend Aileen on her marriage should have come to the same place. Bourketown was small, and lay in an agricultural and partly pastoral district. There were plenty of farms, and farther out lay the stations, most of them beyond the river, called "Clearwater Creek " by the Bourketonians. There was just a little pause, and then Aileen said, with her usual honesty, " I am going to see Mrs. Grey again, Marion, and you must not be angry. Now, you must admit no one could be nicer than she this afternoon 1 " 26 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA "And you must admit it was the first time she had seen you." There was another pause, and Aileen's bright little countenance became shadowed. This girl-bride had a piquant face, with a lovable, mischievous-looking little up-turned nose, bright brown eyes, anji hair to correspond. Presently Mrs. Maynard exclaimed, with a return- ing show of interest, — " Why, here is young Mr. Norrington, the engineer, coming towards us. Have you met him yet .' He is such a nice fellow, and has come here with the hope of getting something to do. I believe he lost his fortune in some unexpected and ridiculous fashion.'' " Poor fellow ! " said Aileen sympathetically, in her soft voice ; " I always think it is a very hard thing to have to begin the world over again." The " poor fellow " in question did not seem to think so. To those who vote the world a miserable place, the world in turn votes them miserable fellows. Norrington did not appear to find it very un- pleasant at present. He was a tall, good-looking, dark, brown-haired man, almost boyish and un- assertively cheerful in his manner at times, when his features would appear less decided, and Mrs. May- nard liked him. He stopped and shook hands with her, and then she introduced him to Aileen. " Will you come in to tea this evening, Mr. THE MINISTER'S LOVELY WIFE 27 Norrington ? " asked Mrs. Maynard, as he turned back with them. " We always have it outside under the trees these hot January days, unless, of course, a thunderstorm should come up." " Or a dust-storm ! " suggested Norrington, with a droll smile. Aileen laughed. " In that case we should be blinded, and our tea would be furnished with sugar of another kind," said she. " I suppose your husband will drop in ? " said Marion, turning to Aileen. " Oh, yes ! " answered the girl, with a visibly brightening face. In a few minutes the talk turned upon Mrs. Grey, and Mrs. Maynard never being diffuse upon that subject, Aileen and Norrington had most of the conversation to themselves. At last could Aileen praise her new friend inordinately, and to one who really believed in her himself. At length Mrs. Maynard remarked, — " Aileen is praising Mrs. Grey as extravagantly as her gentle but decided nature will allow her to do. Now, I am not surprised at you making her the theme of your conversation ; every one talks of her." Aileen looked up quickly in that wounded way of hers, and her look said eloquently enough, — " Now you are speaking with a double meaning again, Marion." 28 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA However, Norrington filled in the pause, saying, — "That is not to be wondered at, is it? Un- doubtedly, as you say, Mrs. Brereton, she is the loveliest woman in Bourketown, and I think I have seen all the presentable inhabitants in a month ! " " I knew you would agree with me," cried Aileen, as delightedly as a child. " And only to think, Mr. Norrington, what a lot of work she does, and such work, too ! Oh ! I never met any one like her, never ! " " I am quite sure of that," interposed Mrs. May- nard briefly ; but Aileen did not hear her, so con- tinued, — " Once, she told me, when there was no one else to do it, she actually turned up her sleeves, polished up the communion rails, and swept and dusted out the church ! " " Australian women expect these things when they marry bush parsons, but Mrs. Grey is English-born, though Grey himself is a colonial, I believe," said Norrington easily. " I also have the honour of being a colonial," he added, with a peculiar smile which Aileen afterwards remembered. " I do like her," said Aileen softly. "And I like them all," returned Norrington " un- affectedly. " Grey is a fine fellow. I have been there several times." The arrival at their destination cut short their conversation. Mrs. Maynard led the way to a lawn and garden, which, although it was summer-time, and THE MINISTER'S LOVELY WIFE 29 a very dry summer too, looked most refreshingly cool and green. The lawn was shaded by the native wattle and cultivated trees, and round the trunk of an unusually large specimen of the first- named was fixed a rustic table. Easy, comfortable chairs, made from the myall, were ranged about, these being occupied at the present by Mr. Maynard and his flock of three. Tea being already daintily laid, it was a very pretty scene that greeted the trio. The C.P.S. rose and welcomed his wife and her guests, and when Hal Brereton came they all sat down to the speedy abolition of that daintily laid tea. During tea Brereton remarked, in the pleased tone of one who delights in teasing, — " Every one of the old settlers about here say this summer will be drier still ; in fact, will culminate in a drought ! " Maynard, who was reserved and cautious, replied, " It will be a very poor look-out for the squatters and farmers, then ; " while Norrington inquired, " Upon what do they found their conclusions ? " " Experience ! " answered Hal briefly, as he leaned back in his chair, and leisurely proceeded to mop the perspiration, occasioned by drinking tea at the altar of politeness, off" his brow. Hal Brereton did not like tea. He was a big, handsome fellow, with tawny curls, moustache, and bright blue eyes '; beside whom 30 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA Norrington's graceful restfulness suggested a sense of repose. Aileen adored her husband. " You see," Hal continued amiably (he felt cooler, be it known), " they know as we have had hot days and cool west winds at night in September it's a sure sign of a drought. I own some land beyond Clearwater Creek, at the back of Conroy's station, and, by Jove ! I don't know how to keep the cattle watered out there, unless Heaven mercifully causes it to rain for the twenty-eight days belonging to February. That's the rainy season." " Try irrigation," suggested Maynard. The young engineer suddenly pricked up his ears, and instantly said, — " It would be the best thing possible, if they had any idea of there being subterranean rivers ; but, in the meanwhile, why not have the water brought from the river by a canal .' " " Grand idea ! " exclaimed Hal impulsively. " Why, the town would never be short, at that rate, and what an immense value it would be to property owners ! I .say, Norrington, you are a civil engineer, and understand these things. Will you ride over with me some day next week to the creek, and we can go from there to Conroy's run .? " Norrington thought the plan a feasible one, and one that might give him remunerative returns. " Let the Government start works, and make Norrington chief engineer," suggested Maynard. THE MINISTER'S LOVELY WIFE 3 1 After a while the Breretons left with Norrington, who with Hal discussed the water conservation question all the way home. The two men seemed to have taken wonderfully to each other. CHAPTER IV THE GREYS AT HOME " T T'S a jolly shame that I won't be allowed to go -»- to the cricket match on Tuesday, that it is ! I say, Chrissy, pass the jam, and don't let Belle put her fingers in it, and then stick it on the bird's beak. Oh," — his thoughts reverting to the cricket match — " it's a beastly shame of father ! " " It isn't father's fault," put in Chrissy quietly. Chrissy, a demure maiden of fifteen, and the eldest of the Greys, was standing at the schoolroom table cutting up bread and butter. Mrs. Grey did' not approve of having her children with her at the table, and certainly the children were happier in the schoolroom ; but they waited upon themselves. One maid cannot do everything ! " It's the missis's fault," chimed in Belle pertly. Belle, the pretty, the spoiled, wayward child, was standing on a chair, teasing a pet butcher-bird, while he pecked savagely at her mischievous fingers. Curly-headed Rob was struggling with Jimmy as to who should get out of the window first to recover a THE GREYS AT HOME 33 lost ball, the result being that Rob was toppled out head first into the garden bed. "Anyhow," shouted out Charlie, with his mouth full, " the mud out there is soft enough, Rob, and so is your head ; so, by all the rules of Euclid, two soft things coming together won't hurt each other." " They ought to make a straight line ; at all events, I'll make a straight shot," cried Rob, his curly head appearing at the window as he deftly aimed the ball at Charlie. Charlie jumped up from the table, and, kicking his chair backwards in the most approved schoolboy fashion, sprang over it, and proceeded to catch the ball. Rob, after his late exertion, leisurely dragged up a chair to the table, the chair squeaking and creaking along the floor as chairs invariably do when small boys handle them. " Do be quiet ! " cried poor Chrissy, trying to coax Belle off her perch, while Charlie capered, around the room, wildly brandishing his bat and ball, and sing- ing out at the top of his voice — his voice was of no small power either, — " Hurrah ! for the noble game of cricket and the more noble players of Australia. Hurrah ! for a great cricketer bold, meaning myself ! " " Knew you were bowled," interjected Rob, and Charlie paused in his impish valse to exclaim, — C 34 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " Golly, Rob ! you keep your eye shut, or this cricket ball will fill it on Tuesday ! " "Mother will not allow you to go," said Belle tantalizingly ; and Rob, looking up, said softly, — " Some work for us to do, old chap ! I only wish when we do things mother would not tell people s/ie does them." "Oh, hush! you must not say that," exclaimed Chrissy loyally. " But it is true," persisted Rob. " You know what she told Mrs. Brereton about the communion rails, and you know that / did them." " Dash it all ! " said Charlie feelingly, as once more he stopped his wild canter ; " look here, Chrissy, I'll bet you my old racquet to your new one that the missis is going to Mrs. Maynard's garden party on Tuesday, although she keeps us in ! " and then he commenced a chase round the room after the bird, which Belle had slily let loose. Of course all five must join in, and there was such a dear, happy, jolly scamper in and about the very plain furniture with which the schoolroom was pro- vided, when suddenly the door opened and Restraint entered the room — Restraint in a loose, sky-blue robe, and with shining plaits of hair ! She spoke in an even, measured voice, and with a smile they had learned to translate, saying, — "Come, finish your tea, my children. What an unseemly noise in a clergyman's house 1 Do not let THE GREYS AT HOME 35 it occur again. And, CYinssy, you are old enough to know better." " It was Belle's fault," spoke up Rob honestly ; "she let the butcher-bird out of his cage, and of course we tried to catch it, because, if it were to get loose now, the other birds would kill it, and you have often told us, mother, not to be cruel to creatures placed at our mercy." And Mrs. Grey, who never admitted she could make a mistake, said, still calmly, and casting a look at her son that made him quail — somehow cold, white fury is worse than hot rage, — " One would have been quite sufficient ; and it isn't generous of my son to throw the blame on his younger sister." Rob moved away to the window. He was gene- rally admitted to be the clever one of the Greys, and was a child with a keen sense of justice. Just now the possession of that sense was hurting him. He and the boisterous, thoughtless Charlie were twins. Mrs. Grey sat down, and very soon the happy, unruly brood settled into silence and order. Belle, who was like her mother in face and figure, came to her side as one who knows by intuition that she is the favourite. Outwardly Mrs. Grey never showed favouritism ; in her inmost heart she was fond of the one who resembled her. She now stroked Belle's golden hair as she said, — 36 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " My little girl would never be naughty, would she ? You love your mother, Belle. She is the very best friend you have. You should love her first of all," bending a searching glance on the child's face. " I do," returned Belle promptly, while Rob from the window murmured, " Father does not say that on Sundays. It is God first, parents second ; and he ought to know ; " this last a trifle rebelliously. Children sometimes understand and perceive things which grown-up people pass over. Perhaps Mrs. Grey did not hear ; at any rate, she took no notice, and Rob came back to his half- finished tea, which on all sides was very soon and quietly disposed of. Charlie did not dream of again asking to attend the cricket match. After tea, it being holiday time, the young folk amused themselves in the garden or with tennis, while Mrs. Grey ascended to her boudoir, and wrote a note in a most elegant hand, on delicately tinted paper, to Norrington, in which she gave him, as she thought, some needful religious advice, and ended up by asking him to escort her to Mrs. Maynard's garden party on Tuesday, as Mr. Grey was really too busy. She had been really vexed with her husband the previous day for being unable to accompany her. While his wife was writing, Mr. Grey returned from a hot, dusty thirty-mile ride, and, as was his wont, he went to see his children first. The. clergy- man had done much that day. He had ridden hard THE GREYS AT HOME 37 and travelled long purposely to do a kind act to a poor selector and his wife, and he never dreamed of feeling pleased with himself ; he only felt thankful he was able to perform what he deemed his duty. He pulled the saddle off his jaded horse, let it loose, then turned with a weary step towards the school- room. It was Saturday evening, and he seldom allowed himself to be so tired out before Sunday. Any way the selector's home had benefited by. his weariness. As his tall, stalwart form appeared on the lawn the children made a rush forward, Jimmy seizing his whiskers to enable him to clamber on to his shoulder, while Chrissy and Belle each implanted a kiss on a different part of his face. All, boys and girls, assailed him with questions such as these : " Father, did you go to Conroy's ? " " Were there many there .' " " Are you very tired riding ? " " Was poor old Prince knocked up ? " " Is he gone in the knees ? or can he take the shine out of old Conroy's prad 1 " " Did you get me a little opossum .' " " Have you seen any kangaroos ? " " What kept you so long this time, and is the creek getting lower .■' " and a hundred other questions ; all because their father had been away three days on his usual bush rounds, and they must needs ask the same questions they had asked a dozen times before, and exactly a dozen times did Mr. Grey endeavour to satisfactorily answer them. 38 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA Thoughtful Chrissy asked if he had had anything to eat ; and the answer being in the negative, away she went to tell Polly to lay supper ; but Charlie demanded in an injured tone, " Father, may I go to the cricket match ? " " Yes, my boy, if your mother does not want you." "That's just as good as telling me to stay at home," muttered Charlie gloomily. Mr. Grey cast a glance of mingled surprise and disappointment on his son, and Charlie flushed be- neath his father's kind eyes. " I should think you would always be willing to help your mother," he said gently ; this man who was always loyal to the beautiful woman who was his wife, whate'er her faults. Just then Chrissy returned to say his supper was ready. Belle stopped playing pranks with his hand- kerdiief and riding gloves, and dutifully restored them to their owner. " Where is your mother, children } " he asked, sup- pressing a sigh. " Upstairs, writing letters," yelled out five lusty voices. And Arthur Grey went upstairs to seek the woman who was too busy to welcome him on his return. CHAPTER V MRS. MAYNARD'S garden PARTY A S he entered the room Mrs. Grey hastily closed •^^ her writing-desk and pulled a work-basket towards her. He came and kissed her, but she was apparently too busy threading her needle to return the caress. Some people are built that way. " Well, dear, busy as usual ? " he inquired kindly. " Any one could see that," she answered plain- tively. " I always am busy, and likely to be till I get to heaven. A poor, uncared-for clergyman's wife gets no rest in this world." The word " uncared-for " struck him with a sense of ridiculous irony ; but as he was accustomed to her groundless accusations, he merely said, " And ' some- body' will have to be careful of what she says, or we may be poorer and harder worked still." " You mean me, of course, Arthur," said Mrs. Grey, raising her eyes to his, while a scarcastic smile played on her red lips ; " and," more coldly, " doubtless you are referring to what I said about the Fitzholmes. Well, it was perfectly true." 40 IN- SUNNY AUSTRALIA Her cold blue eyes seemed to cut their way down to one's soul nolens volens ; while the steely flash indicated rising temper. " How do you know it is true ? " Grey asked quietly, but not decidedly. " I think so ! " — very icily. " That is no proof. And, Isabelle, you should leave these things to me ; I am the one to speak. Already the Fitzholmes have given up their seat." " Let them ! " was the only response, as she went on darning vigorously. " It is hardly wise," ventured the fond husband. " How irritating you can sometimes be, Arthur ! " she exclaimed passionately, rising up and throwing down her work. " No doubt in their hearts the Fitz- holmes blamed, you, only it is not to be expected they would say so, and it is so very convenient a thing to have your poor, innocent wife on whom to throw all the blame." The clergyman looked greatly troubled. He had had similar difficulties to contend against ever since he married the worldly, self-seeking Miss Chevasse, and each year they grew larger. True, his wife, according to her outward appear- ance and conversation, now believed as much in re- ligion and its works as she had formerly done in society and its ways. That was the worst of it all ! To those who really believe and act up to their creed, be it what it may. MRS. MAYNARD'S GARDEN' PARTY 4 1 even the most narrow-minded and prejudiced can scarcely fail to at least recognise their sincerity, while holding their own opinions and allowing others to hold theirs ; but a hypocrite merits nothing but contempt. Better leave all creeds alone than be a mere professor. It was Grey's real earnestness, his humanity, his kindly, upright character that endeared him to all his people, and led them to overlook his one failing. They knew where his weakness lay, and his wife knew it too, and used it to her own advantage accordingly. " My dear," said Grey, in his deep, but gentle voice, "just now you admitted you yourself spoke to them, so how can you reasonably blame me .' In- deed, Isabelle, we have been married sixteen years now, and many times have I shielded you ; but in truth I will not have it said, as well^ that my wife backbites ! " She looked at him for a minute or two with cold, suppressed rage, then resorted to her usual method of subduing him — that of tearful hysterics. " That is right," she sobbed ; " I am a back-biter, of course ; I am a scandal-monger and everything that is bad in your estimation. But you forget what I have done for your parish." Now if there was one thing more than another that Mr. Grey sensitively shrank from it was 1 a woman's tears. " My dear wife," he said, kissing her affectionately, 42 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " do I ever think anything but good of you, love ? and," he continued, " I have made time to accompany you on Tuesday." " It is of no consequence ! I have made an ar- rangement with a friend with whom I would rather go, and who is not always hunting up some faults to tack on to my shoulders," she replied coldly, drying her eyes, and retiring with her work-basket to a dis- tant corner of the room. So there was nothing more to be said, and Mr. Grey silently left the room. It sometimes surprised even this devoted husband how forcibly his wife could throw the blame of all little quarrels that arose from her too-ready tongue on to his ever-willing shoulders, and how injured and martyred she would look if he, perchance, should gently hint that it would be well for her to be more cautious. On Sunday, Mrs. Grey, as she still cherished a small grudge against her husband for his Saturday's remarks, chose to absent herself from church, and stay at home to wash out a white suit for little Jimmy, which was really necessary, and church was not, at least, not for her— a clergyman's wife ! Nevertheless she found it quite a necessity, "for her conscience' sake," she said, to walk up that same afternoon to Widow Jamieson, and read her a proper little lecture in her sweetest and best style on the wickedness of allowing her washing to hang out on the line all Sunday. MRS. MAYNARD'S GARDEN PARTY 43 At which Widow Jamieson tossed her head and replied, " That there were some folks who ought to know better who did the same and worse." And Mrs. Grey, virtuously horrified, mentally put her down as the chief of sinners. Tuesday, about three o'clock, Norrington appeared, and Mrs. Grey, dressed in white, her gold hair shining, came downstairs. She looked tall and slight, and very young and pretty to have a big girl like Chrissy. " It is so kind of you to come, Mr. Norrington," she said, with a charming smile, that somehow vaguely flattered him ; " scarcely any one remembers that I too can enjoy a little recreation after hours of work." " They must be an ungrateful and unappreciative lot of beggars, then," replied Norrington honestly,, as they passed out on to the road. Passing by the cricket field, where Charlie was seen greatly enjoying his exploits, permission for which he had obtained through his father's good offices, they turned the corner, coming unexpectedly upon Mr. Grey, who had just dismounted, in order to visit a sick parishioner. Grey, so Norrington fancied, looked somewhat re- proachfully at his wife, but with a fascinating manipu- lation of her smiles she smiled at him, and passed on. On arriving at the Maynards, they found most of the principal townspeople and a few squatters' 44 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA families assembled, excepting the Conroys, who were unable to be present. Just at that time nearly all those who could afford to go down to Melbourne for the social season had returned to their country homes, and either mourned, rejoiced, or were per- fectly indifferent to the results of the " Cup." It was a perfect afternoon, tempered by a cool breeze ; and though the weather was dry, and the outlook poor, Mrs. Maynard's guests gave them- selves up — with the characteristic abandon of the Australian — to gaiety and mirth. There is no doubt that Australians do love amuse- ment and variety. Excitement they must have, be it in the form of games, an eight-hour-day procession, or bush country races. It is the enervating climate causes them to long for some stimulant. Hal Brereton was talking to his hostess as he sat watching a little group, consisting of his wife, Mrs. Grey, and Norrington, with half-closed eyes. Mrs. Maynard, following the direction of his eyes, remarked, " What a nice picture they make, and I must say Aileen is just as pretty as the much praised Mrs. Grey." Hal's fair, florid face flushed with unmistakable pleasure. " By Jove ! I think so too. Aileen is the best and prettiest little wife a man could wish to have." "Always think that," replied Mrs. Maynard de- MRS. MAYNARD'S GARDEN PARTY. 45 cidedly. " Now tell me, Hal, what do you think- of Mr. Norrington ? " She had known Hal many years, and was as an elder sister to him. " I like him," said Hal bluntly, "and will do all I can to help him along." " Generosity was ever one of your best qualities," she replied smilingly. " I have not enough of it to be worth speaking iabout," he answered, with a laugh ; " when I have I will let you know. But, seriously speaking, I have taken a great liking to Norrington. He is an un- common sort of a chap, with a lot of reserve strength about him, and " — reflectively — " he might do a gr'eat deal with me if he liked." Mrs. Maynard understood. She understood that the curse of the Australians was laying its hand on Hal Brereton. " Do it for yourself," she exclaimed energetically. " Do it for your own sake, and for Aileen's." " Norrington shall teach me," he returned lazily. " See, Mrs. Maynard, my wife and he going to play this game of tennis, and Mrs. Grey looks cross. I did not know she was so taken with him," he added, wickedly teasing her. " That is foolish chatter," she answered, with just severity, and so left him to attend to her other guests. But many others talked that same " foolish chat- ter " before the evening was old, and some went so 46 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA far as to remark that Mr. Norrington was the favourite now, and wondered how long it would last. When people said the same things to Aileen, she would gently laugh, and firmly disbelieve them, and take care to praise Mrs. Grey more highly than ever. The tennis set being finished, Hal crossed over to Norrington, congratulated him on his victory, and said, " If you have nothing to do to-morrow, Nor- rington, I would be very glad if you would ride out with me to Conroy's, and we could ask him about the irrigation question. We could cross the creek low down by the old Lucerne paddock ; it's a short cut from there." The two men looked into each other's eyes and understood. "You are very good," said Norrington abruptly. Later on the Breretons left, but Norrington escorted Mrs. Grey home, and when she asked him to stay the evening, he did so, for he liked the children, and he liked the demure Chrissy. CHAPTER VI IRRIGATION JANUARY'S sun popped his brazen face over the horizon, because, forsooth, he could not gain his midday eminence and strength at a single bound ; but he rose up with determination marked on his molten countenance to run his day's course unhin- dered by strolling clouds ; and in his day's journey he included, as a particular piece of work, the baking of various portions of Australia. All the summer months Bourketown came under the baking cate- gory, to the dread and discomfiture of its inhabitants. Down the shaded slope where the cool land wind kissed the grass unblessed by dew came two horse- men, travelling westward. The sweet morning breeze that now blew coquet- tishly about the riders threatened to become a burn- ing blast from the arid plains of the interior ere the day was old, and the thought occiofred to both the horsemen that they must make the best " enquired Nor- rington, now smiling. " Oh, pity has helped him ! " returned Chubby, in her amusing way. " Tub and I never tease or worry him. He is a wealthy young man who cannot play billiards very well, and is therefore Reginald's friend. You will have a good chance of seeing us all together at lunch to-day, excepting Tub, who can never endure laziness, so he has accompanied the drover part of the way to Melbourne with some fat cattle. Reginald is no good on a station ; he and Blanche are the ornaments which we keep from getting dusty. There was a minute's silence, then — "Miss Con- roy!" 68 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA "She is in the drawing-room, reading a novel," replied the girl demurely. " Shall I call her ? " " Now that is too bad ; you know who I mean," Norrington declared. Chubby laughed mischievously. " I suppose you mean me. Why do you not address me by my proper name .' " " Because I do not know it," he answered. " It is ' just Chubby,' and has been that ever since I can remember," she said, a slight shade falling across her bright young face. " It is a very pretty name, and — it suits you," said Norrington decidedly. She looked up brightly. " I am so glad you think so ; may I ask what yours is ? " " Noel," he replied tersely. " Noel," she repeated, " Noel Norrington ! How artistic your mother must have been ! " He winced slightly. " I beg your pardon," cried Chubby in a voice of contrition, seeing she had made a mistake ; and getting up she went to the arbour steps. " There is no need," he cried hastily ; " don't go — Chubby ! " But she ran down the garden path and left him. " He thinks he likes me," she panted to herself, with a shrewdness natural to her. " He must not make such a mistake." At lunch Noel looked about for his friend, as he 'JUST CHUBBY.'" 69 now called Chubby, but she was sitting at the same side of the long table as himself, so he could not see her ; but Blanche, having deserted Dr. Wilton for the time being, was his companion. " How do you like Bralga ? " she inquired, with a pretty little laugh. Nearly all her remarks were ac- companied by a little gurgle of some sort. " It is very pretty country, though tame. This homestead is the best feature, and it is very different to the long wooden structures with which the back stations are provided. There one parades to the musical howl of the dingo ; but one can be pretty comfortable with a good 'possum rug and a blanket." " Ha! no doubt you understaad-all that," observed Reginald, in a drawling voice, as he twirled the ends of his silky moustache. The implied sneer made Norrington reply coolly, " Oh, yes ! I had several stations once, and always found I had need to make more than the annual tour of inspection. The men take things very easily out in the bush." Reginald bit that pretty moustache ot his ! Nor- rington's superior indifference, that would not con- descend to be insulted by his rude trivialities, an- noyed him. He felt he would have enjoyed kicking him out of the window, if he could only have done so in a polite and gentlemanly enough fashion. What Blanche 70 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA could see in him to be looking up into his eyes in such an adoring manner was beyond Reginald's somewhat weak comprehension. But glare at Noel as he might, that young man did not observe him, as he was valiantly struggling to look decently interested in what Blanche was tell- ing him. She was informing him " how sweet the Something Smiths were," and how " too really charming the Somebody Jones could be." " Did he not know them ? " — in an accent of surprise. " They were the people of the season. Everybody who was anybody called upon them. They gave most lovely dinners and dances, and were altogether quite un- usual people." "Unusual! Good Heavens!" exclaimed .Noel. "From your description of them I should say they are most ordinary." "You purposely misunderstand me," she replied, with a charming smile that vaguely reminded him of Mrs. Grey, "because you men like to have me say things over to you again." He smiled to himself at her vanity. Poor butter- fly ! narrow-souled creature ! living on the sweets of others' flattery. " Never mind ; you need not trouble, Miss Conroy," he said easily. " Like the fox in the fable, I shall con- tent myself by making up my mind it is not worth understanding." Blanche felt decidedly snubbed, and for the re- "JUST CHUBBY!" Tl mainder of lunch kept up a war of words with her unsmiling brother. As Norrington was passing through the room, Chubby said abruptly, — " Father would like to see you, Mr. Norrington, if you do not mind going to his office, where he says you will be free from inter- ruption. I guess he is feeling generous and a bit better-tempered." Before Noel had time to answer her she had turned away again. So that afternoon was spent in an animated dis- cussion, and finally Conroy said he was agreeable, if sonie others could be found who would join with him in bearing the expense. Noel mentioned Brereton for one. " It'll be a private spec," said Conroy gruffly. " I'll write to some of 'em ! It'll come better from me. Before you quit, young man, I daresay it will be settled." It was not till after dinner that Norrington saw Chubby. He, restfully leaning back on one of the cushioned seats with which the bow window waS supplied, had his attention attracted from Mrs. Conroy's conversa- tion by seeing Chubby enter and look around, past her brother, over the head of 'Dr. Wilton to where he sat. Then she openly walked over to him and took the middle seat. Blanche elevated her eyebrows in well-bred surprise, 72 ' IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA and with a look which said, " See how shocking my sister is ! " Mrs. Conroy, far-sighted and benevolent old lady, suddenly remembered that she had lost her knitting, and it took her such an extraordinary time to find it that Blanche and the doctor went into the garden ; Reginald retired to the bachelors' quarters ; while Noel and Chubby made themselves comfortable in lounges on the south verandah, where the Southern Cross blinked amiably at them, and the moon played hide-and-seek with the clouds. " Detestable thing ! " cried Norrrington, pitching his crutch with dangerous rapidity on to one side. " I shall bid you farewell with fervour. Ah ! and that reminds me, I thought that you had bidden me farewell, • Chubby. Why did you desert me at both meals to-day ? " " It was not my fault," declared she, laughing ; " the arrangements were altered ! " " I was dreadfully bored," he said, after a pause. " That was ungrateful ; after all the trouble Blanche went to, too, to work up all those smiles. She can smile whenever occasion demands it," answered Chubby. " Then her smiles are a triumph of art," interposed Noel. " Say rather, that that is the beauty of having no particular feelings," rejoined she spiritedly. " She is so cold and unemotional that her smiles mean nothing, "JUST CHUBBY!" 73 and they have no more life in them than illuminated marble. Oh, Blanche is altogether too stereo- typed for me ! We would never be real chums," Then going off at a tangent — " Did you ever see two such walking waste-paper baskets as Reginald and Dr. Wilton } Their minds are like dust-heaps ; no- thing but rubbish. Take away the doctor's profes- sion, and he is a mere cypher." "Now you are prejudiced," returned Norrington argumentatively. " I think he has possibilities. Wait till you see them spring up and flourish." " I cannot see any, excepting the possibility of his marrying Blanche," retorted Chubby flatly ; " and I only wish he would, and stop flirting. Blanche thinks she will catch him that way, when every one talks about them. Upon my word, it makes me feel ashamed of being a girl ! " " There is something," said Noel softly, " about not expecting to gather grapes off thistles ! — do you re- member ? " Chubby did not smile; her large grey eyes were trying to pierce the silvery mistiness. " I daresay I do expect too much from her," she admitted. "A very general failing," said Norrington drily. "We all exact too much from others and too little from ourselves. A puny being or thing does not affect us, where a larger one would." Chubby was silent a minute, then, beginning to laugh again, she asked, "Do you not admire 74 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA Reginald's moustadhe? He is always caressing the silky ends." " Probably," remarked Noel wickedly, " he believes all's well that ends well ! " " You wretch ! " cried Chubby, laughing, "to crack such an abominable joke ! Do you not know that that is my province ? Seriously, though, I must tell Reginald of the new motto that has been suitably suggested for him, and call him ' Reggie dear,' which he hates ! " " I am so sorry. I will not joke again during the remainder of my stay." " I feel as if I had said something rude," said Chubby seriously ; " but really I was only joking." " I know," replied Noel teasingly ; " you told me that that was your province." Then they both laughed. At that moment, from behind a large flowering shrub emerged two figures, Blanche and Dr. Wilton. He had his arm around her, and just then stooped to kiss her fair upturned face ; and the sly moon saw it all. Noel and Chubby saw it too ; and he with curious eyes turned to look at Chubby's averted countenance, as if to divine what she thought of it, and Chubby gave vigorous expression to her thoughts. " Disgusting ! " she ejaculated, as she swiftly turned and left the verandah. " I could not stand that," she murmured, on reach- "JUST CHUBBY.''' 75 ingher room ; " it would make me 'sentimental, and I believe I am getting fond of Noel. Bah ! it is too ridiculous, when he, too, only thinks of me as a friend ! Well," as a knock came to the door, " what is it ? Come in ! " Blanche, pale and lovely, entered. CHAPTER IX IN WHICH NOEL FOUND IT HARD TO SAY GOOD-BYE " "^/"OU have lost your complexion, Blanche ; have J- your cosmetlques run short ? " said that mis- chievous wretch Chubby, with most awkward truth- fulness. " Because, if so, it is no use coming to me ; I never keep them in stock." " I wish you would give up that habit of speaking out whatever comes into your head," said Blanche angrily. " It makes you ever so many enemies." " Poor things ! " cried Chubby heartily. Blanche sat down on the bed while her sister tugged at her heavy tresses. " Chubby dear ! " she then began sweetly, " you must not be vexed with me, but really it was most awfully open and forward the way in which you walked straight over to Mr. Norrington this even- ing. " Why .' Did you want to go ? " asked Chubby smartly. " Not I ! " returned Blanche calmly. " He has not money enough to atone for his want of manners 76 NOEL FOUND IT HARD TO SAY GOOD-BYE ^^ SO I shall not waste my time over him. Dr. Wilton is a much better catch ! " " Well, I must say it is rather rich of you to come and lecture me, when you talk in such an unwomanly and mercenary style yourself," said Chubby disgus- tedly. " Why should not women as well as men under- take business transactions?" demanded Blanche, on the defensive, " No reason at all why they should not, provided they be honest enough," said her sister bluntly. " Oh well," said Blanche carelessly, " I must bring Dr. Wilton up to the mark pretty soon ; though I do not profess to be in love with him, as you are with Noel Norrington. Now," as the rosy colour rushed over Chubby's face, " you need not deny it ; you know " (maliciously) " you have hardly been slangy once since you found he did not like it." " At all events," cried Chubby, forgetting herself, " I do not let men who are only flirting with me kiss me ! " — in an accent of extreme distaste. " I saw it ! so did Mr. Norrington ; and oh, Blanche, he smiled— nearly laughed ! " Blanche, pale with passion, rose up and opened the door. " You wretch ! " she breathed between her pearly teeth, turning to face her sister ; " never you dare mention a word of it." " You see, Blanche," yelled out Chubby triumph- 78 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA antly, " it does not quite pay for you to come lectur- ing me, now does it ? " The following morning Mrs. Conroy arranged an impromptu picnic for the ostensible reason of picking all the fruit there might be in the lower orchard. As the lower orchard was three miles distant, that being the dampest spot available, and the day a most in- considerately hot one, it was deemed advisable to drive. Indeed, Blanche and Dr. Wilton had already settled themselves in the light sulky, and were quite prepared to drive off. The sociable, into which the horses were being harnessed, was standing in the yard, and in it Nor- rington, surrounded by a battalion of baskets. With due seriousness, Chubby handed up the last one. " I'm afraid you and mother will not be very comfortable with that disorganized array," she re- marked. " It will not affect me," laughed Norrington ; " but how will you manage .' " " I am goin^ to sit in the front, to see that Regi- nald does not calmly drop us into the creek." That elegant young man now sauntered up. " As there seems to be no provision made for me, I may as well drive with you," he announced grumblingly. "I thought you were going to be our whip," said Chubby airily. " But, of course, if you object I can supply your place." NOEL FOUND IT HARD TO SAY GOOD-BYE']^ " It is well you think so," returned her brother with admirable impudence, as he sprang up to his seat and gathered up the reins. " Well, shall I start ? Is not his most amiable lordship coming ? " "No," retorted Chubby smartly. "He has the decency to abstain from going out when he is in a big temper." Reginald cleared his throat. " Your wit, my child, is a trifle ambiguous." " What are we going to do .'' " asked Norrington, wishing to turn the talk. " Chatter, and eat fruit in the intervals," said Chubby gaily. " Broil ! " said Reginald concisely. " By the time we arrive there we shall not be capable of eating, much less of picking, fruit. What the deuce led my respected parent to take the cover off this sociable ? " " Probably he did not want to find it and us sus- pended from a gum tree," answered Chubby serenely. " Or see his horses prancing home, quarrelling as to who should not have the pole," supplemented Noel. " Or the finding of two people who are not rational," said Reginald, exasperated. "Qu — ite true, Reginald," wickedly answered Chubby. " Have I not often said you and Blanche are so much alike ? " " Blanche is out of the question, and also out of sight," said he, with dignity. 8o IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " Let us get the sulky in sight by all manner of means, or " broke off Noel. " Well, what ? " demanded Chubby curiously. " Or the possibility may have become a fact." Chubby knew to what he was alluding, but she conveniently rose to the occasion. " Ah yes ! and we should have no fruit for lunch. Reginald, do whip up the horses." " You must think they have pretty large appetites," said her brother sceptically. " I think there is a pretty small supply of fruit this dry season," retorted Chubby. But no sooner had she said it than she blushed with shame to think that she, who was always so honest, had uttered an un- truth. " Chubby," said Noel, when they had reached their destination, and he and she were picking bunches of purple grapes, "what made you speak as you did about the possibility ? " " It was horribly mean of you," flashed out she, truthfully enough this time ; " Reginald would have wanted to know everything, and he would have told Dr. Wilton I wanted to get Blanche off." " I thought Dr. Wilton's opinion was of no conse- quence to you, or I would not have brought up the subject," said Noel in a low voice. The hot tears rushed to her eyes. " You do not understand. I would not have either him or Reginald think that I was so mercenary, such — such NOJEL FOUND IT HARD TO SAY GOOD-BYE Bl a husband-hunter, even though it were for some one else." " Forgive me," pleaded Noel. " I was very incon- siderate." And of course she forgave him, with a happy, sweet expression in her downcast eyes. Had he seen that look Noel perhaps would not have gone on to des- cribe to her his ideal woman. But Chubby, listen- ing, determined to improve herself. Their part of the vineyard — it was February then — being stripped. Chubby betook herself to the peaches, zealously picking all within her reach and out of her reach too, singing in her gay contralto : " Say, do you remember, John ? It was in September, John ! When we went picking apples in the days gone by ! " " You are altogether wrong," said Noel, from where he lay outspread beside the baskets. " How so ? In not making you help me ? " " No, the song. So far as I can remember, I never went picking apples, or any other kind of fruit, with you until to-day ; and then, my name isn't John." " You are very silly if you cannot understand that I am singing something that does not apply to any- body," said she, with a dignified air. " Oh, ah ! " responded Noel stupidly. Chubby left the peach trees and picked up a F 82 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA basket. " We had better get some lunch," she said shortly. During lunch-time she devoted herself to Reginald, while Blanche, seated between the two men, flirted desperately with Norrington, in order to evoke some sign of jealousy from her tardy admirer. He, however, unconcernedly, because he knew she would say " yes " whenever he chose to honour her, was talking billiards to Reginald, and bet him ten to one he (Dr. Wilton) would win the next game they played. Reginald disdained to take up the bet, because, he said, when he won money he did like to win it — not have it given to him. Dr. Wilton grew angry, and remarked that by the lemon trees would be a good place for further dis- cussion ; so their lunch being finished they repaired thither. Blanche presently left, making the third person who had quitted that dainty meal with a very big hole in their tempers. Chubby said to Norrington — they were very good friends again by this time — that no doubt it was due to the heat of the sun, and Norrington replied to a certainty that it was due to the temperament of the daughter ; because if Blanche had not talked to him so much, Dr. Wil- ton would not have been able to give any attention to Reginald. It was a pity they all fell out of order so. NOEL FOUND IT HARD TO SAY GOOD-BYE 83 " You mean that for me," said Chubby sagely ; " but I am not going to get cross this time." " That is a wise resolution," returned he, with mock sadness, " for you will have but two weeks more in which to be angry." " And isn't that enough .' " queried she, determined not to show her wound. " Any one with a fairly good supply of bad temper — observe the adjectives, s'il vous platt, Monsieur Noel! — could manage to drive all their friends into a lunatic asylum in less than that time." Then he smiled at her in a kind, affectionate way, that very much resembled Tub's brotherly fondness, and convinced Chubby for ever that he did not love her. The return home was trying. Most of the fruit was gathered, and Mrs. Conroy meant to pop it into the preserving pans, to put down for winter, as quickly as possible. She offered Noel a bottle of it, which he hurriedly declined. He drew a mental picture of himself driving in state into Bourketown with a bottle of fruit on one knee. The remaining time Noel spent in pleasure. There were many little impromptu amusements which they got up to kill the dulness of station life, but it was far too sultry for dancing. Dr. Wilton had announced his intention of return- ing with Norrington to Bourketown, and proceeding from thence to Melbourne, his holiday being over. 84 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA And as yet — it was the last evening of his stay — he had made no formal declaration to Blanche. She, mortified and vexed, made some remark about it to Chubby as they were dressing for dinner. " I do not see how you could expect him to do so," said Chubby complacently, as she fixed some roses in her dress. " Pray why not 1 Am I not pretty enough ? " " Oh, yes ! and if you only keep up the seige long enough, no doubt he will come to the conclusion that he cannot live without you. You are necessary to his vanity. I have often told you Dr. Wilton likes to be run after, to a certain extent; it makes him fancy himself a rara avis ! " said Chubby calmly. "Your remarks are spiteful and jealous," said Blanche, with conviction. "They are strikingly true," responded her sister; " but if you are not content with that reason, here is another ready to hand. You flirt too much. You must remember he was present at all those balls at which you flirted so openly with young Trendon, and also during the time you angled so for Captain Flip-Flop, the A.D.C. Of course he knows you will ' love ' the highest bidder." " Your notions are frightfully crude ! " exclaimed Blanche sweetly. " Allow me to tell you, my charm- ing, prudish young sister, that men do not care about women whom no other men run after. They enjoy a little competition, my dear ! " NOEL FOUND IT HARD TO SAV GOOD-BYE H^ Instead of getting angry, Chubby laughed. "I believe it is said somewhere that men are ever ready for an honest shindy. Well, it's about dinner-time, Blanche ; I must run." That evening, Norrington's last evening, Chubby's spirits sank down, down like lead ; and what was worse, it was a fearful effort for her to get them to rise at all. As usual, they paired off in the ordinary way. Norrington had discarded his stick and was walking about. " Let us walk down to the vine-covered arbour," suggested he. " I must bid it an affectionate adieu. Do you know," regretfully, " I have become quite fond of it ; " and his dark, quiet face looked quite boyish and loving as he spoke, but Chubby made no reply. There were too many things that could be said. By the time they had reached the arbour she had regained her composure. " Yes," she was saying, quite evenly and brightly ; " it is a favourite retreat of Tub's and mine. We come here to discuss our plans and to be idle. Tub is coming home the day after to-morrow ; you will miss seeing him." " I am sorry, because I like him very much from description. But why do you call him Tub ? " "Because he is as fat and as round as a tub ; he is such a jolly brother to own," said Chubby warmly. 86 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " No need to iron the creases out of his temper ; he wrinkles all over with jollity." There was a pause. Norrington did not seem to be conversationally blessed that evening. He was devoutly wishing he were not so poor, that he was able to — well, the result of his cogitations was that he said, " I have undertaken to get some men to- gether and commence these water-works, and no one is more anxious than I that they may be success- ful." He paused, and looked at her almost appealingly. " I hope so, too," was all she could find to say. " If I am," he went on more easily, " I shall hope to visit Bralga ; that is, if you will allow me." " Allow you ! " echoed Chubby in surprise. " Why, you would not wait to be asked, surely f Our friends generally come and go as they please. You are always welcome. We are glad to see any one in the bush ! " "You are not very polite," said Norrington con- strainedly. " I beg your pardon. Was I rude ? If so, I assure you it was quite unintentional," answered she, with earnestness and deep concern. " That is what makes it worse," returned he with emphasis. Chubby hjistily turned the conversation by saying, " I have since discovered my proper name is Char- lotte. I hunted it up in the big Bible ; and my age — NOEL FOUND IT HARD TO SAY GOOD-BYES'] do you remember my saying I would tell you ? — I find is nineteen summers!" " And Blanche ? " he queried, half laughing. " I cannot inform you ; one should not tell tales of their elders, you know." Again there was silence. This time Noel rose and stood beside Chubby, who was pulling leaves one by one off the creeper and dropping them to the ground. " Chubby," he said quickly, " Chubby, how can I say good-bye to yoti ? " She looked very pretty in the soft light, prettier than he had ever seen her, and he felt a momentary desire to possess her for his own. " By shaking hands, I suppose," answered she matter- of-factly. " Never ! " he replied impulsively ; and without a moment's thought he took her shapely face between his hands and — " That is the only good-bye I will say to you," he said. For a moment Chubby trembled at the portals of bliss, then, her natural keenness returning to her, she quitted her Paradise for ever. " No, no ! " (withdrawing herself from him). " Noel, how could you do it ? when you know — you — know that you do — not love me ; that this is just a passing fancy." She seemed to have a difficulty in speaking, and her words brought Norrington to a saner mind. What she said was true ; he seemed to realize that 88 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA all in a minute as he had never done before. It was a momentary temptation, and Chubby had saved him. She knew him better than he knew himself. " You are too good to me," said the young man humbly, " and I am the veriest wretch to treat you as I did. I do not deserve your forgiveness." But Chubby was crying. Her hero had fallen from his lofty pedestal to the standard of a flirt. CHAPTER X NOT A "chubby" " O UCH a long time since I have seen you, Mr. ^^ Norrington. Are you i^tiite recovered? In- deed, if Bralga were not so entirely out of the world, I would have come to see you, and rendered some trifling assistance ; but the only small service I could do was to write. You received my letters ? " " Oh yes, thank you," replied he, thinking how at the time he had yawned over those epistles, and how much nicer Mrs. Grey was to talk with. Letters were a bore. They were seated in the pretty rectory drawing- room, Mrs. Grey leaning back, her shinirig golden head just resting on the cushioned top of the chair, her red lips smiling, and blue eyes sparkling at her guest. " I am so glad to have you back," she went on, in a half-plaintive voice that had a charm and sweet- ness entirely Its own. "You cannot tell how / missed my friend. Ah ! but j/ou had other things to interest you ; j/ou could afford to forget." 90 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA She spoke prettily, softly, without any wounded vanity in her tone, only sweet friendliness, and lifting her lids slowly she looked at him but for a moment, then as slowly let her lids fall again over the brilliant eyes. There was an irresistible magnetism in this little trick of hers, a magnetism that had wounded many hearts before she changed her name ; as to afterwards — but that is another matter. Isabelle Grey was a clergyman's wife whose strict devotion and saintliness, as she herself expressed it, held the parish together. -i Noel, simple idiot that he was where a pretty* woman was concerned, thought how kind and disinterested it was of her to take such an interest* in him. " Your goodness exceeds all," he exclaimed. " I am a stranger, if not in a strange land, at any rate in a strange colony ; but you have made me feel quite at home." " Always do me a favour, then," she returned, " by coming to me whether in joy or grief; you shall always have my sympathy." After being away Norrington found her doubly charming. She changed the conversation by ad- miring a bouquet of flowers which he held. " They are lovely, — and for me ? How thoughtful of you. You remember I love flowers," said she. Noel did not remember, and her appropriating NOT A '"CHUBBY" 91 them thus surprised him. He had intended them for the quiet, pale Chrissy, who had so few pleasures, and who loved all blossoms ; but he rose to the occasion, and said he was delighted that they pleased her. Polite society does make us hypocrites. If any one had called Norrington a hypocrite, he would have said he had merely changed his mind, and given them to the mother instead. And no doubt he did change his mind. Mrs, Grey placed the flowers in a bowl, and with slow gracefulness returned to her seat. i* " Do you know, Mr. Norrington, that I have a young step-sister coming to live with me .' She has pot long left school, and has been teaching. Poor child ! how I pray for her on my knees every day — she is so irreligious. I shudder to think what would become of her should she die this day." "She wobld probably be decently buried in the course of forty-eight hours," rejoined he flippantly, and without thinking. Mrs. Grey nearly fainted on to the carpet. " Oh, Mr. Norrington, how can you talk so wickedly and profanely ? You must try and overcome that failing. Now the Fitzholmes, they are most dread- ful people, and it is a matter of great grief to me that they exercise their tongues wickedly, and diffuse abroad gossip. I would, not say the untrue things they say for the world with all its wealth and pleasures. Oh dear, no ! I could not trifle with my 92 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA soul SO, and I never dreamed you would " (very fetchingly). "Do you know, they talked so much about other people that they were obliged to leave the church ? And really it is all very trying to poor hard-worked me." " I heard a very different version of that story somewhere," reflected Noel to himself; " however, I do not talk gossip, if ladies of my acquaintance do — so here goes." "Yes, dear Mrs. Grey, some most unaccount- ably trying things happen in life, and I chance to be one of them, I'm afraid you will never make a paragon of me. Tell me, when is your step-sister * expected ">. " She looked at him scrutinizingly from under her lowered lids. " Why are you so anxious to know .' " she queried. " Because, since she is related to you, she must be nice," returned he promptly, being a man and she a pretty woman. A sweetly lingering smile was the reward he re- ceived for his gallant speech. " Ah ! 'tis not every one that is courageous enough to say such things to me. They are better whis- pered." From which speech Norrington concluded that Mr. Grey was something of an ogre. But if so — sage reflection — he kept it most artistically con- cealed. NOT A "CHUBBY" 93 Just then Mr. Grey himself entered the hall. " Excuse me," she exclaimed hurriedly, aside to Noel, and going into the hall she commenced talking in a half-apologetic, deprecating undertone. " Exactly so, love ! I understand. I will not trouble you," Noel heard Grey say in reply, and then Mrs. Grey returned flushed, but triumphant. " My husband does and says such foolish things. I am just kept on the qui vive listening for and remedying ^his little mistakes. Of course I would not say so to any one hut fou." Probably she forgot that she had previously said the same thing to Mrs. Maynard, Mrs. Brereton, and various other acquaintances ; but then one cannot be expected to remember every little trifle, more es- pecially when one sets up for being the paragon saint and lady bountiful of the district. There are so many little things a wise person will bury quietly. This was one of Mrs. Grey's, and she dug it a grace- ful grave, and folded it in a shroud of forgetfulness. One cannot remember everything, it is too incon- venient altogether. Norrington began to think it was time he departed, but she detained him on some pretext for over an hour, saying pretty nothings to her. Afterwards he regretted he had allowed himself to waste an hour, when not one word more of the step- sister did he hear for his pains. If she were as pretty as Mrs. Grey it might be dangerous for him to go to the 94 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA Rectory too often ; he— he who had nearly fallen in love with Chubby Conroy, as it was. For the next few days Noel had plenty to occupy his time in calling for tenders, making various ex- cursions with, or without, the partners of the new irrigation company. He was the manager and engineer-in-chief, and everything depended on his bringing the work to a successful issue. But it was an undertaking to bring a canal into the town from the river, and Noel felt he must put forth all his energy in justice to those who had invested their money in the scheme. His head was full of these thoughts as he walked by, actually by, the Rectory one February evening, and had forgotten all about Mrs. Grey, her step- sister, and everything else. Charlie's voice energetically protesting, " Oh, I say, that won't do ! that won't do at all," roused him, and looking up to see what would not do, he per- ceived Mrs. Grey rise to her feet, and make a little forward movement. Norrington instantly lifted his hat, and raising the gate latch, entered. It was warm and dusk. The whole family lay spread out under the trees, untroubled by the fear of vagabond snakes. " Why, gracious ! " shouted Charlie jovially, hav- ing lost sight of his grievance, " here is Mr. Norring- ton again ! " NOT A "CHUBBY" 95 "Which sounds as if you didn't want him, so apologize, my shy little brother," said Rob, sotto voce. Belle clambered down from a tree ; Jimmy turned up from some inexplicable corner whither he had been sent for punishment for his sins, and soon the whole small fry congregated round Noel ; but their mother, with smiling lips and flashing eyes, quickly dispersed them. " Come, I want you myself," she said sweetly. Mr. Grey moved uneasily. His wife threw him a quick, angry glance, not seen by Noel. " Only a mosquito, my dear, I assure you," said he protestingly, flipping his handkerchief from side to side. " I'm very glad it is," returned she plaintively ; while, from Norrington, who was placing two chairs, " Yes, Grey, they are a confounded nuisance. If only laws were passed to abolish them, with a reward of so much per thousand, one would never lack em- ployment on a summer's evening." " Only lack money ! you would be poor all your life if you had to depend on killing mosquitoes," re- joined he drily. Somehow Noel fancied Grey was not quite pleased to see him there that evening, and as his wife's smiles waxed kinder he grew unusually grave and silent. The younger party had shouldered their rugs and 96 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA departed out of earshot, taking their new aunt along with them. She was so young and childish they had dropped the prefix, calling her simply by her christian name. She liked it. " Say, Joan," said Charlie confidentially, as with a heartfelt sigh he sprawled across the rug, "not bad of the missis to trot us off like this, is it } Shame of her not to give you a knock-down to Norrington ! " " Yes ; you are a lot more grown-up than us, aren't you ? " inquired Jimmy innocently, " cos you've bin teaching ; so mother had oughter let you stay be- hind." " I perceive I shall have to teach you proper and due reverence, also your English grammar," said the girl addressed gaily. " Chrissy love, I wonder if it is getting late .' What about the butcher-bird ? He ought to be cosily in bed." " The bird is in bed," returned Chrissy, ever gently, " and it is about eight o'clock. How dark it is ! I wonder if mother will be long ? " " Till sunrise, or, in other words, till Mr. Norrington goes," said precocious Charlie naughtily ; " it will be the rising of the son then, won't it .' " most appealingly, as he caught sight of Chrissy's rebuking face. " It's a shame," he added, amidst the giggle that broke out suppressedly, " to keep him so long when I love talk- ing to him. My eye ! Joan, he would make a nice young man for you ; and you would let him yam to us, wouldn't you ? " NOT A ''CHUBBY" 97 " Oh, don't be silly ! " exclaimed Joan, laughing. " You know," put in Rob, matter-of-factly, but with a sly, teasing glance at Chrissy, " we seriously thought of arranging for him to be our brother-in-law ; but on second thoughts Charlie and I came to the conclu- sion that Chrissy was too ugly for his taste. Belle is a little better, though to be sure she is not much, besides being such a baby " " Well, you have got a cheek," interrupted Belle indignantly. " Don't interrupt. Belle ! " went on her brother serenely ; " little girls who do so must be sent to bed ! Well, as I was saying, Joan, Chrissy being ugly, and Belle just escaping by virtue of her nose refusing to look up at her eyes, as is the habit of some noses — not that that is Belle's fault, for I know she would have it that way if she could — we must hand Mr. Norrington over to you, as being the prettiest, oldest, and most sensi " And Rob's peroration was cut short again, but in a very different fashion to that which he dreamed of Immediately behind him stood his mother and Norrington, the latter wearing an intensely amused smile, which, dark though it was, Rob was smart enough to detect. Norrington smothered it almost immediately. Said Mrs. Grey charmingly, taking no notice of her son's speech, which, however, would be all the more surely and better remembered the following day,— G 98 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " Why did you run away from us, Joan ? surely that was unnecessary. Allow me to introduce you to Mr. Norrington, — my sister, Miss Compton ! " All he could see in the dark was a slender, rounded figure, about medium height, not tall, as was her sister, but infinitely more graceful. He noticed that as she bowed. " Very warm this evening. Are you not afraid of snakes, Miss Compton .■' " he inquired easily. " Yes " and " No," Joan found herself answering, in an uninteresting voice. To herself she said, " I don't think I shall like Charlie's paragon ; he is too assured." She moved slightly aside, and he, seeing her un- willingness for further conversation, said good-night. Afterwards, when informed of the reason of his abrupt departure by the observant Chrissy, Joan was shocked at her rudeness, while Charlie disappointedly confessed to Rob " that it was his opinion Joan did not cotton to Norrington at all, and, seeing they were all such chums, it might spoil their fun." The next time Joan met Noel — it was in broad daylight — she gaily apologised. " I have forgotten all about it," declared he honestly, but stupidly, nevertheless. He had also forgotten his speech might be taken two ways, arid, as is "ever the case when one desires it otherwise, it was taken in the wrong sense. Joan inwardly vowed she would never make any NOT A ''CHUBBY" 99 apology to him again, and, putting out her hand, tripped ofif up the street. He did not look after her, for his pride was hurt. What was the reason of her coolness .' He carefully rehearsed the scene, but found nothing to justify it. Then; to console himself, he thought what a frank, warm-hearted, self-reliant girl Chubby, Conroy was, though, of a truth, she had not the face of Joan Compton. He was thinking of going in to Mrs. Brereton's, but remembering he had left some plans for Hal at his hotel, turned back to get them, when he encountered a quaint, well-known figure, " Holy Moses ! it's never you, Tim ? " he ejaculated forcibly. " Shure 'tisn't anny ather sowl, though it's meself that is moighty lean since oi left yer banner. Shure oi'm but a feather-weight now." Norrington laughed, but there was no merriment in it. A host of feelings swept over him, and amongst them a sense of animosity towards Morris. " Why are you here, my old friend .■' " he asked more gravely. " 'Tisn't a long sthory, and oi'll till it as oi'm walkin' ahint ye, maister dear ! 'Twas meself that couldn't sthand that varmint Morris, wid his scrimpin', pinchin', mane ways. He were always rale mad afther he found oi tuck them horses that day, an' don't miss no chance to nag at a sowl. ' Arrah ! ' lOO IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA sez oi to meself, 'Durend isn't the same place since the young maister — the saints presarve him ! — quitted, an' it's Tim O'Kelly that won't sthay wid the low-lived divil.' Me Orish blood', ould though it is, wouldn't have slept peaceable-loike anny longer. So oi showldered me swag an' tuk to the road, an' here oi am, nate an' fresh as a June mornin'." " You are just in the nick of time, as I am superin- tending the working of a canal, and you might get something to do — cooking or odd jobs. The actual work is too heavy for you," he added kindly, fearing to wound the old man's sensibilities. " I would like to have you with me, but it can't be man- aged just yet, Tim ; not just yet." " Well, spakin' modestly, oi've always bin a bit o' a hand at cookin', 'specially at a rale good Orish stew, in which oi take a kind o' pride," said O'Kelly com- placently. " Oi wouldn't give it 'em no more than foive days out o' siven, with a hot jint o' Sundays." The old man seemed as active and cheerful as ever, in spite of his long tramp across country. • " Here we are at my hotel ; you put down your swag, Timothy ! arrah, and come and haye some tucker, not to mention that charming little cruiskeen bawn 1 " said Noel. O'Kelly, with his quick perception, soon discovered that Noel seemed to shrink from speaking of his old home, the only question he asked being with regard to the woman Pattie. NOT A "CHUBBY" lOI " Well ! " said Tim reflectively, shutting one eye and resting his fists, with a knife and fork planted upright within them, on the table, " shure there was a woman there wance or twice ; but oi don't know much, as Morris kape me out back workin', an' thin he was often away ; an' being a close bhoy, not given to blarneying, oi heard a'most nothin'." So Noel dismissed the subject from his mind, and after seeing Tim comfortably fixed up, took up his plans and rushed off to find Brereton. It was seldom that Norrington was in such a hurry ! CHAPTER XI THE ADVENT OF A NEW PARTICULAR STAR A S is always the case with a new-comer in small -^*- country towns, Joan Compton was well and thoroughly discussed, turned, twisted, and picked at, at the various afternoon " at homes " of Bourketown swelldom. Had she been very quiet, or very plain, her advent would have been treated in a purely in- different and half-hearted fashion ; but being lovely enough to dispute the claim of belleship with Blanche Conroy during the coming season, every one must have their little say about her, be it nice or otherwise. Generally it was otherwise. Being Mrs. Grey's step-sister, opinion was divided, somewhat unevenly too, as to whether she would be a nice girl or not. Joan had not, so far, found her lot at the Rectory a bed of roses. Mrs. Grey was far too exacting for that. Inwardly it chafed her, outwardly she made no com- plaint, not even to Aileen Brereton, although they had become very good friends. To-day, after a long, weary, hot tussle with Belle and Jimmy over irregular verbs and irregularities in their school work, she sat tiredly down by the school- A NEW PARTICULAR STAR 103 room window, casting one despairing glance at tlie iieaped-up mending basket. " However do those boys tear such holes ? " she murmured. Mrs. Grey came quietly into the room, and her eyes fell instantly upon Joan. " Idling, Joan," she exclaimed with sweet severity, " when that poor, over-loaded basket is awaiting your valuable time ! " Joan's spirit fired up at that. " Well, Isabelle, I have been teaching up till this very minute, and it is such a dreadful hot wind, it is enough to make one curl up ! " " I will help you," she said condescendingly. Joan started diligently, but her eyes would wander away to the window. After all, she was but a girl, and wanted to unburden her heart to some one. She looked across at her step-sister with her calm, self-satisfied expression, and turned from her again. She did not look sufficiently sympathetic. It was Mrs. Grey herself who commenced the con- versation. " I wonder what has become of Mr. Norrington ? He used to drop in frequently before you came." Which remark, Joan reflected, was one of Isabelle's stinging things. To look at her one would never dream she could say cutting things, and in so pleasant a manner too that madejt almost impos- sible on your part to be rude to her. She generally I04 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA managed to say nasty things, and yet have the credit of saying nice ones. How these small trifles are transacted is sometimes a wonder to poor mortals. To be directly rude to her would make the speaker appear ill-bred. Joan, who was beginning to know her, laughed. " I expect I have frightened him away," she said. " He is very poor, and has absolutely nothing except what he makes, went on Mrs. Grey, looking determinedly at the girl, " He lost his fortune in a Quixotic fashion : foolishly, or generously, if you like it better, gave it away." Joan was about to speak, but changed her mind. " Well, what is it ? " demanded Isabelle im- patiently. " Nothing much ; it might not be the same, only when the Bonds moved to the Borders, I heard Mr. Morris, of Durend, say he bought it from a Mr. Norrington early in the spring. It is a lovely place." " And you went with the Bonds — when ? " " In October." " And this is the middle of March : five and a halt months ago. That was about the time he came here ; but it cannot be the same, as I know he never sold his property. He never had enough cash about him for that. But he does not speak of his past ; I do not even know where he used to live, nor the name of his place, neither does Arthur." "It is a wonder you never made it your business A NEW PARTICULAR STAR 105 to find out," said Joan, tit for tat, for Mrs. Grey was a curious woman, in spite of her self-absorption. Mrs. Grey, skilful manceuvrer, avoided the delicate subject by asking, " And what of this Mr. Morris ? Did the Bonds know him ? " " Yes; he rode over pretty often. Durend was five miles distant. He said he did not know the people about ; and the Bonds were free and easy people, they soon made friends. Any way, there were not many people near, Durend being a large estate, not on the Murray, but the Tarwindi." " What is Mr. Morris like .? " inquired Mrs. Grey. " What a cross-questioner you are, Isabelle ! " ex- claimed Joan, with a pretty pout. " To tell the truth, I can't say I think much of him. He is not very gentlemanly, looks about forty, though he is a rather good-looking man, and is rich. He has no relations, and " — nervously — " the beast wanted to marry me." " Well, and what did you say ? " asked her step- sister, bending her keen, cold eyes upon her. " I said I would sooner die than be his wife," decidedly. " Joan Compton, you are a fool ! " exclaimed Mrs. Grey, now thoroughly angry. " The idea of refusing a rich man, when you have nothing but your own exertions to depend upon ! So that was the reason you left Mrs. Bond's. I am heartily sorry I allowed you to come here ! " " Isabelle ! " exclaimed the girl, horrified and I06 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA wounded at her heartless tones. " I kad thought you would understand; but now", — eloquently — "let the subject drop between us for ever! As for my being here, I can go to-morrow ! " And to hide the rising tears she picked up her work and went to her room, weeping bitterly dis- appointed tears. What a thing it is to expect bread and receive — a stone ! It was Arthur Grey who effected a reconciliation. He was always the mediator between his wife and the effects of her too-ready tongue. Joan accepted his explanations, because she admired Grey in many things, even in his shielding his wife, for which, by some, he was condemned. She said he was loyal. Towards evening found Joan in Aileen Brereton's , little drawing-room. She always felt more rested there than anywhere else. Mrs. Maynard had been calling, also Mrs. Conroy, who happened to be in town, her husband having driven in to consult with Norrington about the canal. The old lady apparently took a great fancy to this girl with the ruddy gold hair. So soon as they had both departed Joan wearily leaned back, exclaiming, " Oh, Ailee, dear Ailee, I thought they were never going. Mrs. Maynard is sensible, but not refreshing ; Mrs. Conroy talks silly, stupid gossip, and jou are the only thing bright and fresh, dear ! " . . A NEW PARTICULAR STAR 107 " So Hal thinks, dear boy," laughed Aileen softly, with pardonable vanity. " But oh, Joan, poor Mrs. Conroy would nearly faint if she thought she gossiped. She imagines she is merely recounting news." " Some people are always the victims of hallucina- tions. I believe I was once myself," said Joan, a little bitterly. " But," protested Aileen, with cheerful sympathy, yet wondering a little at her tones, "not so badly but that you are recovered now. However, if you do not mind, tell me about it. You are sure of my sympathy, dear.'' " Hardly in this, I think," returned she, in subdued but curious tones. " Do you know that it was in re- gard to Isabelle I was labouring under a delusion ? Now you need not pinch me so, Ailee ; it was not , any one else. You see, I thought Isabelle was fond of me in a sisterly fashion, and I find that she isn't. That's all." " Cela tout ! " repeated Aileen, parrot-fashion ; " but, Joan, yet scarcely all. I think you misjudge Mrs. Grey ; she does not show her love, but feels it all the more. She is a loving woman." " Bah ! " cried Joan impatiently. " Yes, when it suits her. No one who said what she said to me to-day can be loving at heart. It would not have been so hard had I expected it." Leaning her face on her hands, she looked long I08 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA and wistfully before her, she who was always so laughing and lovely. Aileen was touched. " Come, child, don't fret," she said wisely ; " every one isn't perfect. You put too much value on a few hasty words." " I put no value whatever on them. They were never words to be treasured up, for good or bad," replied Joan, with a quaint admixture of laughter and grief in her face. " However, this is the one subject we shall never agree upon : you think Isa- belle genuine, I don't. By all means let us keep her from tripping up our conversation, and we shall be quite two sisters of love." She laughed brightly, and apparently dismissed the whole subject, with her tiring afternoon's work, from her mind. Aileen, bright though she was, could not help marvelling at her spirits : one minute so desponding, the next most brilliant. " What do you say," she suggested, " to riding out to the works with me to-morrow > I know the way, and Hal and Mr. Norrington will be there." "Delightful! You are an angel to think of it," cried Joan, executing a graceful little hop. " Charlie will lend me his pony, I'm sure. Do you know" — more slowly, and pausing — " I rather think I managed to offend Mr. Norrington > I don't like him at all. I can't explain why, Aileen ; but certain is it that I don't ! " A NEW PARTICULAR STAR 109 Joan was very human, and what before was in- difference was turned into dislike by her sister's remark. She was piqued at his taking her apology in the light he did. "Well," said Aileen, puzzled, "you must not quarrel if we go to-morrow. I'll introduce you to Hal, and I hope, yes, I'm sure, you will get on well with kirn." " How positive you are ! " exclaimed Joan, just a trifle enviously ; " it must be delightful to love and be loved like that.'' Aileen blushed shyly. " We are very, very happy. Oh, Joan ! sometimes I fear almost too happy." Mrs. Grey announced her intention of riding with them, rather to Joan's vexation ; but as Aileen wel- comed her kindly, nay, gladly, she kept silent, and gave all her attention to Charlie's pony, flicking it with her whip now and then to make it a little frisky. It could not be called a noble steed ; it had seen, hke the " last minstrel," better days. Mrs. Grey's was good. She leaned towards her step-sister, as Aileen was arra,nging her riding-habit, and, with a slight frown, whispered, " Are there no men, no escorts ? " " No ; it doesn't matter in the country,'' returned Joan, with a girlish disregard of etiquette. " A fifteen-mile ride, and alone ! I certainly thought that Mr. Norrington would be here. He knew I was coming." no IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA Joan naturally wondered how, unless she had sent a letter to his hotel yesterday evening, which supposi- tion, however, she rejected. Isabelle was married — that was conclusive. But a shade of contempt crossed her face as she answered, " Does Mr. Norrington then dance attend- ance upon women regardless of his work .' " " He hasn't this time, at any rate," answered Mrs. Grey, in a tone that implied he had often done so before. She wanted Joan to know that without her actually saying so. And Joan understood quickly enough. She felt she nearly despised Norrington. And yet — oh, anomaly of anomalies ! — she was piqued that he had not thought it worth his while to visit the Rectory since her advent. The day was not too warm, for summer was dying. Joan, who was as merry as a sparrow, in spite of Mrs. Grey's proximity, raced ahead, excited and delighted with the exercise; but when the road became narrower, and logs and pitfalls abounded, she became more quiescent. Presently a few strag- gling camps came in sight, a lot of the timber about was newly felled, signs of a clearance showed them- selves, then suddenly a whole stretch of tents came in sight. An old man cooking outside of one exclaimed, — "Arrah! be aisy! but them be three pretty 'uns, 'specially the gairl wid the red-gould hair, begorra ! " A NEW PARTICULAR STAR III Tim had spoken loud enough for Joan to hear ; she had the pleasure of a child in thinking that her face gave any one pleasure. Of course she did not know it was Tim O'Kelly ; she had never heard of such a being. " Theer, her on the pony takes the shine out of 'em all," responded Crazy Tighe, whose mind ran to lizards. He was for ever collecting them ; dead or alive, it mattered not. " Houly Moses ! it's meself that thinks so. Now hurry up. Crazy Tighe ; darn me if I want ter stew that blamed lizard ! " Further on the appearance of the riders created the same admiration amongst the workers. The largest tent, evidently Norrington's, was pegged out on slightly elevated ground, and before which he, Brereton, Mr. Hill, the assistant engineer, and two capable, business-like men were grouped. Joan could not help noticing that Brereton and Hill started forward at once, while Norrington, look- ing to ascertain why his men were so constantly bobbing their heads up, politely bowed, and con- tinued his instructions to the men at his side. He folded up his papers at last, and Joan, watching so intently that she did not notice Hal's admiring glance, or hear Mr. Hill's profuse inquiries, saw him turn, but only to cross to her step-sister's side. Filled with mortification, she turned the pony's head to face her two companions, talking merrily to them. 112 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA Hal liked her at once. He admired pretty things much in the same way that one would look at a picture or lovely scene. What impelled Joan to look back at the trio she did not know ; but as she did so she started to find Norrington's eyes fixed on her with a watchful expression. Not that he looked at her at all dis- trustingly, but the thought rushed to her mind, why should he look at her so ? The next minute he was at her side. Mrs. Grey, jealous directly, seeing the three men round her step-sister, leaned towards Aileen, saying, with a scornful curve of her fine upper lip, — " Oh, really, Mrs. Brereton, seeing your husband so engrossed with Miss Compton reminds me of a little tale I heard." " What was that ? " returned Aileen openly and unsuspectingly. " What ! " — sweetly — " you do not mean to say you have never heard ? that he has never told you about himself and Blanche Con Ah ! here he comes. I'll tell you the story another day, unless he tells it you himself." Why she chose Aileen as her victim is hard to say ; probably one of those sweet feminine incon- sistencies, allied with the desire to kick somebody, anybody. That she had said enough, she knew, for distrust some day to spring up and reap a rich harvest. A NEW PARTICULAR STAR IT3 For the present Aileen, guileless soul, thought she was making a mistake, or else was vexed with some- thing. In the meantime, Norrington, giving one glance at Joan's steed, asked in a casual way, — " By whose leave or license did you ride this animal ? " " Charlie lent it me. It is not particularly lively." " I wonder Mrs. Grey did not see that you had a better mount. This horse is not fit for a lady ; it stumbles," returned he coolly. " I am aware of it," replied Joan, equally cool and judicial. " I have kept a tight rqin." " Do you believe in a tight rein .' " asked he, with a curious smile. " For stumbling horses — yes ! for myself — no ! " retorted she, quickly catching his drift. " Not but that it would make some people less inconvenient," with a merry laugh. He smiled, but almost as if it were in spite of himself "We are getting on," he observed presently. " Do not be surprised if you hear dreadful reports during your rides in the neighbourhood. We shall be blast- ing the rocks soon, to make a bed for the canal ; and probably will have to carry the water overhead in some places." " How ? " asked she wonderingly. " By viaducts." H 114 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " I hope you will succeed," she felt forced to say warmly. " I mean to succeed," he answered calmly. " Con- roy, Brereton, and myself would be ruined if I did not. You see, we cannot afford to fail, nor dis- appoint the expectations of the people. Come with me and I will show you the direction the canal is to take. It is rocky just here, so there is much' work and a great deal of difficulty in forming a proper course." CHAPTER XII THAT INVITATION ■jVT ORRINGTON was so busy all April that he ■^ ^ found little time for calling on the Greys or any one else. His position was no sinecure, acting as he was in the relative position of contractor as well as engineer. It had been agreed upon amongst the members themselves that they should advance the required capital, while Norrington, upon his ultimate success, should receive a sum adequate to his services. Con- roy, Brereton, and a few other well-to-do men formed themselves into a private company, and Norrington, getting together plans, specifications, and men, undertook to construct a canal which would supply Bourketown with water in any season, however dry. Therefore it was not surprising that he was little at the Rectory. He was more often at Brereton's, talking business with Hal. Mrs. Grey reflected, with great satisfaction, that Joan possessed no charms for him ; only in keeping away from Joan he punished her as well. Il6 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA She did not understand that his worlc was of vital importance to him. Lent was just over, and also Mrs. Grey's period of abstinence from any small pleasure whatsoever. About that time Norrington, looking worried, stepped into Hal's office. Hal, looking rather flushed, was resting his head on his arm. " Hullo ! old boy," he yawned, rousing himself ; " you look rather blue. Have a drop ? " pushing the decanter towards him. " No, thanks," replied Norrington shortly ; " I never drink in the morning, — worries one's brain." " All right," answered Hal leisurely ; " you know best what suits you. Thank Heaven, I can consume quite a decent quantity of liquor, provided it be first- class, without it's affecting my head. Now fire ahead with your news. What nest of scorpions have you managed to stir up .' " " Scorpions ! scorpions ! If you can compare vile slanderers with anything so much above them as scorpions, then I have found a nest ! " " Whe — ew ! " whistled Hal, turning his eyes up to the ceiling, "what is all this extraordinary warmth about ? Scorpions much above human beings ! About a woman, I bet ! Isn't that so, oh ! my Adonis ? " " Don't fool, Hal ! " came sternly from Norrington. " I never imagined people would say things about a good woman like Mrs. Grey," THAT -INVITATION ! II7 " Well, what was the tale ? I daresay I have heard it before," said Hal. "Tim told me; he is talkative, and he hears the men yarning. Amongst other things, they say she is a hypocrite, and, and " — with a flush of shame — " that she is in love with me ! " Hal laughed cruelly, unmercifully. " Oh, good Heavens ! what a joke ! Don't look so ashamed, man. I thought she was going to poison you, or run off with you, or something equally alarming. But since that is all, I being much older than you, let me tell you, if she really were in love with you, I would condone it ; but it is only her own vanity she is enamoured of She could do a good hate, though ; so beware, my hasty youth ! Upon me soul, I don't know how Grey came to marry her ; as a contrast to his goodness, I suppose." "Well," exclaimed Norrington, when he had finished, " you are worse than them all ; and I thought so much of you ! " " And now you will have to think less of me. Save you a lot of time," quoth he imperturbably. Noel bit his lip ; it was impossible to be angry with the jolly, good-natured fellow opposite. " All the same," he remarked quietly, " no man should speak of a woman in such terms. He should be silent, if he cannot say anything to her credit " " Men generally are more generous than women in that respect," interrupted Hal. Il8 IN SVNNY AUSTRALIA "You would not like your wife to be so talked about." " Have your own way, boy. I don't admire your sentiments any the less. Only I have the satisfaction of knowing my wife to be a thoroughly genuine, lovable woman, while Mrs. Grey is not. However, as I said once before, Mrs. Grey does not concern me," said Hal calmly. " And now to business. You, of course, are sensible enough to know that it is better to let such rumours die a natural death. Don't hurry them up, and they will do it all the more quickly. And don't go to the Rectory often." " I don't ; haven't had any time lately." " I suppose," resumed Brereton lightly, " you have heard there is likely to be a dance at Bralga on May 24th } Such things are generally known before the invitations are out. They have always given some- thing every year since pretty Blanche grew up. I always went before I was married, and suppose I shall this time." " The Conroys are exceedingly hospitable," re- marked Noel. "That's a trite speech," laughed Hal. "By the way, I suppose you will be able to spare two or three days then ? They invariably have a house- party for a few days." " Depends on how the work progresses, and how Hill shapes." THAT INVITATION ! II9 "Hill will be asked too, as there are none too many men about. So soon as the men stop working he can leave, and return early the following morning. But, anyhow, j^M must come. Everything first-class for Conroys at this sort of spree." " Plenty of time yet ! " quoth Noel. " It's all very well for you ; but for a poor man like me it's too distracting, not to say dangerous." " Ha ! he is thinking of Chubby ! " reflected Hal contentedly. Early in May Joan, sitting with the children in the schoolroom, after lessons were over, was turning her attention to some pretty work. The glass door into the verandah stood open, though the days were now cool and the evenings short. Mrs. Grey and her husband were out riding, visiting distant parish- ioners, and were not expected home till dark. It was five o'clock now. " Heoray, Joan ! " exclaimed Charlie, striding up the path and vaulting through the open window with more precipitancy than grace ; " here's a pretty look- ing letter for you ! " " You are an owl," candidly remarked his brother, who was studying hard for the Junior Exam. ; " it's impossible for me to solve problems when you will jerk a fellow nearly through the ceiling. I'll catch it hot from Dr. Strange if I haven't my Euclid ready to-morrow." That fact did not deter him, nevertheless, from 120 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA going over and examining' minutely the envelope that Charlie held. Joan, knowing their little ways, waited patiently, cognisant that any interference on her part would lead to its temporary confiscation. She wondered if it might be from Morris. Not having heard from him since her hasty departure, she felt grateful for his thoughtfulness in leaving her alone. " It's scented nicely, Joan," remarked Charlie, hold- ing it at arm's length, the better to inspect it. "And it looks like a girl's writing — sprawly, round, and none so very straight," contributed Rob, feeling "sold." " But it is very thin," objected Belle. " And, therefore, is no lady's epistle. My ! but this is skittlish ! aren't you getting very anxious, Joan ? " demanded Charlie. " Not in the least ! " — very promptly. '•■ What will you do ? " asked he boyishly : " have it now, or wait till ypu get it .? " Joan was meditating upon her answer, when a voice at the window said : " Don't keep me waiting till you get whatever ii may be. Please may I be allowed to interrupt you all ? " Six heads were instantly turned to the speaker. Joan was the first to recover her surprise. " Yes, of course ; since you seem quite penitent at disturbing so interesting a tableau." " I feel anything but penitent now, since my being THAT INVITATION I 121 SO is the cause of my being allowed in," replied Norrington gaily — for it was he — as he vaulted lightly over the window-sill. " Whichever way am I to take that speech ? " merrily asked Joan, now in the gayest of spirits. It was so surprising to her to see Noel acting as a boy ; he had been so grave and pre-occupied since she knew him. But then, he was never the one to laugh loudly or act obtrusively, as Hal Brereton and Mr. Conroy were wont to do. "In the nicest way," he declared in a low voice; " not as you took one well-intentioned speech of mine." Then he did remember, after all. " I have been so dreadfully sorry," she exclaimed remorsefully, "for my vanity. I thought you took up my apology wrongly." " Here's your letter," interrupted Charlie, in the provoking way of schoolboys, standing between Noel and Joan, as he had a great antipathy to anything approaching sentiment, and liked all conversation carried on in a loud, hearty'voice. Joan took it resignedly. " Pray do not desist from opening it on my account," said Noel quickly. " Maybe it's a love-letter, Joan. Better be kept," said Rob teasingly, as he put away his Euclid, seeing no immediate prospect of doing any more work. Joan tore it open instantly, whereat both boys roared. 122 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA "You are all wrong!" she cried triumphantly, hastily scanning the lines; "it's an invitation to a dance at Bralga, on the Queen's birthday." " Whew ! " whistled the loving twins ; then sympa- thetically, " Oh, poor Joan, the missis will never let you go, you bet your boots — I mean shoes, since you always wear 'em ! " "Surely, Miss Compton, Mrs. Grey will make no objection to your accepting ? " said Noel, in- well-bred surprise. " You are neither the clergyman's wife nor his daughter." She shook her head. "I daresay Isabelle would not mind if I were not staying in the house. But I will go by what Arthur says. I have never found his ©pinions biassed." j( " Let us fervently hope, then, for your bodily presence at Bralga on that day. Of course I can understand the Grey scruples — one must draw a line somewhere," said Noel justly. " Um ! " remarked Joan doubtfully, looking away from his finely cut dark face, " it is nice to be able to see both sides of a question. I think plenty of people need a second pair of eyes, to look on the other view. But do satisfy my curiosity, and tell me what are the Misses Conroy like ? " She smiled charmingly, such a glad, expectant smile, that Noel caught the reflection of its brightness. His brown eyes rested on her exquisite, fair face for a minute, but no longer. *i »• THAT INVITATION ! 1 23 "Miss Conroy," he began carefully, as if reading over a catalogue, "is pretty, small, and fashionable. I may also add that her mind is small too. As to her sister, when you meet her, you will not be able to help loving her. Chubby has a fine nature 1 " " Is she pretty ? " asked Joan distantly, feeling suddenly depressed at his tones. " Hardly that," answered he frankly ; " but she is very bewitching. Don't be alarmed. I'm sure you will get on with her ; and Mrs. Conroy is a kind old soul." "As if that affected me," thought she rapidly. " This Chubby has evidently bewitched him. Isabel le was right : he does not like me. I am vain to expect admiration from every one, but I would not care about all the rest if — if " She stopped thinking, and started up to light the lamp, for it was quite dusk, saying laughingly, — " You could not have found your imprisonment so very tedious, then .? " " Indeed no," answered he truthfully. " I never enjoyed staying anywhere so much in my life ! " Joan hastily turned down the light. " Oh, there's a moth in the wick ! " she exclaimed. Noel sprang to her side to assist her, but there was no moth to be found. Poor Joan ! "Never mind," she explained, somewhat lamely; " I will get another lamp," and so left the room. She was gone some time ; the children were all 124 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA away too, and when shq returned he stood stiffly up. It was so unlike his usual easy carriage that the girl felt tempted to indulge in an hysterical laugh. " Good-night, Miss Compton ; give my kind regards to your sister, and forgive me for taking up so much of your time." "Good-night ! " she responded, almost coldly, for his sudden change of manner wounded her. He had lost all his boyishness now, and looked a studiously grave man. " It is useless," he murmured, as he turned down the avenue, "I cannot be good friends with Joan Compton, but I must appear so ! " Mrs. Grey certainly did object to Joan going to Bralga. Grey saw no harm in a private dance, " though, little girl," he added, pinching Joan's cheek, "I wouldn't attend one myself. Too little time, when so many important things are waiting to be done ! " " However did you come to marry Isabelle, then, Arthur.?" asked she naughtily. "She danced till " " Till she was thoroughly tired of its emptiness," finished he smilingly. " Don't pout, child ; you will know better some day. Little Miss Compton at eighteen is " " Oh, don't, Arthur ! I know what you are going to say. I am silly and rude, when you are so kind to me ; but " — most persuasively — " do let me, to use a vulgarism, sample it just this once. Maybe I'll get tired too, in time ! " THAT INVITATION! 125 The good clergyman felt unable to cope with this smiling witch, and he never liked to deny any one anything. " Well, well, child, go and take care of yourself. The evil will bring its own cure." So, finally, Joan went under Aileen's pretty, youth- ful wing. Hal drove them over in the big sociable. "We'll get there by lunch-time," announced Hal ; " so you birds will have plenty of time to rest before the giddy maze commences. To-morrow there will probably be a picnic, the third day you can return if you like, or stay longer." " You seem to. know all about the arrangements, Hal," said Aileen a little jealously, as for the first time Mrs. Grey's evil insinuations came to her mind. " Bless you, Ailee, yes ! " returned he boisterously. " Many's the dance I've had over here, and splendid they were too ! However, I am not such a dancer now — I leave that to the younger men." Aileen laughed lightly, reassured. The air was deliciously cool. Joan, who had never been to Bralga before, was gazing at the beautiful scenery with the quiet happiness of a child. " You are unusually silent,'' said Aileen, chaffing her. " Because I am expecting so much," she answered quaintly, her starry eyes all shining. " I have never been to a ball before, and oh, I hope I shall have plenty of partners ! " 126 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " If that's your only wish, it will soon be realized," said Aileen brightly. "When I go to a dance I always hope my dress will fit ! " "You are really too frivolous," said Hal admon- ishingly, brandishing the whip at them. " I must resort to some method of restoring you both to sense. The worst of it is " — sighing heavily — " it will be a most difficult undertaking." " Yes, for j/ou ! " said Joan wickedly. " I'm afraid," remarked he, with mock resignation, " I shall have to drop you out of the sociable, Miss Compton." The drive was over all too soon. Bralga, pretty Bralga, loomed in sight, a flutter of light dresses was seen through the vine-clad verandah, and then they were tkere. Joan's heart beat quite rapidly as she hopped down after Aileen. What a bevy of girls ! Mrs. Conroy and her smart little daughter came forward — the one welcomed them very cordially ; the other, very prettily. Blanche ran rapidly over the introductions. " Now, you girls," she commanded playfully, " wait for me, and don't get up to any fun while I am away." She then tripped off with Joan, chattering all the way. Noel was right : she certainly was very fashion- able, had adopted the latest freak ; and her mincing voice and air of superiority irritated Joan. "This is your room, if you do not mind sharing it THAT INVITATION ! 1 27 with the Misses Brown,'' said Blanche, in her affected little voice. "Are you cooler now? What is your dress like ? Does it fit ? " " White, and it was made for me, not any one else ! " retorted Joan coolly. " Oh, a debutante ! I see," responded Blanche sweetly, not the least bit ruffled at her remark. "What a pity you haven't been out before — in Melbourne say; you would squeeze more enjoyment out of it then ! " " Is that a sine qua non for deriving pleasure from a dance ? " Blanche laughed lightly. "Do excuse me now, Miss Compton ; I am so dreadfully busy. When you are rested, join the girls on the verandah ; you know your way, don't you } " She smiled airily and flitted away, evidently glad to be relieved. Dr. Wilton, also Norrington, had disappeared when she returned. An angry cloud rested on her pretty face. " Don't be jealous, Blanche," said her dearest friend; " all's fair in love or war, and you have him pretty fast ! " They all giggled, but questions as to Joan's identity smothered it. " Miss Compton," said Blanche ; " and, oh, girls, she's abominably pretty ; I shall hate her ! " "Jolly shame to come here and spoil all our chances," murmured several others. 128 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " One consolation," said Blanche reflectively, " she has never been out before, and probably does not know how to dress ; and you know, dears, that now- adays men regard that as a very important factor. However, lunch is just ready, and afterwards we must rest to revive our beauty, before the rest of the men arrive. Come along, girls ; I have managed that, at least, our lunch shall be undisturbed by Mrs. Grey's prim relation. Entre nous, I wonder Mrs. Grey allowed her to come at all." CHAPTER XIII TWO TOGETHER A KNOCK at Joan's door. -^*- " Come in," she said ; and in answer a tall girl, bearing a tray, entered. A soft felt hat that she wore on one side of her head she coolly tossed off backwards. Of course it was Chubby — by the hat. A man's hat became her, as it would no other girl, though she was never masculine. She owed it to her womanliness that it suited her so. " Oh ! I thought Blanche was with you, Miss Compton. Never mind, I will introduce myself." " I feel sure I know you already ; you are Chubby Conroy, whom I have heard so much about," in- terrupted Joan winningly, deferring again to Noel's judgment. This girl was lovable. She laughed pleasantly, and set down the tray. " Blanche tells me you have a headache ; so I thought you would rather have your lunch here than face the crowd. You will have plenty of time to become acquainted by-and-by." " How kind of Miss Conroy ? how could she pos- 129 T 130 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA sibly have guessed it?" thought Joan. "I have misjudged her ; oh, dear ! " The two girls enjoyed the lunch together ; Chubby giving a lively description of their guests. "You know Mr. Norrington ? " she queried. " Oh, yes," replied Joan dreamily, idly breaking some nuts ; then aware that Chubby was regarding her keenly, as even the best-hearted girls will do, added indifferently, " but he does not like me. Never says nice things ; indeed, he is barely civil some- times." To this Chubby made no reply ; perhaps she was satisfied, any way, she merely remarked, " Would you like to come to the ball-room with me presently? There are many decorations I want personally to superintend to be ready by to-night. But don't stir if your head still aches." " But it is better, and I should really like to help you," protested Joan. " Oh, I shan't allow you to do anything," good humouredly. " Miss Stayton is helping me ; all the others are too lazy or too afraid of spoiling their beauty to stir until evening." As they passed out. Chubby remarked frankly, " Do you know, I wonder Mrs. Grey permitted you to come. She has a hearty horror of dancing. I don't like her ; excuse my saying so." " No need," answered Joan, laughing ; " I am glad to find some one of the same opinion as myself." TWO TOGETHER 131 " You know it is not because of her loveliness, as some might suppose. To give a reason, you are more lovely still, and I like you already," remarked Chubby, not flatteringly, but in the simple tones of one stating a fact. " Here is the ball-room." They had been walking down an arched pathway, a lovely promenade for dancers. Creepers over the trellis work, and sweet-scented shrubs and trees united in beauty. A large verandah, picturesquely brightened by the late roses climbing at will about it, and fitted up with comfortable lounges, ran round the room. Glass doors with arches of greenery over them opened on to it. " How lovely everything is," uttered Joan, who loved the beautiful ; "just like a city residence." " Yes," smiled Chubby indulgently ; " we have had several very good seasons, which have done wonders for the garden ; and father has gone to a lot of ex- pense in the other improvements. You see, we are not altogether beyond the pale of civilization." They now entered the ball-room, which Chubby had evidently determined should be quite en fete. The gardener and an assistant were busily stringing long garlands from corner to centre. Flowers, ferns, palms, everywhere ! Miss Stayton entered simultaneously by an oppo- site door. " Hallo, Chubby ! on the job already ? " she ex- claimed slangily. "Ah, Miss Compton, I saw you 132 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA before lunch. What do you think of our decora- tions ? Superb, aren't they ? It will take the stiff- ness out of those lazy owls when they rise from their sweet slumbers ! " Miss Stayton was an energetic, pretty, but pert brunette. Her quick eyes noted every triviality, but failed to draw the larger lessons of life there- from. " I wish some of the boys would come in. Chubby," she remarked, setting to work at once to make up a festoon ; " it would be so much jollier." " Um," doubtfully, " they would not want to work, nor let us either. That is Reginald's style. No ; they are better playing billiards. My reliable Tub happens to be busy ! " Just as she spoke another door was pushed open and Reginald, followed by Dr. Wilton and Norring- ton, entered with his usual lordly air. " We have been wishing you would join us ! " cried Miss Stayton pertly, with a sparkling glance at Reginald, which he, after a profound bow and commonplace to Joan, rewarded by crossing over to her side. Chubby introduced Dr. Wilton, who seemed struck by the appearance of this young beauty. Noel, on the contrary, after an ordinary remark, turned to Chubby, praising the decorations. Feeling, for the second time, unaccountably mor- tified, Joan struggled for a moment with her all too TWO TOGETHER 1 33 readable expression, and then the face she lifted to Dr. Wilton was radiant. For the first time in all his polite life Dr. Wilton forgot his good manners, and openly gazed at her. Why, she was absolutely lovely ; she would be the rage in Melbourne. Her eyes fell before his admiration. A pretty face, a pretty figure set off by fashionable attire, and polite conversation, was all he required in a wife. A cer- tain admiration for himself, of course, but no emotion. A wife with a " soul " would be troublesome and inconvenient. " You will be staying here the whole time. Miss Compton ? " he asked in a discreetly lowered voice, as they sauntered up to the top of the room to in- spect a pretty design. " I hardly know ; all depends on Mrs. Brereton, with whom I came," smiling bewitchingly. "Ah," looking down into the blue-purple eyes, " nice little woman, that. Rather pretty, too." His own self-consciousness and air of pitying tolerance in his manner of speaking with and of others upset Joan's self-command. It was ioo rich. She smiled, wondering if Dr. Wilton judged every one his inferior, mentally or otherwise. "Ah!" — his favourite interjection, because it ad- mitted of so many interpretations, — he said again, "and have I the pleasure of amusing you just once, Miss Compton ? " 134 I^ SUNNY AUSTRALIA "Would you call it a pleasure if you knew the cause ? " questioned back Joan, now most demure. "Whatever brings to light one of your charming smiles, is pleasure enough for me," returned the young man gallantly. He was lucky in his answer. It impressed Joan more favourably than anything he had yet said. It was prettily put. It also saved the somewhat crush- ing reply that rose to her lips from being put into words. After duly admiring the arrangements, the pair re- turned to where Chubby was talking animatedly to Noel. He made a forward movement, as if to join them ; but Chubby, not noticing, said, " Oh, this palm must be moved from here. Will you help me, Mr. Norrington ? we have all been talking too much, and Pratt, I see, is very busy. Pratt, oh, Pratt," she ex- claimed brightly, " why were you not supplied with two pairs of hands." " I'd be glad enough o' 'em just now, miss," answered the gardener. All the domestics and station hands liked Miss Chubby. She had been a cuddlesome baby. When this task was finished. Dr. Wilton and Joan had disappeared, he having easily persuaded her to try the pleasant garden, as she had no desire to watch Noel's preference for Chubby's society. For a minute Noel looked baffled. Chubby caught the expression and was puzzled. She looked at him TWO TOGETHER 135 with inquiring sympathy. He recovered himself immediately. " What was it you wanted to probe, my thoughtful Chubby .' " he asked disconcertingly, thinking to startle her ready wits. "Nothing that would interest you at all, my gallant Noel," she returned shrewdly, still wondering however what had caused iMi look. He seemed about to lay his hand on her shoulder but she drew back proudly ; so they parted, each one wondering what was in the other's mind. The girls were in a state of suppressed excitement that evening ; every one was getting in every one else's way. The gay chatter, the laughter, exclama- tions, and topsy-turveyness of Joan's room, which, being the largest and most convenient, every girl either dressed in, or ran in to see how the rest were progressing, worried her, and she was glad to don her cloak, pick up her bouquet, and go to Aileen. Casting aside her fleecy cloak, and revealing her exquisitely proportioned figure, clad in shimmering folds of white satin, she exclaimed, "' Aileen, is it all aufaitl Do I look nice ? " " Stunning ! " said Hal, in the doorway. " Isn't she, Ailie, love ? " The ball-room was pretty full, and there were many bright and pretty faces, but none to compare to Joan's. The glorious golden hair and transparent complexion wer^ dazzling. She sawj Norrington's 136 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA dark face turn towards her, and Dr, Wilton, who was leaning towards Blanche with his indolent conceited air, start forward with a pleased, glad look. Mean- while, Chubby was introducing her youngest brother, a good-hearted, fat fellow, who walked and waltzed like a sailor. Before almost she was aware of it, Dr. Wilton was at her side, murmuring, " May I have the pleasure. Miss Compton, of this dance, and," in a lower voice, " of more .' " She handed him her programme, hardly knowing what she did in her excitement. Glancing at it, as she took his arm for the Lancers, she perceived he had appropriated no less than four, including the first extra and extra special. She was rather surprised at Dr. Wilton, for he was eminently orthodox in his behaviour — when he flirted he did it in a most refined and courteous fashion ; but she was young, and unsophisticated enough to enjoy his evident homage. It so fell out that he took her in to supper ; he must have nicely calculated the time the dances would occupy. Blanche, who swept by her with a late partner, gave her the benefit of furious looks. Joan vaguely wondered how she had offended her, when she sud- denly remembered hearing some gossip in Bourke- town, to which she had paid little attention at the time, about Miss Conroy angling for a young doctor, all the love being on her side. She thought of it now with a smile. How silly TWO TOGETHER 137 of Blanche to take any notice of his small attentions, when he had been only flirting. After supper, as Joan's next partner, who happened to be Tub, came to claim her, the doctor hurriedly whispered, " Don't forget our first extra, it will be here soon " ; then she was whirled away by Tub , and soon the room was filled with revolving couples. Blanche was in a bad temper that night, in spite of her well-fitting, expensive dress ; neither was she improved when the first extra went by, and Joan and Dr. Wilton disappeared with it. " Here is a lovely cool corner," said he ; " let us sit here and talk." He had travelled a great deal, and could talk well when he chose, so that Joan was surprised to hear the opening bars of the next dance. Norrington, cool and graceful as ever, came sauntering by. No one would have guessed he was looking for any one. He half passed the pair, then turned with ordinary surprise, saying, " Oh ! is that you. Miss Compton ? I believe Mrs. Brereton is asking for you " — offering her his arm, which she silently took. " I hope your friend will excuse my taking you away, but I thought you would like to know." Dr. Wilton made some polite remark, and sauntered away in an opposite direction. 138 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA Joan and Norrington were now walking in dignified silence towards the west end, which was less largely patronized by the dancers. Honeysuckle half covered it in, and shrubs of yellow jasmine, laurus- tinus, and guava trees, were grouped beyond. The night was clear and frosty. " Did Mrs. Brereton think I was dancing too much .' " Joan ventured to ask at last. "You are not dancing any more than you can help," he replied, somewhat enigmatically. " Perhaps that accounts for why you have forgotten to ask me," said she, simply.. " I } " very coolly, and elevating his eyebrows in mock surprise. " Is it possible Miss Compton can have remembered the claims of my humble self in the midst of her numerous diversions ? " " No," very quickly, " it is not possible, when you yourself have forgotten !" There was another pause, and they had passed the last entrance. "Stay" cried she, pulling him back into the friendly cover of the honeysuckle. " I am not going to be marched into the ball-room, with you frowning like that, as if I were a child under surveillance going up to its mamma to be smacked on either hand," holding out her little white-gloved palms in imitation. " Tell me, first, why did Ailee send for me .'" " She did not send for you at all ! " answered TWO TOGETHER 1 39 Norrington in coldly angry tones, folding his arms and looking down at her. " Then," flashed out she, angrily, " how dared you take it upon yourself to determine my disposal of my time ? Pray, what right had you ?" " Unfortunately only that of a recent friend." " I don't think there was much friendship in it,'' retorted Joan, feeling hurt, and not thinking of her words. " It seemed more like " " Well ?" looking at her curiously and keenly ; he had fathomed her thought. "Never mind," he continued kindly, and all the dark, passionate anger died out of his face. " I see you misjudge me. Since, however, you are bent on hearing the truth, I came partly through a remark I chanced to overhear, and partly because I like everything fair, even in love or war ! Of course you know how matters stand between Miss Conroy and the doctor?" " Are they engaged ? " asked she directly. " No," he was forced to admit, reluctantly ; " but they are very likely to be, and Miss Conroy expects it, especially as rumour has already made the engagement for them. Now you know the circum- stances and can act fairly." " Your speech infers," she remarked aggravatingly, " that unless I keep out of Dr. Wilton's way, my power is more potent than Miss Conroy's. He bien soit ! As to the fairness, any one who has flirted 140 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA so openly as Miss Blanche does, has only herself to blame for whatever may occur. I do not see why I should allow my friendship to fall because of her too apparent angling. As it happens, I am engaged to him for the last dance. This one belongs to Tub, so I suppose I had better not appear in the ball-room till the next begins !" He looked at her curiously, almost painedly. " Are you still angry ? still ogrish ?" she demanded, not able to see his face clearly in the dim light. He looked so powerful, so, oh ! so immovable,, standing there with his arms resolutely folded. She suddenly felt helpless. " No," quite gently, but with subdued force ; " only disappointed. I do not think I understand you." Her quick sensibility was touched, and she re- torted accordingly, — " Probably not ; you only study the subject as that of a child. You have no right to treat me as you have done, and I would go back to the ball- room now — by myself" — awful threat — "only Tub will think I did him, out of this dance. You had better explain to him, when he comes, that you detained me in order to have a nice little quarrel ; or, better still, tell him you were defending the cause of some one you evidently do not like, for the sister's sake." It was a speech worthy of Mrs. Grey. Joan could TWO TOGETHER 141 never, in her sane moments, imagine how she could speak so cruelly and maliciously. She could never forgive herself the veiled hit at Chubby — generous, loving Chubby. "Thank you. Miss Compton!" said Noel, coolly ; but his eyes blazed with suppressed passion. " I am sorry I interfered. It was another mistaken idea of mine !" CHAPTER XIV AFTER THE BALL NOEL could sometimes say things that cut deeply beneath their civility. This was one of them. Joan inferred that he was mistaken in her ! She had overlooked his thoughtfulness and kindly in- tentions in coming for her, and deemed him in- quisitive and interfering. . ; " There is the next dance," she said, coolly, fighting hard for perfect composure, " let us return." Quite silently they entered by one of the glass doors. Tub pounced upon her almost instantly. " Oh, Miss Compton, I am so awfully sorry about the last dance, really I am ! I got your name muddled up in some kind of way. Will you show you forgive me by having this schottische with me ? " " Willingly," with a bright smile, stepping away from Noel as if glad to be gone. He looked round the ball-room, and walked across to Chubby. But she was engaged to the " exquisite " Dr. Wilton who came up with his secretly amused smile to claim her. AFTER THE BALL I43 That night, or rather early morn, Aileen, hum- ming a waltz, came softly into Joan's room. " Asleep, dear, after all your triumphs ?" she queried. A low sob escaped the girl. Joan was crying. " What, crying ! " she exclaimed wonderingly ; " whatever ails you ? and you had so good a time!" "No, I had a horrible time," passionately. "I hate balls. I never want to go to one again ; and I did look forward to this so much ! " Aileen was wise enough to kiss her hot, tear- stained face and leave her without further comment. Secretly she was puzzled by her manner. She had seemed so happy. The very next morning Joan was fortunate enough to catch Tub on the south verandah. " Oh, Tub," she began in an embarrassed fashion, " will you — do you mind riding with me to-day .' I would rather ride with you than any one else " — very truthfully, as she thought of Wilton and Norrington. " Of course I will, and be jolly proud to do so," cried the good fellow heartily. " I would have asked you long ago had I thought you would have liked it ; but with fellows like Wilton, Norrington and Reginald about, I decided that I had ' no show,' as the saying goes." "Thank you, immensely," cried she, much re- 144 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA lieved ; " you are just too good, and Chubby's own brother." As he moved, Dr. Wilton came hurriedly up. Joan thanked her forethought. " I was looking everywhere for you. Miss Comp- ton," he explained hastily. "Will you ride with me to-day ?" " You must excuse me — " she began firmly, when he interrupted her. "But why, Joan — MissCompton — why? Surely I cannot have vexed you in any way since last night. You would not have refused me then," " But, since then, I have promised to ride with Tub Conroy." "Pooh! Tub, only he!" exclaimed the doctor lightly. "Then break your word ; a woman's word is made to be broken. Besides, Tub will never mind ; he is the most good-natured fellow in the world." " Which should be the very reason why one should refuse to trade upon his generosity," retorted Joan, hotly. The doctor only laughed smoothly. " But you will get out of it some way ?" "No, Dr. Wilton, I will not. I intend to keep my word, and so cheat the usual woman or opinion !" She smiled in a friendly fashion, and, unfortunately, just then the unlucky Norrington appeared. Tears of vexation and aggravation rushed to Joan's eyes. It was too cruel a circumstance that sent AFTER THE BALL 145 him thither, just when she was doing her best to prevent the doctor paying her any attention. He would probably not think her honest. Indeed, his cool good-morning and somewhat contemptuous expression soon convinced her of that. Carelessly flicking his whip, he asked, " Have you seen Reginald Conroy, Wilton ? I promised to drive the waggonette for him." " I saw him in the breakfast-room," explained Wilton politely, though inwardly cursing him and Reginald and the waggonette, for while he was speak- ing Joan had slipped into the library. Aileen was there reading, and another guest was selecting a book. Joan fancied Aileen looked rather white, and sug- gested her staying at home. " Nonsense," she exclaimed, her decisive little face flushing with energy ; " I want to go." And truly she did. Relieved at having escaped Dr. Wilton, Joan donned her sailor hat and riding gloves, and in the inner hall was met by her escort. " Come along, Miss Compton," we are making a start now. Hallo ! there's Blanche off in the sulky, and Hill driving, and, by Jove! Brereton riding alongside. Who has parcelled him off in that way .■■ Too bad ! " Joan was quickly mounted ; there was a small crowd around the vehicles, some intending to accom- pany the picnicers part of the way, as they returned K 146 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA to Bourketown. Of these, one was Hill. The sociable went swinging off. Dr. Wilton was sulking gracefully in the background. Joan touched her horse, and they two were off also. It was a joyous start, and the day promised to be coldly bright and glorious. Such a day as one often has in early winter, when the air is cool and bracing and the sun- shine bright. They dismounted in a lovely spot : a valley be- tween red and gold cliffs, red caves near by, in which to lay lunch if it rained, or else the soft couch grass and green trefoil. To look at the gay party was to make one feel young ! They were all happy, healthy, and mostly young. But for Aileen, it was her first miserable day since her wedding. Hal had ridden out by the side of the fair Blanche's chariot, and was now sitting talking to her, she having dismissed all others. To watch her bright smiles and pretty ways to him was like deadly poison to Aileen. Aileen, naturally un- suspicious, would never have noticed anything, but for the artful suggestion thrown out to her by " her dear friend." Since her arrival at Bralga she had been uneasy — but now ! Norrington, who had taken some dainty to Joan, came to her side with a dish of the same. " Try this, Mrs. Brereton ; it is so cooling. I am sure the sun is too warm for you here ; let us move into the shade." AFTER THE BALL 147 " Yes, I do think it is really hot, for winter," said she faintly, catching at the suggestion, and gratefully thanking him in her heart for his kindly tact. " This is a pleasant seat here ; and now, do take pity on me and help me finish this punch jelly, here is a most delicate glassful," he said, keenly scanning her face as he spoke, which she never observed, being too much interested in the pair opposite. Blanche had probably turned her attention to Hal out of sheer waywardness, because it would vex several people, especially Norrington, who had been distributing himself impartially to the various girls^ not even Chubby or Joan receiving an extra share. " Looks as if he couldn't afford to pay any one particular attention," sneered she. Dr. Wilton had beguiled Joan into conversation, and was reproaching her, in a soft, low tone, for hav- ing deserted him. Joan answered playfully ; there were too many people within ear-shot to do otherwise. Having finished her luncheon, she rose and leisurely strolled away, wishing to join Aileen, and so escape Wilton's attentions. Some of the others were arranging a game, pre- pared to enjoy themselves bush fashion, but she declined, when, to her dismay, she found Aileen and Noel had both joined in. She would have gone with them too, but for ap- pearing changeable. While oscillating between yes 148 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA and no, Dr. Wilton stood politely waiting by her side. Whether he had come there accidently or pur- posely she could not tell. Any way, the very fact of his being there, after Norrington's cutting remarks, enraged her. " Why don't you go and make yourself useful .' " she asked curtly, as she regarded the picnicers from a slight eminence. " I never was any good at that ; never am useful at all, except in mending people," hfe answered with a drawl and amused smile in his eyes at her trans- ' parent anger with him. Just then he looked more strongly conceited than usual. " I was going to show you another cave, up higher," he added, indifferently ; " but no doubt you would rather join those below, and jump, skip and hop about in a manner extraordinary " — with the least touch of ridicule. " Suggestive of the ball-room," she remarked, pay- ing him back. " Or a dancing class ! " he added, beginning to push aside the bushes on the upward track. Joan thought she might as well follow ; she would like to see the cave any way, and besides, when she tried her best to avoid Dr. Wilton that morning, she had been misjudged. It was rather amusing too, to see Blanche's spiteful jealousy ; and Joan was pretty, young, and — human ! Which latter fact accounts for a good deal of contradictoriness in most people. AFTER THE BALL 1 49 Joan examined the red cave at great length. " It is certainly pretty, but not what I expected ; however, the air is cooler here." " More of it," suggested Wilton, as he planted his straw firmly on his head. " I believe I'll go back again ; I'm sorry I came," she remarked discontentedly. " I'm glad ! " he remarked, turning and facing her with more energy than she had ever seen in that careless face. "Naturally, because you had your own way," sharply. "And I shall look upon that as a favourable omen," he pursued seriously. "Joan, dearest, make it into a favourable fact." " I don't know what on earth you are talking about, and you certainly have no right to call me dearest," said the charming one very peremptorily. " Love has every right," said Wilton softly. " Of course I wish to know if you will marry me ! " " Your words imply an innate honourableness which does not belong to you," Joan flashed out bitterly — she who had never sneered before she came to live with her sister. " But what about Miss ' Conroy ? She would question the right." " Don't trouble about Miss Conroy. That was an agreed flirtation," said he, looking at her swiftly, then letting his lids fall — a trick Joan had noticed as similar to her sister's. IgO IN StiNNV AVSTRALIA " It is rather inconvenient that I happen to know otherwise," remarked she quietly, though a trifle pale. ' This is not what Miss Conroy and your world ex- pect." " It is a good thing to give people what they do not expect," returned he angrily. " It keeps one prominently before the social gaze." " Enough of this bandying of sentences," cried Joan, becoming heated. "You are not acting honourably towards Miss Conroy, if you do not in- tend to become engaged to her ; any way, rest assured that I shall never marry you, nor wish to do so." No doubt Joan was hard on him, especially as Blanche was no particular friend of hers ; but Nor- rington's scornful glance of the morning urged her on. Seeing he remained silent, she quickly softened. " I don't wish to seem horrible, though I must say this," she pursued earnestly. " Of course not. People are not generally fond of being considered horrible," rather satirically. " How- ever, I will do as you wish, which I would do for no one else ; only do not blame me for the conse- quences." " This is all very horrible," said poor Joan, feeling now very miserable and near to tears, since her anger had subsided. " I never had such a picnic." "Shall we return to the others, Miss Compton?" asked he, in his well-bred society tones, and endea- AFTER THE BALL 151 vouring to forget his disappointment and mortifica- tion at his rejection. " Yes, for goodness' sake ! " very emphatically. " Two proposals, and both of them the nastiest of the nasty," Joan was saying mentally. " No romance nor anything charming. I would sooner be safely married ! "— " But the men don't marry now, my dears ! " came tumbling into her head, the refrain of a song she had heard Chubby singing that morn- ing in mischievous strain. " Whatever should we do for our novels .? " thought she dismally, "no scenes like these taking place, and none to read about." Here she nearly fell, and endeavoured to franti- cally clutch some geebungs and rock-lily, while Dr, Wilton reflected that perhaps she was regretting her hasty refusal. He, however, while still steeped in reflections, did not forget to extend her his hand, which, this time she accepted very readily. True there was a slight difference, inasmuch as he did not offer any more than his hand. Wilton prided himself on being a gentleman ; he would never have dreamed of troubling her again. Joan, being fixed on her walking end once more, they entered the gully without further conversation. Most of the people were grouped about in recumbent or sitting postures, having apparently partaken of afternoon tea. 152 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " Oh, Dr. Wilton and Miss Compton, how late you are ! " cried Blanche, in a purposely high key, that was plainly understood by Norrington. " We couldn't find you anywhere. However, will you make up for lost time and have some tea now .' " Joan, indignant at having the general attention thus directed to her, would have refused, but for a comprehensive glance from the doctor who, bending courteously towards Blanche, begged to be allowed to carry the " billy " for her, or, at least, add a few more sticks to the fast-dying fire. She quickly followed his cue. Wilton was never awkward or out of place, and so an inconvenient moment was tided over. Soon after the packing up of the various baskets a general move was made, the party returning to Bralga by the early moonlight. And soon after the peaceful green valley and red caves were left to the picnicing proclivities of the rock wallaby and ring-tailed opossum. On arriving at Bralga every one seemed tired, and disinclined to do anything except lie about ; only a few of the more ardent spirits, amongst whom was Chubby, were talking of an impromptu dance. The Breretons had drawn apart, and as Joan came up, Aileen said gently, " Had we not better return to- morrow, Hal .' " " You go when you like," answered he lazily. " Well, what time ? " asked she, gazing at him appealingly, seeking to allay her fears. AFTER THE BALL 153 "Oh, you arrange that. Suit yourself, dear," unconcernedly. " But Hal, give me an idea what time you want to go back .? " " I .'' " moving rather uneasily. " I thought you knew that I was going to stay for a few days longer." " No, I did not," answered she quietly, but in quite a different tone, that made her lose all her girlishness. " You see, Ailee," he explained, quickly, " I ought to inspect my land out back, and you are sensible enough to know that property has to be looked after. You and Joan will be right enough with the May- nards, and I'll bring home the sociable in a day or two, and may be some nice 'possum skins, for you, old girl. You know what a warm and jolly comfort- able thing a 'possum rug is in winter ! " As a matter of fact Hal was thinking far more of a possible battue, and sundry small kangaroo skins, for which he also had an affection, than his long- neglected land. He was very fond of shooting, or sport of any kind, and winter was the best time for kangaroo hunting ; but, to Aileen, his explanations only confirmed the evil poison sown in her mind by Mrs. Grey, and — oh, the pity of it — she did not believe him. Her quiet, almost too quiet, reply of "Very well, Hal," struck Joan as strange. She looked at her friend. Aileen's face had lost its brightness, and she seemed older, but coldly determined. 154 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA Joan was sorely puzzled. She saw no reason for believing other than Hal said ; but poor Aileen was thinking of Blanche, only she would not have said so to any one for the world. The following morning, as the Maynards were making an early start, saw them off. It was quite a cold, frosty morning ; the sun was barely up. Norrington, who had been dancing last night, was not up either ; but Chubby scampered down to the buggy for a last good-bye ! " So soon as ever Tub can accompany me to Bourketown, I am coniing to see you, Joan. I haven't had a spare moment that I could grab, to have a yarn with you ; but, at all events, you must come and stay with me, like a dear ! " Hal, who was fussing around, kissed his young wife, which she responded to with an effort. He merely thought her overtired with the round of gaieties, and determined to procure the furs for a rug at all hazards, as she had often expressed a wish for one. " Good- bye ! Good-bye ! " and they are off. CHAPTER XV "I LOVE you" SCENE. — In the Grey's schoolrooon, and Joan hastily divesting herself of her wraps, being assisted, or rather hindered, by four pairs of hands. " Hallo! Joan, how did you enjoy your small self? Out with it," shouted Charlie, with a noble disre- gard for one's ears. " You needn't scramble out of your clothes so quickly, Joan," protested Rob, entering and seating himself on the extreme edge of a shaky shelf, " I've been qualifying for the position of scout, and find that the Missis is off to read Widow Jamieson a lec- ture on her sins, for which, if she listens without vulgar interruption, Missis will give her a jar of jam for close attention." " If she had known Joan was coming back from the mouth of — you know where," explained Charlie very gravely, winking one eye, " she'd have stayed at home to read to you ; d'ye see now ? " "That would have been very kind," said Joan laughingly. 156 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " Not so good when it's tasted though," said Belle. " Don't you have your chip in everything," retorted the boys in one breath ; " we want Joan to give us the news. Fire ahead ! Joe, the door's barricaded with the kitchen tongs and, poker, which we sneaked off, and the window will be safe, because I'm going to sit with my back to it," added Charlie, with a broad grin. " Don't go through it," remarked Chris. " As if I should ! You girls are such muffs ! " " I'm not such a muff as to sit where you and Rob do." " Oh, shut up, do!" cried Rob despairingly. " Look at the time ; we'll never hear a thing. Now we are ready." " What am I to tell you ? " cried Joan, " whom I danced with ? Oh, various people ; there was such a crowd there. They had a lovely supper, and every- thing was kept going merrily from first to last." " Oh yes, we know ; but 'sposin you enter into par- ticulars, — any great lark .' " suggested Charlie, speak- ing for the whole family. " Now that I come to think of it," said she provok- ingly, " I can't remember a single detail ; it seems like a whole picture." " Holy, or holey, Joan," corrected the boys, " you worshipped the scene — now didn't you .' And we bet a brass farthing that Norrington was there ; was he ? " :■'*'■"" ■ ■ "/ LOVE YOU" 157 "Joan fancied herself at the ball," piped small Jimmy shrilly. " Shut up, Jimmy, and let Rob and me settle our debts of honour," commanded Charlie. " I'm fright- fully anxious to possess that brass farthing. It's terribly valuable, eh, Chris ? and Rob's jolly loath to chuck it up." " May be it's his lucky coin," said Joan. " That's all very well ; but there's no wriggling out of our questions, unless you wriggle through the key- hole, dear old Aunt Joe." "Well, Mr. Norrington was there, and I didn't dance with him ; that's all I will tell you, so undo the door quickly, and take away those wretched old tongs and poker, that I may go to my room, you .young grinning urchins, you." The following morning brought Joan a rather long drawn-out lecture during breakfast from Mrs. Grey. It is a surprising fact how fond some people are of always bringing in some disagreeable topic at meal-time. It generally upset Grey, and he hated indigestion. To be sure, his digestion never troubled his wife. She believed every one should have the digestion of an ostrich ; and if they hadn't, well, they ought to have," so ran her argument. But this morning Grey pushed back his chair, saying abruptly, "That is enough, Isabelle ! This sort of thing doesn't tend to tranquillize the day, or one's breakfast. Joan, my 158 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA girl, will you take these papers to Mrs. Brereton's for me, and tell her choir-practice is altered to 8 p.m. now ? " Joan mentally thanked him for his thoughtfulness in saving her from her step-sister's tireless tongue before he set out on his rounds. She scampered off to Aileen's rather joyfully in consequence, accompanying the boys as far as Dr. Winter's. " Take care of yourself Joe, old girl ! " the boys called after her, " and don't get gossiping, or there will be another long list of sins to be chalked up against you, which will give you a staggerer some day ; and you look as if you would capsize very easily, you know." " You are rude, disagreeable, teasing school-boys," said she, disdainfully, as she disappeared round the corner. "We do give her fits, sometimes, eh Charlie?" said Rob, rather remorsefully, looking after the pretty bright face ; " but she's so good-tempered and kind, and it's- such a pleasure to be able to chaff a bit with- out being promptly sat on — only that makes it sound rather mean of us, don't you think, to worry her because she is so good-natured." " Yes, perhaps," admitted Charlie reluctantly ; " but never mind, I'll feed all the pets when I get home, and Joan is always pleased when the animals are looked after. Hallo ! there's old Winter. He "/ LOVE YOU" 159 has got his trencher on as crooked as a cat's hind leg. Doesn't he look a fright ? I say, let's cut." On arriving at Aileen's Joan walked in unceremoni- ously. She delivered the parcel and message, and remarked upon her hostess' white face, " Too much dissipation," she replied with a short laugh. Joan sighed a little. " You are not well either, child. Bralga did not suit us. Have you seen Noel Norrington .' He came back late last night." " How does Noel Norrington concern me ^ " ex- claimed Joan defiantly. " It's always Norrington ! Norrington ! from Isabelle's infatuation down to " "Yours," suggested Aileen, quietly. "But don't fret over him ; no man is worth that." " How can you speak so, Ailee ! " cried she, her delicately small face flushing crimson ; " you, the happiest of brides ! That never was your custom." " Perhaps I have changed, or perhaps other people have," returned Aileen somewhat bitterly. Joan, thinking and fretting over her own secret woes, did not detect that Aileen was troubled. It is ever so. The majority of us, and our concerns, are of far greater importance to ourselves than we are to anybody else. Aileen kept her to lunch though, but their conver- sation was chiefly on commonplace subjects — neither l6o IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA speaking of that which lay nearest each one's heart. Aileen was secretly fretting over Hal's fickleness. " Well, good-bye ! It is about time for me to go back and face Isabelle. Arthur kindly postponed the culminating point this morning. May we both be in better spirits next time we meet," said Joan, yawning, and drawing on her gloves. " You will feel all right when Mr. Brereton returns. You must be lonely now. I would stay, only Isabelle says I'm always grumbling with time — playing pitch and toss with it, so to speak ; but you don't credit her with such remarks, do you ? " She skipped off with a sort of hop and jump, then settled down into a quick walk for the Rectory. Rather to her surprise, for she supposed him to be away at the Twelve-Mile-Ridge, Norrington came abruptly round the corner. He was holding his soft felt on, for a strong westerly gale was blowing, and it was cold. " Oh ! " said Joan, shivering a little, and thinking of yesterday morning, when he had been too tired or too disinclined to see them off from Bralga. " I want you," he said directly and without hesita- tion. "Well, had I been in your place," she returned, also directly, " I should have said ' Good-morning ' or ' How are you > ' and not start talking in that abrupt and brusque fashion. I don't call it very good manners." "/ LOVE YOU ' l6l " I did not think about that. Come in here," pulling her through a small paling gate into the churchyard which happened to be the nearest ; " one can't talk in the road." " It must be a very gloomy subject you are going to descant upon, when you bring one into a grave- yard," said Joan, with cheerful unconcern, but yet looking away from the tombstones. "What I want to know is," said he determinedly, turning and facing her, "whether you are going to marry Dr. Wilton, or whether you are going to marry me ? " Joan, looking up quickly sideways, decided she liked long shaped brown eyes, a straight nose, and clear-cut decisive mouth and chin. " A regular study in brown," she had often mentally called him. " Marry you ! marry you ! " she repeated, half- dazed at his sudden, unexpected question. "Why, you have never shown in one single instance that you ever wished or thought of such a thing. You, who have always been rather uncivil, than otherwise, to me. "Joan ! " he said, simply taking possession of her unresisting hands ; " Joan, I love you ! " Once again she felt her helplessness by the side of his powerful will. "You have always conquered, Noel, always. Even when I was so angry with you at Bralga, I loved you in spite of myself and my wilfulness." L l62 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " Dear heart ! my little love ! is it really so ? " he exclaimed, covering her face with kisses. " I never really believed that life held so good a gift in store for me. And I was dreadfully jealous of Wilton; that was why I was so cross to you then. How could I ever have acted so to you, dear love .' and you are so beautiful, Joan ! I think I loved you since that first evening when I first caught a glimpse of your fair-framed face in the gathering gloom." " Noel ! Noel ! " she cried happily, her big eyes aglow; "how happy we are, and how lover- like are you ! You are changed ; no longer stern and grave." " My fairy queen, my little queen has transformed me. Joan," earnestly, " you must understand your position. I am poor. I shall have to, and am, work- ing hard, though that will be so easy now. I may have to keep you waiting for a few years, and Wilton has money. At first I said, ' I have no right to tie her down for an indefinite period. I will not love her.' But then, I saw you at Bralga, and Wilton's attentions made me fearful of losing you. Then I was angry, and it wounded you. I was glad of that, for it showed you cared in some degree. When I met you just now, I suddenly decided that I must have my answer ; and love, what a beautiful answer it was." She smiled back at him. " I am glad it pleased you, and now you must let me help you all I can. I should so love to, my Noel ! " "/ LOVE YOU" 163 " You shall. I shall work harder than ever now. Do you know, Joan," wincing as he spoke, " I lost my old beautiful home and estate, or rather, it seems it was never mine to lose. Don't say so to any one though. You, I trust ; and it is of no consequence to any one else how I lost all but my name and pro- fession. People are curious enough." " Was the name of your old place Durend, Noel ? " asked she, sympathetically, her thoughts reverting to Morris's and Mrs. Grey's remarks. " Don't, Joan ! for Heaven's sake, don't ! " he ex- claimed passionately. " I cannot bear to discuss the subject or the owner, even with you, my heart's dearest. Have you seen the place .-' It must have been lately. By-and-by, when I get over all bitter feelings, I may tell you all' about it, but not now. So don't ask me, love. I speak of that time to no one.'' He was very much in earnest, and his face appeared decisive and thin in the fast waning light. So that was how it fell out that Joan never men- tioned Morris's proposal to her to Noel ; nor her exceedingly cutting rejection of him. She had always had a contempt for Morris and all his works. Now she was convinced that this Norrington was identical with the one she had heard Morris speak of as a former owner of Durend. Somehow, she longed to know more, longed to unburden her heart to her lover ; but her sensitive and tender heart could l64 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA not bear to 'ever reopen the subject which was so evidently painful to him. And these two never spoke on it again, until at a very late date. The short winter afternoon had faded. " Let me take you inside," said Noel softly. " Your step-sister will be pleased ; she was always very kind to me." " No, she won't," laughed Joan decidedly. " You are like Aileen ; you don't know her ! " They walked hand in hand towards the Rectory in silent happiness, and neither gave a thought to Chubby, poor lonely Chubby, who knew, when she bade him " good-bye " last night, that her love was lost her for ever. But then that is only what one expects in life ; in novels one expects otherwise. It was Mrs. Grey herself who came to the door, with a reproof of sweet severity ready on her lips for Joan ; but she managed to repress it, with a gasp, when she saw Norrington. He came forward quickly, and exclaimed in a happy, boyish voice, " Mrs. Grey, you remember what you once said to me. Now I have come to claim your sympathy, not in grief, but in joy. Congratulate me on winning the very sweetest and loveliest girl in the world." " Whom ? Joan .' " said Mrs. Grey in cold surprise ; " you have certainly been in a very great hurry." Which speech was a hit at his position reflected "/ LOVE YOU" 165 Noel, feeling chilled ; but Grey, who had heard the conversation, coming up behind, said, "Accept my very warmest wishes for your happiness. There can never be too great a hurry when the right girl appears." There was a possibility that he himself may have been dilatory at that particular period of his life. "Thanks," said Norrington quietly. "Though I am a poor man, my Joan cares enough for me to wait." "A hundred years, if necessary," supplemented she, daringly. "Well, Joan, while you have been idling your time to-day many duties have been waiting for you, so good-night, Mr. Norrington. You will, I feel sure, excuse me, whose hands are never idle," said Mrs. Grey, in cool, polite tones, walking away and leaving Joan to follow. " I shall claim your company, Noel," said Grey kindly, sorry for the lovers. " Won't the children be glad to hear of the engagement .' " CHAPTER XVI CHUBBY TO THE RESCUE MRS. GREY went about her household duties white and silent with wrath that evening and the day following. Grey could see she was working herself into a fury for the storm — he knew the signs so well — but what could he do ? So he shrugged his shoulders, and thought out and acted upon some plan to counteract the effects of her temper. He was specially careful to keep Joan out of her way as much as possible ; but all these little things took time and hindered his sermons. The children had wind of it that morning. It was Saturday, and the boys joined their sisters and Joan in the schoolroom, ostensibly, to fix up some shelves and other articles of a kindred nature, while the girls were mending and darning ; in reality, " to give Joan a twist," as they expressed it, about her engage- ment. " You are looking extra happy to-day, Joan," remarked Charlie, as he sorted out nails of unequal lengths. " Whatever ails you ? " i66 CHUBBY TO THE RESCUE 167 "Shoo, Charlie!" scoffed Rob. "Won't she be needing an unusual supply of good temper to-day, seeing our mother is in a silent passion ? She would scarcely speak to any of us this morning, so we made ourselves scarce. I'm much exercised in my mind — " [Interjection of " Didn't know you possessed one," from Joan.] " As to what has upset her equilibrium. I'm innocent of it this time." " Got indigestion perhaps, or an ache," suggested Charlie. " Probably heartache," said his brother. "Don't you boys really know?" exclaimed Chrissy, entirely innocent of their little strategies. " Why Joan's engaged to that nice Mr. Norrington, and I guess mother doesn't like it because he is poor." " Which is no crime," put in Joan, flushing. The boys, looking at her crimson face, fairly shouted and hugged each other in paroxysms of joy. " Oh ! you don't really mean to say you're en- gaged 1 " they cried in a most surprised and innocent fashion. " Why ! where's the ring ? Surely you have not been shyly hiding it from your two loving little nephews ! " " Since he is poor, it may not be a real diamond, and Joan keeps it shut up for fear of the light hurting it," said Belle astutely. " There is something in your remark, Belle, which l68 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA is not usually the case," remarked Rob gravely, with the important air of a legislative councillor. " Now Joan, re this diamond question. Is it of the first water or the second, or, to stretch a point, the fiftieth ? " " I'd like to know the value of it, that I would," yelled Charlie, with ever-increasing lung power. " It's very convenient in this world to know the value of things. Father never does ; that's why he is cheated so often." "And why I have to wear such horrid trousers," supplemented Rob, plucking at the aforesaid gar- ments disdainfully. " You should make light of such troubles," said Chrissy rebukingly. " Light ! " echoed the youth, with a great shout of derisive laughter ; " why I have made light of them. You can see daylight in several places, bless you ! To-night I shall carefully fold them up and lay them on the clothes-basket to await your idle little fingers." " Why ever did you not tell me you were ' a thing of rags, but no patches,' Rob .' " exclaimed Joan, with a horrified little laugh. " I thought it was too apparent to need any comment," replied Rob very sedately. " Look here ! what with your wretched old trousers, we have got right away from the point at issue," said Charles oratorically. (He had been having Parlia- mentary reports read to him lately, by way of dicta- CHUBBY TO THE RESCUE 1 69 tion, and his head was rather turned thereby. A good many people who read Hansard suffer simi- larly.) "Joan, do you think your ring is worth, say, five pounds 1 These are the kinds of questions that are sometimes asked in Parliament, don't you know ? " " Something about as sensible, doubtless," said Joan. "Well, what about the price? I want to know, as I may be thinking of espousing some one myself, and I'd like to know how much could be raised on it, for instance." " What a silly flat you are,'' said Rob elegantly. He had just finished a wordy argument with Chrissy, re the trousers, and he had had the last word (not she), which is more often the case than is generally supposed. Consequently he felt in great trim. " Thank heaven," retorted Charlie piously, " I am not a quarter so silly as you. You are as flat as stale ginger-beer." " Charlie," said Rob, deliberately unbuttoning his vest, " we must settle accounts ! " And settle accounts they did with a hearty good- will. Joan watched them rolling and scuffling on the floor for a while, then made her escape with her hands over her pretty ears. " You are like the dog in the lesson-book that quarrelled with his own reflection and lost his dinner. Joan has cleared ! " said Belle, rolling her mended I70 IN SUNNY- AUSTRALIA stockings up into a ball and shooting them at the boys, who promptly forgot their other grievance and prepared to pay Belle out. The racket brought Mrs, Grey to the scene, who very soon found them all something to occupy their hands, and at a respectable distance from each other too. "Can't even shout out to a chap," said Charlie grumblingly, thrusting his hands into his pockets. In the meantime Mrs. Grey sent for Joan, who dutifully responded, but not without a presentiment of what was coming. Isabella opened fire at once. " I cannot let this opportunity pass," she began in her most chilling manner, "without pointing out to you, Joan, the utter absurdity, not to speak of the gross selfishness, of your conduct. In the first place, you have a good offer made to you which you wickedly refuse, because, forsooth, you have a preju- dice again'st the man. Then, of course, you must give up your position and foist yourself upon us, and in return for all our kindness engage yourself to the most beggarly man of our acquaintance." "You used to like him well enough yourself," flashed out Joan. " Everybody said so. A^to being poor, that is not his fault. Durend belonged to him long before Morris ever knew what it was to own anything." "Ah!"— Mrs. Grey's teeth clicked sharply together as she made a mental note of Joan's last hasty sentence — "that eloquence is wasted upon me. I CHUBBY TO THE RESCUE 171 think you are an utter fool, and also an extremely naughty and selfish one. That is my opinion of you, and nothing will change it until you tell Mr. Morris how sorry and repentant you are." "That I never shall be," cried Joan viciously. " You may count sure on that, Isabelle. And I wish to say I work hard enough for everything that ever I get from you. Since, however, you feel so unkindly disposed towards me, I shall try my best to get some teaching elsewhere." "Do, by all manner of means," replied her step- sister cruelly, knowing well how slight a chance there was. " I shall be heartily glad to be rid of you." She rose up and left the room, swaying with passion. Joan, pale but determined, pitied her her inability to control herself. Nevertheless, being a tender-hearted and sensitive girl, she suffered acutely from Isabelle's unkindness. She was essentially one of those beings who thrive under loving and bright influences ; but being high-spirited she would not admit to any one save herself how much such in- fluences affected her. ,4 The following week was a very unpleasant one for her ; even the children were depressed, for their mother had been raging around like a termagant. It was now June, and very cold. Joan seemed to have caught a chill somehow. Norrington noticed it. " You must take care, love," he said hurriedly. 172 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA Naturally he was now more busy and harder worked than ever, and could only snatch a few minutes to run round to the Rectory. Mrs. Grey was civil to him before his face, behind his back was another matter. She was shrewd enough to cover her tracks ; more- over, she did not wish to raise any animosity in him against herself ; and Joan, she knew, would neither make mischief, nor complain to him about her. A bad person knows so well the good qualities of others — is sure to discover them ; not that he or she is impressed by the beauty of goodness, but only in order to turn them to account for the further- ance of their own machinations. So how Mrs. Grey relied on Joan's generosity to shield herself. Chubby Conroy called in about this time at the Rectory. She had come to Bourketown rather unexpectedly, and leaving the buggy at the Greys' gate, she walked into the hall in her usual unceremonious fashion. " Hallo ! " she exclaimed, seeing Joan come out of the schoolroom, "you are just the very person I want." And she advanced with a stride. "Good gracious!" gasped Joan, startled. "Chubby, how unexpected. What a fright you gave me ! " " I am sorry," replied she contritely. " And you really do look as white as a sheet. No, don't trouble to go into the drawing-room, I will sit here on the verandah step. I would far rather — the drawing- room of the present day rather appals me— I am CHUBBY TO THE RESCUE 173 certain to smash something in such furniture shops. Tell me," catching hold of her hands impulsively, " you have been ill, and yet — and yet " " I have had a slight cold," answered Joan gently, " and, of course, you know " " Oh, yes," interrupted the girl hastily. " I just ran in to Mrs. Brereton's, and she told me. So I hfive come to wish you every happiness, dear. You have won the love of a good man, and that is worth a great deal more than money." " I wish Isabelle thought so," Joan sighed. "Does she not think so?" asked Chubby with contracting brows. She had come to see Joan with heroic self-suppres- sion, and getting away from the sentimental view was rather a relief to her; though her reason had always told her that she would never obtain what she so desired. Still she had hoped, until their ball, which privately settled the question for her. But Chubby could love unselfishly — that kind of love which is the least often en evidence, — and apart from her personal liking for Joan, she was quite ready to befriend the pair. So she, occupying her mind so that her heart should have no opportunity of showing how well it could ache, said briskly, " Why should Mrs. Grey object ? Because of his position ? Bah, he'll soon have one that will make her more pliable. She has been worrying you over it, I can see it in your face. It's too bad, I declare." 174 I^ SUNNY AUSTRALIA " Yes," said Joan more sadly than ever she had spoken, " though I feel that this is a matter which I should not speak of, yet you will respect my confi- dence, Chubbj'. It is cruel to complain to Noel when his time is so fully occupied, and he still believes in Isabelle. But the fact is I am very unhappy here. Ever since she has known of my engagement she cannot tolerate my presence. I cannot understand wky she is so hard." " Umph," said Chubby, contemptuously. " I tell you what, Joan ; Mrs. Grey has it in for you, and un- til she has. recovered you will have to pay the penalty. Of course you are miserable, particularly when — when — Mr. Norrington has so little leisure. You cannot have his company as a ' set-off.' So I propose that you return with me to Bralga, and I'll see that you have both rest and change." " Thank you very, very much, but I cannot possibly go ; I must wait till the June holidays." " Bother ! that will never do. By that time your cold will be chronic and you will b.e quite run down. I'll just speak to Mr. Grey about it." " Oh, don't disturb him now," pleaded Joan in a fright; for Chubby looked as if she would make straight for the study. " He has just settled down to his sermon. Isabelle has been in and out like a wandering Jew- ess all the morning. I wonder how he stands it." " Well, where is Mrs. Grey > I must try her, I sup- pose, for come you shall, before those holidays are CHUBBY TO THE RESCUE 1 75 due. Why not let them have them earlier this year." " A very good idea," cried Joan, smiling, her spirits rising. " tsabelle is writing letters ; she may not like us to disturb her." " That won't do for me, for I am driving myself, and must get home by sundown ; so if you come, you must come quickly. Mother and Dad did raise some objections to my coming alone ; but as it was neces- sary, and there was no one else just then to do it, I had my way. Now to tackle your step-sister." As Chubby rose, Mrs. Grey herself appeared in the hall, overcome by curiosity as to whether the engage- ment brought the younger Miss Conroy there, for she did not often honour the Rectory with her com- pany. " How are you, Mrs. Grey .■' I was just coming to look for you," began Chubby, in her usual cheerful, outright fashion. " I have just been telling Joan that I am going to carry her off to Bralga with me to- night. She seems to have a cold ; and a rest will do her good. Selfishly speaking, I want her companion- ship, for I am lonely, Blanche having gone down to Melbourne for the season " — " not that we are at all ' chummy ' sisters," she added mentally. Joan could not help being amused at Chubby's shrewd manner of attack. Mrs. Grey prided herself on showing a perfectly even and unruffled front to strangers or any one outside her immediate circle. 176 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " But what about the lessons ? " she inquired rather coldly. " Oh, the holidays can be earlier, and you will be glad to be rid of me," answered Joan, with more meaning in her tone than Mrs. Grey cared to notice just then. " Well, that is as good as settled," cried Chubby joyfully. " Get your things quickly, Joan, while I give Mrs. Grey what news we have." " You're a regular darling," murmured Joan under her breath. As the two girls started off. Chubby tucked a 'possum rug round her more frail companion. " It gets cold so soon now," she said. Joan told her of her project of leaving Bourketown and going out as a governess again. " I will help you all I can," said Chubby doubtfully ; " but you are not certificated, Joan, and they all re- quire eertificates nowadays. Mrs. Grey's temper cannot last for ever, and I think you would be better off at the Rectory." " Indeed I would try and put up with Isabelle, for the sake of the children whom I love," replied Joan earnestly ; " but she told me that I was a burden, and wished she were rid of nie." " Rather rich, when you slave like a Kanaka," said Chubby indignantly. " Take my word for it, your precious step-sister will be sending for you before the holidays are over." " Now we are clear of the town we will draw up at CHUBBY TO THE RESCUE 177 Tim O'Kelly's humpy on our way and leave a message for Mr. Norrington as to your whereabouts, Joe dear. You blush ! — well, it suits you," and the grey-eyed girl looked pensively towards the open stretch along which their road lay. " I must tickle up the horses," she exclaimed, pull- ing herself together. " The afternoons are so short. Though I must say I would enjoy the slightly danger- ous element in driving through the bush by night, with only you, you sweet, slender, child-like creature, for company. Wouldn't Reginald read me a proper little lecture if he caught me ? But he is away." Just then a sociable emerged in sight with Hal Brereton driving. " Good gracious," said Chubby, " is he only return- ing now } He must have had good sport. I wonder if he called in at Bralga on his way." " I wonder he left Aileen so long ; they art such an affectionate couple." Hal, with a merry shout and wave of his whip, passed rattling by. M CHAPTER XVII THE BEGINNING OF HARVEST HAL BRERETON drove the sociable into his yard, where a man who conveniently answered to the position of milkman, gardener and groom, appeared. " 'Orses sweatin' a good bit, boss," he remarked as he proceeded to unharness them. "Yes ; rub them down. I drove them rather hard, and they have been on grass feed," replied Brereton carelessly, gathering up the skins and making for the house. He expected to see Aileen smiling him welcome at the threshold. She usually flew when she heard wheels, after any short absence of his, and this was certainly the longest time he had ever spent away from her since their marriage. But she was not there. The bedroom being handiest he looked into that, then the dining-room, and finally the drawing-room. She was there stoop- ing over a table, apparently much engrossed in 178 THE BEGINNING OF HARVEST 179 artistically arranging some flowers in a vase. He thought she had not heard his footsteps and wondered ; she was generally so quick. "Well Ailee, little wife, how are you ? " he exclaimed. She looked up from her work and received his rather boisterous caress composedly. " Oh, Hal, is that you ! You returned safely then." She had to steel her heart against the puzzled questioning in his face, " Oh yes," — he took his arm from her waist — " and you received my letter ? I did not know then which day I could get back." " Of course not," thought Aileen bitterly, " seeing that Blanche only left for Melbourne yesterday, as Chubby herself told me this morning. Then he returns home the next day." To him — " Yes ; I received your letter." He moved slowly away from her, and threw him- self into a chair taking the skins with him. There was some subtle difference he could not understand — he was never very perceptive. " What is the matter, Aileen ? " he asked, with a vague questioning appeal in his eyes. " Are you not well ? " " Thank you ; I am as well as possible." There was a few minutes' silence, and then he tried again. "The grass is getting fairly dried up at Willoo," and the sheep are not of the primest. l8o IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA It was the drayman to whom I entrusted your letter. One good point of his is, you can rely. on him." " He must be a boon when post-of3Sces are so scarce ! But " — keenly — " I understood you were at Bralga." " So I was,'' replied he, rather mystified ; " but I was at Willoo also. Deadly dull hole it is." She sat down slowly. Was it possible that she was deceived after all .' But no, no ; the day of the picnic was proof enough. He was merely trying to throw dust in her eyes — only this time it did not blind her. So ran her thoughts, as she sat there white and still. If only she had asked for full explanations ; but her love and pride were wounded, and she had been nursing and brooding over the jealousy sown in her mind for over a week. This was miserably unsatisfactory. The big fellow rose to his feet. " You don't want anything, do you, Ailee .'' " he asked a little wistfully. " No, thank you, Hal," she answered civilly. " I am quite comfortable." So he went to his own little den, where he pitched the opossum skins into a corner. " You poor things, you," he muttered. " I'm sorry I deprived you of your life. She doesn't want you, and I don't think she wants me either. But why, I can't understand," THE BEGINNING OF HARVEST l8l Then he turned to his travelling flask and, mixing a glass of whiskey, drained it dry. The following day Hal brought Norrington home to lunch. He had had some bother with one of his men, and what between that and Joan, he was rather pre-occupied, so did not notice any coolness between the pair. Indeed, it would have taken very keen obser- vation on any one's part to detect it, for Aileen was, if anything, more gentle and studiously attentive than usual. Hal had not reopened the subject of asking what was the coolness about, for her outward cor- diality denied the existence of any such thing. She simply ignored the incident of yesterday ; but he felt, though he could not define, some change in her. She was not the same Aileen that went to Bralga. " We have lost Joan for a week or so," remarked Aileen to Noel at the table. " I think she needed a rest and change, poor little thing ! " " Yes," he replied quickly, " and this cold she has had seems to have pulled her down. I have been so busy, I have not been able to devote all the time I should like to her. Just like Chubby Conroy to take her off like that ; she was always a thoughtful, unselfish girl ! " l82 IN SVNNY AUSTRALIA " I used to hope and think she would be your choice," said Hal, raising the decanter. Noel looked across at him deliberately, and Hal put the decanter down again without replenishing his glass. " One's wishes are often frustrated," he said. " Amen. Sometimes more often than is pleasant," answered Hal, looking at Aileen; but she was pouring hot water into the tea-pot. " Where are you going, old chap ? Come into my den and have a smoke. I want to talk to you." They had risen from lunch, and were standing on the verandah. "Sorry, Brereton, old man," replied Norrington, pulling out his watch, "but I must be back this afternoon. I have pitched my tent alongside Tim's hut, and am hanging out there at present. I find the work progresses much quicker, and more satis- factorily when under my immediate supervision. Is it anything very pressing } " " Never mind. I know you are hard at graft," responded he, more disappointed than he cared to show. " Ride out and see me. I am always glad to have you at any time, old man. Adieu for the present," and he ran down the steps, a tall, lithe, dark figure. Brereton thought of it as he turned towards the THE BEGINNING OF HARVEST 1 83 drawing-room. " Now he has gone I must have it out with Aileen," he muttered. She was looking weary when he entered ; some of her self-control and decision had deserted her. Yes, he loved her ; he loved her ! Why was she so cold .? " Aileen ! " he exclaimed. " Aileen ! not a wel- coming word yet } " " What is it you want me to say ? " she asked studiously, her face becoming firm again. " Oh ! if you don't know what to say without my telling you, you had better leave the whole dashed thing alone.'' " I don't think your manners have improved since you went to Bralga," retorted she with dignity. " It is rather ironical for jou to complain about my method of speaking." " Come now, Aileen, don't ride the high horse. I want to know what all this uppishness is about, by Jove ? " You are delightfully innocent," said she, sarcasti- cally. "Anything does for me apparently. Of course you know well enough." " Look here," he exclaimed angrily. " Has any- body been saying anything against me while I was away ? " " Nothing in the world, and I certainly do not discuss your sins with any one." 184 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " The fact is," he blurted out, fully incensed by her attitude, and the wine he had had at lunch, " you are tired of me, and are getting fond of some one else, — Norrington, perhaps ! If it were so, I would blow his brains out, much as I care for him ! " " I am not at all likely to put you to any such trouble," sh6 replied coldly, though her eyes blazed. " I am sorry you cannot, or will not, understand what is so self-evident. Until you can, you could hardly expect any — well — gush from me." " You are my wife ! " he exclaimed passionately, almost savagely ; " and as you have not chosen to believe me hitherto, I shall give you no explanation, or again repeat that I am ignorant of the cause of this quarrel. Before the world you can keep up what sham, what hypocrisy you like, until you cease this unreasonableness. That is all I have to say on the subject, until you get over your temper." He strode out, and banged the door heartily. She stood mute, then the tears started to her eyes. " Hal ! " she cried. He did not, or would not, hear ; and then back over Aileen came every evil insinuation. " Oh ! that I had never known," she sobbed. " In spite of what I have seen with my own eyes, he denies knowing anything. So like a man to brazen it out. Why did he not marry Blanche, and leave me in peace 1 I suppose she would not have him, THE BEGINNING OP HARVEST 1 85 and he married me as the next best available thing. And yet he calls me bad-tempered and unreasonable. If I am unreasonable, then there is no such thing as justice ! He wants all my love and Blanche's too, and gives me none of his in return. This will break my heart. Oh, Hal ! oh, Hal ! " CHAPTER XVIII THINGS MOVE ALONG A LITTLE JULY, cold, biting, and dry, was in. " How bare everything is getting," said Chul^by dismally, as arm in arm she walkeci smartly with Joan across the flat in the home paddock, " and this is the last day of your stay. Let's hope for' good luck, and that rain will come as a parting gift." " And your words came true, Chubby. Just fancy Isabelle wishing me to come back ; she doesn't even command me." " No doubt," returned she, mockingly. " You see you are such a burden, and so useless, that Mrs. Grey discovers it is very inconvenient to do without your services for longer than a month." " I have had such a lovely month, thanks to all your kindness and thoughtfulness," said Joan warmly, twining her slight fair arms round her tall, well-built friend. " Noel will not know me again. Really, I can't think why he did not prefer you to me, you straight limb of the bush, with your free, unfettered ways." THINGS MOVE ALONG A LITTLE 187 " Ah ! you see I was not ' his other self/ answered she steadily, very steadily. " How cold this westerly wind is ; it seems to go through one. Joan, I think it is time you were indoors. I wonder what father will do with the sheep in Kangaroo Corner paddock ? " she added absently. " Why 1 Have the dingoes been worrying them again } " " No ; but this cold and the drought cut them up so fearfully, and we shear in about six weeks time. I wish you could stay till shearing is over ; it is so interesting to watch them. I often go down to the wool sheds, but Blanche objects to the smell of the wool, the tar, and also the shearers, or their manners, I can't say which." " Don't make me break the tenth commandment," said Joan, laughingly ; " I shall be coveting your en- joyment of it all." " Couldn't you spare me even that .-• " asked Chubby with sombre suddenness. " Why, Chubby, dear Chubby, what do you mean > " " Nothing. I am a fool ; truly I am." " The next day it was windier and bleaker than ever, while snow was lying on the tops of some of the distant mountains. " Uugh ! it is freezing,'' exclaimed Joan, warming her slight self before a huge fire, while kind Mrs. Conroy bustled around the breakfast table. l88 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA Tub, with red cheeks and blue nose, entered. " You must wrap up well Miss Compton, as we start early. Look at me, and take warning. I'm a con- trast — blue in one part of my countenance, and red in the other. It's hopelessly vulgar, I declare, but I hope these gaudy colours will disappear before we reach Bourketown." " You look very nice as you are," asseverated Joan. " I will treasure that speech, though you are an engaged young lady," he exclaimed, laughing. " I am going to drive you in the single buggy and Chubby declares she will accompany you all the way ; and I say, if she does, she will have to sit on the tray behind, with your luggage.'' "And so she will, with the greatest pleasure in life," asserted the younger Miss Conroy cheerfully, as she entered with a plate of tempting hot scones. " My dear young people, breakfast, breakfast ! " said Mrs. Conroy, in kindly chiding tones ; " you will need something warm and substantial with the prospect of a thirty-mile cold drive before you." " Blanche and Reg are. having a nice time down in Melbourne," said Tub, sitting down and helping all round liberally. " 1 think it is Chubby's and my turn next, mater dear." " You must wait till the shearing is over, my boy." " We are ' the indispensables,' " cried Chubby, with sparkling eyes. " Oh, mother ! when shearing THINGS MOVE ALONG A LITTLE 189 is over we must give a shearers' ball at the wool shed. It will just do nicely ! Joan, you must come over.'' " Yes, and Norrington too ! By Jove, I'll postpone my Melbourne trip till afterwards." In about half an hour's time the trio were off: Chubby perched up behind on Joan's portmanteaux, with a big straw hat shading her warm-tinted face. " Too bad of you, Chubby, giving poor old Lion an extra load. We have to take care of our horseflesh now. Miss Compton, for there is precious little herb- age," pointing with his whip to the brown, parched earth that lay on every side. " Do you really mean that .' " asked she in alarm, for impulsive as usual she had not thought about it. " I had better jump down, run back, and saddle up the bay pony. If you do not drive too fast, I shall soon overtake you." " And come at the devil's own pace. No, no ; you will stay where you are now. Lion has been corn-fed this past fortnight ; so, seriously speaking this time, I don't think it will do him very much harm ! " " You are not joking. Tub ? " " Honour bright ! It's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth that I'm speaking." And Chubby was satisfied. ' On the way in they passed Norrington and the men at work. Of course Tub must pull up for a I90 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA few minutes and hail the former, who was grubbing at something in his shirt-sleeves. He sprang across to the buggy eagerly, pulling on his coat as he went. After speaking all round he exclaimed, " How splendid you are looking, Joan, and you have quite lost that cold. Miss Conroy, I can never thank you enough for your kindness." " Don't thank me ; I have done nothing to deserve it," said she, quickly turning away from him. " This canal will be a grand thing when it is finished," broke in Tub admiringly ; " a boon with such dry weather as we are now having." " Yes, it is getting along first-rate," replied Nor- rington in quiet tones, under which was a subdued ring of triumph. " Sorry I can't yarn any longer, Norrington, but I must get these girls safely into the town, and I've a good mind to have this harness fixed up while I'm about it. Gee up. Lion ! " When Joan arrived at the Rectory no one was about. Mr. Grey was out visiting, the boys were at school, and Mrs._ Grey had gone off somewhere to spend the day, taking the other three children with her. So said Polly the maid to Joan. She felt depressed and weary again so soon as she was in her room. " Isabelle knew that I was coming, too ! So like her to go off. Evidently I am not yet forgiven." THINGS MOVE ALONG A LITTLE 191 As she went to the dressing-table, her eye fell on two letters. She was not in the habit of receiving many letters, and these two had not been sent on to her. She opened the first ; it was dated a fortnight back. A chill of evil foreboding passed over her as she recognised Morris's caligraphy. " What can he be writing for now ? " she thought. " Dearest Joan," she read, with a start and flush of indignation at his rude familiarity. " It is now six months since you left the Bonds, and I think I have been very good in allowing you so long a time in which to make up your mind. Although you so harshly refused my humble offer at the time, I told you then I would not accept that as your final answer, knowing you were surprised and angry, too. But then I cared, and do care for you so much that I have waited patiently all this while. Now I want and must have your answer, which I am sure will be favourable. " Ever your devoted, "JosiAH Morris." She read it through gravely, even angrily, but she could not suppress an hysterical laugh at the signa- ture. " The devoted Josiah Morris ! Imagine me as Mrs. Josiah ! " Then she tore open the next. It also 192 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA was from him — a very angry letter. Joan could not detect any love in it — only wounded vanity at hav- ing received no reply to his former epistle. She at once sat down to her little writing-table. What business had he to annoy her so ! " Dear Sir," she wrote, " I have been away from home, and was very surprised on my return to find two letters from you awaiting me. I thank you for your offer, but the answer I first gave you was, and is, my final answer. I regret I cannot oblige you by saying anything else. It may interest you to know that I am engaged to be married, so I hope there will be no more correspondence on this subject. " I am, etc., "J. A. COMPTON." She felt better when she had sealed and stamped this epistle, and putting on her hat again started out to post it. Half-way up the main street of the quiet little town she met Hal Brereton. He was slouching along, and would have passed her, only something in his face and gait attracted her attention, and she stopped him. He was always wont to walk uprightly — physically speaking. " How are you both, Mr. Brereton .' You know I have been away, but I am coming to see Aileen as soon as I can." " I hope you'll be able to knock some sense into THINGS MOVE ALONG A LITTLE 193 her," he replied, in a grumbling, discourteous tone, and passed on. Joan stared after him in bewilderment. " Surely he is not giving way to drink," she thought. " I have heard Isabelle say he was always fond of his wine, but that does not condemn him." She mechanically dropped her letter into a box placed for its reception, and walked back to the Rec- tory in perplexity. Later on the Greys began to arrive home. The children welcomed Joan with effusion. Mr. Grey added a kindly affectionate greeting and inquiry after her well-being. Mrs. Grey made speech to quite the reverse effect. In the meantime Brereton had gone down to the Star Hotel (the only decent one in the place ; the rest were regular back-block pubs, where they sell bad liquor at an alarmingly rapid pace, more rapidly than is good for the general welli}jeing of Bourke- town). Norrington generally put up at the Star when not camping out, and luckily for Brereton he happened to be in town that day. " Hallo ! old man, come up to my den. I thought I should have seen you out at the works before this," exclaimed Norrington. " I haven't had any inclination. D n it ! " said Hal. As both men entered the room, Norrington, while shutting the door, looked at his friend keenly. For N 194 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA the first time, it occurred to him that Hal was not the man he used to be, and his second thought was, that the change had been as recent as it was rapid. " Now for a yarn," he said cheerfully, drawing up his chair before the fire and handing Hal a cigar, which the latter accepted gloomily. " I have not been in town for some little time, so take pity on me and tell me what's going on ; also, how is Mrs, Brereton } " " Of course you must ask about ker," said Hal jealously, taking up his last sentence ; then he added, with a start, " It's no use Norrington, old man. Whatever I may conceal from others I can't keep anything back from you. You can do more with me than any one I know." " Well ? " gently. Hal did not look at him but stared into the fire ; then he began, " The reason I did not ride out to see you was because I was afraid of myself," Norrington started, but asked quietly, " Why afraid ? " " Before I tell you," cried the other hoarsely, " let me ask you a question. Have you seen any reason to believe that Aileen, my, wife, is tired of me — that she cares for some one else .-' " " Decidedly no ! " answered he, very emphatically, though with astonishment. " Then it is not jou ? " THINGS MOVE ALONG A LITTLE 1 95 " My dear Hal," cried Noel, with quietly cheerful decision, " I shall begin to think you are a lunatic if you go on like this. If there is any one in the wide world Mrs. Brereton cares for, that one is your- self. Take my word for it, and I have never de- ceived you yet, old man,'' laying his slim, brown hand on Hal's shoulder. " No, no," exclaimed he, huskily, " I'll believe you ; I'll try — but are you not mistaken ? Some- thing or some one has altered Aileen. I do not think now that she cares for you, but what has changed her.? " " Ask her," returned Noel promptly. " I have, and she says / know. 'Pon me honour, I don't ! " " I had no idea things were like this between you," said he in a troubled voice. " It is a delicate matter, and I cannot do more than say that I assure you that Mrs. Brereton cares for no one but your- self, and certainly not for me ! Hal, you believe me > " " Yes, I do, I do ! Talking won't mend matters, I dare swear ; and I have told her I will not ask her any more. She must come to me and ask for explanations of her own accord." " At that rate nothing can be done. Your wife is not likely to make a confidant of me, or, indeed, of any one." " No, she can keep her own counsel when she 196 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA chooses. But, Norrington, this has upset me, and given me a lurch on the wrong side." " Yes, I noticed that. Take care, go steadily ! " " I don't care a hang," said he, rising defiantly, " if things go on like this I shall take a pleasure in getting drunk twice a day.. " But it may be all a huge mistake. I wish I could set you right." " I wish to heaven it were ! " CHAPTER XIX MRS. GREY'S PLAN IN EXECUTION A BROAD white stone house ; a well-grown -^~^ shady garden, fragrant with violets, mignon- ette, and ablaze with chrysanthemums, and wattle trees (acacias) bursting into a golden shower of blossoms. On a smooth stretch of green grass — water was not wanting here — stood a man and a woman. " Then what you have told me is the truth, the whole truth, and you know it for a fact ? " " Certainly, I do, madam. I am prepared to swear it. But now since I have so obliged you, before you return, I should like you to swear never to reveal who supplied you with this information. If you do not, I think I could make Bourketown a shade too warm, for you, Mrs. Grey." " Oh, certainly, Mr. Morris. I am ready to do anything you wish," and he forthwith had every- thing arranged to his own satisfaction and, possibly, security. " Petween you and me, madam," he remarked. igS IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA "this is a rather risky business, but that letter of your step-sister's is too high and mighty to be passed over altogether without notice. It isn't safe to spurn Josiah Morris, as she will find out. Mind, now, your own promise. If, because of what I have told you, she breaks off her engagement with this fellow that kept me out of my rights for so long, I am to see her." " You shall have every possible chance," she mur- mured. " I am very glad to have seen you. Adieu for the present ! " "Thank goodness, I am pretty safe," thought Morris, as he turned away. " Norrington is not likely to drop on to me, and that Mrs. Grey was cute enough not to let any one know where she was going, or to blab. It will pay that Miss Joan out for her scornful treatment of me, and I don't owe that dashed Norrington or his ' late lamented ' boss anything much, I reckon. That woman Grey looks treacherous, though ; but Josiah was never a lazy cuss — vigilant, eh ! eh ! very vigilant. Silence was part of the price of Durend, though. I must keep quiet and lie low, or my love may cost me dear. I should not like it to be too expensive. By the bye, I wonder what has become of that Tim O'Kelly since he went on the wallaby .' However, I reckon he is safe enough. I never had him much about here." Strangely enough, he altogether overlooked Pattie, MJiS. GREY'S PLAN IN EXECUTION 1 99 Mrs. Grey, congratulating herself on her success — for she did not know for a certainty that Norrington was once master of Durend, but owing to Joan's chance remark, decided to risk it — sat in a first-class railway carriage bound for Melbourne. She told herself she had succeeded admirably ; that in due time she would have Joan under her thumb ; would have her Morris's wife, and reap a considerable benefit herself thereby. " For Joan is a proud little aristocrat to the tips of her fingers, though she will not own it," reflected the lady, as she blinked at the opposite window-pane. When she arrived in Melbourne, she executed some commissions, and thence proceeded to Bourketown. At the Rectory they were awaiting her. She had gone away for a week, ostensibly for a little rest and to do some shopping. During her absence everything had gone on so smoothly, and now, with drawn curtains to keep out the chilly sharpness of the winter night, they were waiting her coming. Mr. Grey had just ridden in, and glanced into the dining-room in passing. Everything looked so bright and shining, a huge log fire blazed away, and Jimmy, kneeling on the hearthrug before it, was gravely making toast. The pleasant odour came floating up, as Jimmy turned a crimson face towards his father. Grey brushed some flecks of snow from his coat. " It's a terribly cold night, children. I managed to reach that selector's place, but I'm afraid the boy 200 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA will die. I did what I could and left that bfoth of yours Joan, of which they were very glad. I left word with the doctor, but the snow is lying thick round Creer's and I doubt if he could reach there in time." " Oh, Arthur! is it really so bad as that ? Poor little Bonnie ! " exclaimed. Joan, with tears in her eyes. " I'm afraid so ! Now chicks, I think I had better be off to meet your mother," and the clergyman hurried away. " Such a pity the missis is coming back," said Charlie mournfully, breaking the silence. " We have had such a lovely week haven't we, Joe?" " No scoldings, no disagreeables, and plenty of fun ! Even dad came out of his shell," quoth Rob. " Into which he will have to get back," remarked Belle. "You're a very disrespectful crew," cried Chris. " Father is always pleasant and good-tempered, and I'm sure mother deserved a holiday. She hasn't been away for ever so long, and mother always liked Melbourne." " Loyal little Chris 1 " exclaimed Joan, kindly. " How like you are to your father." " Chrissy is the only respectable member of our family," observed Charles— "her motto is 'Obey your parents ! ' She never will give in that mother is hard on us kids, which is certainly the case." " She wants to live to be an old, toothless, bald, MRS.GREVS PLAN IN EXECUTION 201 skinny woman," said Rob, with quiet fun in his eyes. " She hope she may experience such, and not be pulled up suddenly in the heyday of her youth." " My motive is principle," answered she, with gravely old-fashioned wisdom. " No doubt," now remarked Joan, wishing to be fair and just even to Isabelle, " she ought to have had a little trip, possibly, before this. I hope she has enjoyed herself in Melbourne ; I have done my best to keep everything here as she likes it." " Mother was going to stay with the Jenkyns a while. Do you know them Joan ? " " No ! I have not that honour," with a smile. " Neither have we chorussed the five. They have never been here anyhow." " How late it is getting," exclaimed Joan, " eight o'clock ! Surely the mail train is in by this time. Hark 1 are those wheels .■• " " No ; a rat in the pantry. A four-legged one, we mean, Joan ! Don't be alarmed ; it isn't Jimmy this time." " No, indeed, poor little chap — he's asleep on the hearthrug." " I'm glad he finished the toast first. I hate getting my face scorched by the fire," said Charlie. " Your face is so ugly it would put the fire out," replied Rob scoffingly. " And out of consideration to you people I have avoided going near it. Joan, I am going to help my- 202 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA self to a piece of buttered toast, as a reward," answered Charlie good-humouredly. " Oh, don't upset the tea-table ! " exclaimed she anxiously. "Youi; mother likes everything just so. I thought you boys had those sandwiches and cakes." " It's such jolly cold weather, we have demolished all that. I " " Ah, at last ! There is ^the light of the lamps. Run Charlie to the hall door," which injunction he hastened to obey, giving Jimmy a surreptitious kick on his way thither. The kick woke up that small individual with a howl. Joan picked him up in her arms and bore him swiftly along the hall. There stood the Greys — the lady in a heavy cloak, which Grey was tenderly unfastening for her. There was a malicious gleam of triumph and excitement in her brilliant blue eyes. The lovely sweet face of her step-sister did not disarm her of her intentions, indeed it only intensified them, as she came to greet her. It was the following day before she broached the subject, and then she only remarked significantly "that she had heard some news during her absence that might interest Joan." , " Why, what was it ? " inquired the girl rather indifferently. She was trying to sort the boys'- hose aright, they would persist in wearing odd ones. Ah ! here is Mrs. Maynard coming to call. I will tell you when I have time, Joan." MBS. GREY'S PLAN IN EXECUTION 203 That lady had been rather upset of late. Her quick eyes had not failed to discern that all was not so sunshiny as it used to be between the Breretons. Neither of the pair had confided in her, and she was feeling hurt, especially as Hal had been as a younger brother. To be sure, she knew his weak point, but instinctively felt that that was not all the trouble. Fortunately, like a sensible woman, she did not run round the district airing her grievances, and so a good deal of annoyance and gossip was spared the Breretons. During her visit, which was short, Norrington drove up to the Rectory. He had invested in a sulky and pony lately. A quick, decisive step, and the schoolroom door was sharply opened. Joan, looking up from her darning, saw the thin, brown face and long half-closed brown eyes that she loved so well. " Oh Noel ! " she exclaimed. That was all. He took her tenderly in his arms, looked at the fair, transparent skin, and pushed back the golden hair from her brows. " My Joan, little Joan, you are losing all' the benefit of your stay at Bralga. You are looking so wonderfully fair. Mrs. Grey keeps you slave-driving too much. Do you know I am losing my illusions about your step-sister .'' Through love of you, I am beginning to find her, different," 204 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " I knew that long ago. You see I have her every- day," said Joan quietly. " To come to the point," he said, releasing her, "I have the trap outside waiting for you, we are going for a rattling drive ! Run and get hat and gloves, dear one ! " " But Noel, can you really spare the time ? " " I am going to, and shall spare the time, but I cannot always spare you ; so fly, dear heart, and get your headgear ! " And that was how it came to pass that Mrs. Grey did not tell her news till the next day. When she did at length commence, she said, " Oh, by the way, Joan, does Mr. Norrington ever tell you anything of his past life .^ " Joan was paring apples, and getting her pretty fingers very much blackened thereby. She stooped and took a fresh supply of fruit out of the basket before replying. This direct question made her conscious that she knew very little of his past career — that the subject was a very painful one to him. Trustful and loving as she was, she never dreamed of broaching it again. It would be time enough when he felt able to tell her all. So she answered, with apparent carelessness, " Oh, gracious ! yes. He tells me various things, which, however, I don't repeat. I am not given that way, and even you, Isabelle, should allow me that small virtue." " Oh, pray take credit to yourself for your own MliS. GREY'S PLAN IN EXECUTION 205 deeds, and every good deed that I perform also," returned Mrs. Grey sarcastically. " It's precious near I would be to bankruptcy if yours were all I had to depend upon," retorted Joan hotly, for Mrs. Grey's words and manner touched and roused her. " It's a pity you have so sharp a tongue and temper," remarked she, with aggravatingly sweet condescension. " Your lover will find it rather a serious drawback." " Well ! " exclaimed the girl, fairly electrified, " I do think it is very rich for j/ou to talk about my temper. Vulgarly speaking, it suggests to one, that old yarn about the pot and the kettle." Mrs. Grey turned rather white, and when she spoke, it was with cold, suppressed fury. " You both evi- dently intend this engagement to go on and finally end in marriage, I see ! No doubt Noel Norrington will excuse your temper on account of your family. He considers himself lucky in marrying into our family, since HE is only the son of a convict" She had played her trump card, and looked to see the result. Joan's lovely face was white and drawn with horror. She nerved herself to speak. " Isabelle ! " she said hoarsely but steadily, " I — do — not — believe — you ! " The words fell slowly, decisively, like a muffled clock striking the hour. Mrs. Grey was rather taken aback, but she re- 206 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA covered herself quickly and added maliciously, "Whether you believe it or not, it has given your aristocratic little soul a shake ! However it is the truth. I have it on good authority." " Where did you hear it, and who told you ? " asked Joan slowly. " I don't repeat things ; I am not given that way," quoted she. " That I heard it when I was away is quite sufficient for you." " You have repeated quite enough already ; it cannot hurt to tell the rest, and I have a right to know." " If you still disbelieve me," retorted her step- sister tauntingly, " ask your worthy fiance if what I say be true. I myself am quite satisfied as to the veracity of my statement. But as he has deceived you for so long, no doubt he will still continue to do so." " There has been no deception. I will not believe a word against him till I hear it from his own lips," declared Joan stoutly. Nevertheless, she trembled as she turned again towards her work. She was terribly, terribly upset, and the minute she had finished the apples, she rushed to her own room and shut herself in, caring to speak to no one. For she was proud of her old, honourable, family name. Could what Isabelle had said be true ? She must know, the sooner the better ! MjRS. GREY'S PLAN IN EXECUTION 207 So she hastily scrawled the following lines : — "Noel, my love, I must see you as soon as pos- sible. I am in great mental trouble. I leave this with Tim O'Kelly. " Yours for ever, until death, " Joan." Then she caught up her hat and went out un- noticed. CHAPTER XX LOVE SCORES TIM O'KELLY'S humpey, or rather gunyah, was situate about seven miles from Bourketown. A quaint little place it was, composed of slabs and stringy bark. He had all his cooking utensils neatly arranged round the walls, for Tim was deft-handed, while a huge hanging-pot simmered over the open fireplace. The humpey stood a little way off the road ; it was in a rather lonely spot, partly hidden from sight by native flowering shrubs, and banked up beyond by belts of the gaunt eucalypti. As one rounded the corner, some grey, heavy rocks started up, immov- able and unyielding, and from thence the road dropped sharply and suddenly. The whitish appear- ance of the road was broken by multi-coloured little stones or pebbles. Probably thousands of years ago this place had been under the sea. Joan looked at her watch when she was free of the Rectory. It was ten minutes past two. She reckoned that two hours', or at the outside two and a half hours' 208 LOVE SCORES 209 riding would take her to the humpey and back. She knew that Norrington had only left Bourketown the previous night for the works, and knew he was not expected in town again for some time. If she posted the letter the chance of his receiving it would be very uncertain. The next difficulty was a horse. Arthur's she could not borrow, it was generally in use, and required the little rest it got. Charlie's pony was under Mrs. Grey's surveillance, and she did not feel equal to another interview with that lady. Only the Breretons remained. Without hesitation she walked quickly thither, and had the good fortune to find Aileen at home. She brightened up smilingly at Joan's unlooked-for appearance, then her face relaxed into the set expression that had obtained there of late. " Oh, Ailee, I can't stop a minute. I have come to ask your help, for I am so upset, and must send a note to Noel somehow. But I haven't a horse ; can you lend me The Daisy for a i&w hours } " A few months back Aileen would have answered " Oh, Hal will ride out with it for you. I will ask him to do it ; " now she merely answered, " Certainly, you may have The Daisy if you wish. Johnson shall saddle her up in a few minutes, and you can have my habit. I sympathise with you, for I begin to see that your step-sister is rather exacting. I never thought so once. But what about your trouble, dear ? Can I, by sharing it, help you .? " O 2IO IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " Not at present ; thank you all the same ! " ex- claimed Joan hurriedly. " I must see Noel first, and know the truth. It is useless to discuss a mere rumour except with the one immediately con- cerned." " Do you always go direct to the fountain-head in your troubles .' " asked Aileen sharply. " Yes. I think it is the best plan. It often saves a lot of misunderstanding. " I wish I had done so ! " murmured the girl-bride beneath her breath. A little later Joan was cantering along the twelve- mile road, heading for Tim O'Kelly's humpey. She knew the spot and road well enough, having often ridden or driven past it. It was a tolerably lonely way, only a settler here and there could be seen when once a mile or two out of the little township. But she was not at all alarmed at the chance of meeting a " sundowner," and bushrangers were altogether out of the question in these parts. It seemed as if the nature of her message had given her courage. She urged The Daisy along, and was glad enough to see the gaunt, grey rocks that marked the close proximity of the humpey. Tim was seated on the stump of a tree, with his back to the road, skin- ning a rabbit. As he heard the slip-rails fall behind him, he jumped up, letting the rabbit drop. " The saints presarve us ! Glory be to them ! " he exclaimed impetuously ; " if here isn't darlint Miss LOVE SCORES 211 Ruddy-gold a-riding by herself, the jewel ! What is it now that ails ye ? " going up and taking the bridle from her limp hold. " Oh, Tim ! I am in such a hurry ; I can't stay a minute ! I want you to promise that Mr. Norrington get's this letter to-night. It is very important. You will do it for me, won't you, Tim ? " " Yes," he answered instantly, looking at the plead- ing face, " Oi will do it if oi cowld only crawl. He shall have it this blessed night, me treasure ; so be aisy now.'' " I am. I knew I could trust you, dear old Tim," exclaimed Joan gratefully. "Thank you ever so much. Now do you think I have ridden The Daisy too hard .? " " Not at airl, at airl ! Ye would niver be hard on onything ! Go back as ye came, an' take care o' yeself for the sake o' the maister, who loves ivery hair of your ruddy-gold thresses," said Tim, taking the liberty of an old servant in so advising her. It was half-past five before Joan arrived home at the Rectory. Fortunately Isabelle had been out all the afternoon and had not yet returned. " He will come to-morrow and tell me," murmured Joan, dragging off her hat. " Yes, he will come to- morrow and tell me the whole truth." The morrow, a Friday, had come. Joan was moving about rather restlessly, unable to settle to anything. She almost dreaded the idea of having to 212 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA receive Norrington here under her step-sister's ever watchful and malicious eye. She would hardly be able to have a quiet interview, yet she was longing for his advent every minute. Lunch time came and passed ! Presently Rob appeared on his way back from school. " Oh, Joe ! " he exclaimed, Mrs. Brereton just called me in passing and sent me back to know if you could spend this afternoon with her .? " and he gave her a portentous wink intended for her benefit only. " What is the matter now, Robert .' " asked Mrs. Grey complainingly. " Mrs. Brereton asking for your aunt again ! Really Joan you are always there. I do not see how I can spare you this afternoon. I want to go out myself." Joan's face fell and settled again in that quiet, pathetic way. Grey, who had just risen from lunch, noticed it probably, for he said, " Surely you ladies can manage the household so that both may go out in the after- noon. Joan, you look pale, and need a little run ; go when you are ready. Joan needed no further permission. " There you go, Arthur, spoiling that silly girl as usual," remarked his wife fretfully. She was always fretful and lachrymose with him, because such methods were calculated to subdue him more readily than cold indifference and cutting sarcasm. LOVE SCORES 213 As soon as the Brereton's garden gate clicked behind Joan, she perceived Norrington talking to Aileen on the verandah. " Mr. Norrington asked me to send for you," said the latter smilingly, and I also thought you would have a better chance of talking here than at the Rectory. Now don't thank me, only please excuse me for ever so long as I have any amount of sewing I must get through upstairs, so adieu for the present." " How kind of her to go off like that," murmured Noel, sitting down beside Joan and clasping her hand. " Now my little darling, tell me all your trouble. I am here in answer to your urgent appeal. What is it that you want ? After Tim gave me the note I could not rest till I came here." " Noel," she commenced quite solemnly, and the bright, lovely face was unwontedly grave, " Isabelle has just returned from Melbourne and she says she has heard there, indeed, knows it for a fact, that you are the son of a convict. It isn't true, is it, Noel .' " she asked sobbing and hiding her face in his arms. He lifted up her head gently, and gazed sorrow- fully into the violet eyes. " My dear one ! my dear one ! It is only too true. I would to Heaven it were not so. I wished to have kept this from you for awhile, for I am aware of your Tory scruples. Perhaps I was wrong, though selfish, and unfair to you. You see, Joan, my father was certainly transported many, many years ago, when he 214 11^ SUNNY AUSTRALIA was quite young. It was a very trifling offence, and I consider the sentence was a cruel one. But enough of that, it is too painful. My grandfather, proud and stern, never forgave his prodigal son, so that when my father amassed a small fortune, he did not return to England, but invested in Durend. There I was born and there I spent my childhood. I have no recollection of my father, and the stain on his name was long kept a secret from me. Latterly circum- stances arose that compelled my relinquishing Durend. Then, as you know, I met you, and love made me a coward. " So you see Mrs. Grey was right, though where and how she became possessed of the fact I cannot imagine. And now comes the hardest part of my task. I will — if you wish it — release you from our engagement. I cannot say fairer than that. "Twas mine the fault, 'tis mine the pain.' " He rose abruptly ; he was unable to control himself further. It was too cruel, this blow, and he loved that exquisite girl so. Joan, raising her tearful eyes, caught a glimpse of the decisive, finely modelled lips brought sharply together, and saw the grey pallor of his face. She started. " Oh, Noel, Noel, don't go ! I want you, and shall want you for always, if you were a thousand times a convict's son." A glad look and look of great tenderness came LOVE SCORES il^ into his eyes as he came back and sat by her side again. " Do you really mean that, Joan ? Do you care enough for me to set my parentage on one side ? " " Yes," humbly, " I do. I am proud, but not proud enough to lose you for ever, my Noel. I — I think I received a little shock at first ; but when you seemed to be leaving me, I could not bear tkai." " Ah, my darling ! you do not know how glad you have made me. I am not worthy of so great a love," said he earnestly. " Ah ! you see," Joan remarked naively, " I wanted j/Oit ! A woman always likes to get what she wants." He kissed her, and there was a greater love than ever in his heart for the fair delicate creature beside him. " Noel," she said gently, at last, " I'm afraid Isa- belle will be awfully angry. Somehow she has been unkind to me all through our engagement." " Never mind, little one. I shall always be with you when you want me, and so soon as ever this work is finished we shall be married. It was like Mrs. Grey to ferret out all disagreeables ; however, in this case, seeming evil has turned to good, and trials have but strengthened our love. A rainy morn often precedes a bright day.!' " Now you are becoming philosophical. I am glad I know the truth, and I do not see any reason 2l6 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA why you should be punished for your father's sins, especially when you are — well, just you, and no- body else." " You are right," decisively ; " there is too much of innocent suffering in the world already." A minute later Aileen entered, and with her came afternoon tea. " Well, young people, settled your troubles ? " she asked kindly. And over the sociable influence of the tea things they confided their story to her. It brought suddenly back to her mind the first day she met Norrington, when with a peculiar smile he had remarked to her, " I also have the honour of being a colonial." " You did quite right," she said decidedly, wishing in her heart that she had been as open with Hal in the commencement of her troubles as these two were with each other ; but it was too late to think of that now. "You know,'' she continued, speaking as if no other thought had been in her mind, " I shall never betray your confidence, and I think just as much of you as ever. You are very courageous, Mr. Norring- ton." " Thanks, Mrs. Bereton ; it is not you of whom I'm afraid, it is Mrs. Grey. She may try to do me harm with your husband and Conroy," said Noel, in a suppressed way. " Both Mr. Bereton and Mr. Conroy think far too LOVE SCORES 217 much of your capabilities and services to heed any gossip. They want good engineering and manager- ship, and they get it. It doesn't trouble them what your father was," answered Aileen, in a dignified little way she had at times. " What a lot of common-sense there is in that little brown head of yours, Ailee ! " cried Joan de- lightedly. " Yes," interposed Norrington quickly, " from a business point of view, no doubt you are right, but I mean socially. I do not care for myself, but for Joan's sake ; it may be unpleasant." " But since I do not care for my own, we are back to the point from which we started," cried Joan merrily. " You must just both be brave and live it down," counselled Aileen wisely. " There is nothing so very dreadful to be ashamed of after all. You are not to blame." "Yes," exclaimed Joan, and so long as Aileen, Mr. Bereton, and Chubby — who I'm sure will " — positively — " stand our friends, we can afford to pass over the rest. Now Noel, haven't I succeeded in cheering you ? You cheered me, and I cheered you ; and here we are on the old level, and Isabelle's words can't hurt us." "Nothing shall separate us two," he declared j ealously. ' ' Nothing ! " "So just go and tell your step-sister, Joan," laughed 2l8 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA Aileen, " that you are to be married so soon as the canal is completed, and we have plenty of water in droughty times." " Won't she just be mad ? " remarked Joan re- flectively. CHAPTER XXI THE RECTORY DISCARDS AN INMATE ""T^IS the unexpected always happens ! " — a trite -■- saying, but nevertheless a true one. It was certainly a very unlooked-for event in Mrs. Grey's eyes that Joan should throw all her aristo- cratic scruples to the wind, and declare herself on the side of rude, vulgar sentimentality. Moreover, she had not calculated on such a possibility. She did not hesitate in showing Joan her ani- mosity, for so soon as she saw the girl was deter- mined to stand by her lover through thick and thin, there arose a serious quarrel between them. " If you are determined to marry this fellow, this gaol-bird descendant," she remarked, setting her teeth iirmly together^ " then all I can say is this : you phall no longer have the shelter of the Rectory." Outside it was snowing, it was a dark night, and Mr. Grey was off again on his bush rounds. The two women were standing near the dining-room French-light. " I am very sorry, Isabelle," answered Joan with quiet force, her white face gleaming strangely, " but 220 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA I cannot alter my decision for any one. It is irrevo- cable ! I am impervious to people's remarks and hints. He is working honourably and well, and he is - not responsible for what his father was." " It doesn't matter a rap what his father was, so long as we, the Comptons and Greys, have nothing to do with the family. But if you will persist in your engagement with this Norrington, then I can tell you pretty quickly you must choose between us. Either go from us, your only relations, or give him up." In so saying Mrs. Grey thought she would bring Joan to her way of thinking. She had not counted upon so much resistance from so small a creature. " I shall never give Noel up, Isabelle," replied she bravely. " What ! " almost screamed Mrs. Grey, " never ! Then take the consequences of your obstinacy, you ungrateful girl. Never darken my doors again ; " and in her passion, which was fearful, she pushed her outside into the cold. " No one shall ever say I encouraged or condoned sin or crime " she added in a bubble of self-righteous wrath. It was the opposition to her will that had maddened her so. Outside Joan could scarcely realize that her step- sister had literally turned Her out of doors. Some flakes of snow fell on her yellow hair and slight, insufficiently protected shoulders. It was bitterly cold. THE RECTORY DISCARDS AN INMATE 221 Then, becoming aware of her position, she burst into an agony of tears. " I shall never go back there, never ! I shall never want to go ! What must I do ? I will run to Aileen's. She will be good to me if no one else is. Oh, how I wish Arthur were at home ! Isabelle will never let me in. She has locked the door in her rage, and all the children are asleep. Besides, she has told me never to darken her doors again." Turning, she sped across the graveyard with it white, affrighted-looking tombstones, and down a long, green, back lane. No one saw the cold, heart- broken, solitary figure. Most of the people were in bed. It was eleven o'clock ; they had been sitting up late when the quarrel began. Joan got through the long lane somehow, then turned into the street where Aileen lived. At the back door she rapped timidly, a low moan escaped her. The heavy-sleeping domestic did not hear her ; Aileen, lying awake, heard, shivered, and thought of the banshee — an Australian banshee ! Joan could stand it no longer ; she crawled up to the window and rapped, crying faintly, "For the love of Heaven, let me in ! Oh, Aileen, let me in!" All thoughts of the banshee and dead spirits calling her, suddenly vanished. Aileen very practi- cally hopped out of bed, and dragging on a heavy 222 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA cloak, said, " Who are you ? What do you want ? I will open the door in a second." Hal was away that night. Could it be he through some mischance ? she wondered. On opening the door, Joan, blue, numbed, and chilled to the bone, without any wrap or covering^on her head, stood before her. It was the coldest night on record for many a long year ! " Good Heavens ! " she exclaimed horrified, look- ing at her face. " Joan ! my poor little dear, what has brought you here like this ? What is the matter .'' " " I am turned ont ! " she just managed to sob, then nearly fainted, so unstrung and over-wrought was she. Aileen tore off for some brandy, and poured it down her throat, then called the domestic, got up a fire, and between them put her, warmly tucked up, in bed. She, no doubt, saved her life. The next day inflammation of the lungs set in, and Aileen sent off for the local doctor. Hal came home looking very much subdued and sobered down, and quite ready to assist Aileen in anything for the sufferer. After a hard tussle with death, the combined strength of skill, nursing, and youth, pulled her through. Norrington was at the house two or three times a day, overcome with anxiety. " I don't know the whole story yet," said Aileen to him, " but feel sure Mrs. Grey is at the bottom of it. THE RECTORY DISCARDS AN INMATE 223 How else should she come here alone at that time on a bitter night ? " " I would like to shoot that woman ! " quoth he, with set mouth. " So would I," echoed Aileen. Later on she had reason to wish the same for her own sake. Of course a good deal of talk was occasioned, prin- cipally through the maid who had been called up. No one knew the exact truth. Some people said Mrs. Grey had turned the girl out into the cold. Mrs. Grey herself represented to all comers that Joan had deliberately gone out, would take no covering, saying she wished Mrs. Grey to get blamed, "and just merely because," Mrs. Grey remarked pathetically, " I was advising her, and trying to do the best I could about that projected marriage of hers. It is too cruel and ungrateful of her, after the way I have laboured for her." This huge and odious lie was believed by a good many people. "Miss Compton was always head- strong," they remarked, " and it must be very trying to the Greys to think of her marrying a convict's son after all they had done. No wonder he has kept so mum about his relations — very shocking of him, I think," and so on they would talk. If Norrington had heard the lie, I doubt not but that he would have gladly, nay joyfully, rung Mrs. Grey's neck like a fowl's. Grey returned, after his three days' riding and 224 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA work, rubbing his backbone. He was met by the astounding news that Joan was seriously ill, and, in spite of his wife's plausible representations as to how it came about, had a good guess at the truth. He spoke rather sharply to Isabelle on that supposi- tion, but she soon subdued him by her beauty and usual methods. So there the matter rested. He made numerous inquiries after the sufferer. Mrs. Grey also called during which time she managed to have an interview with Aileen and sweetly set forth her side of the occurrence. Aileen, not so credulous as she used to be, Hstened, but made no comment, seeing that Joan was not yet able to talk upon that, or, indeed, on any subject. After three weeks' unwearying care, during which. Chubby, so soon as she received intimation, came in from Bralga in hot haste to see what she could do, Aileen had the pleasure of seeing her charge more like herself again. But she was still most terribly delicate and frail, and too weak to do any- thing but lie about. Norrington had been in often. " I cannot stay with you long to-day, love," he said. " That wretched doctor will not allow me ; but I'm only too glad to know you are really convalescent at last. Mrs. Brereton has been wonderfully unselfish." "Ah, Noel!" she exclaimed wistfully, "you do not blame me for not going back to the Rectory .? How could I? when I was turned out!" And her THE RECTORY DISCARDS AN INMATE 225 lovely face looked more transparent and delic^ely flower-like than ever. How could he blame her ? He never did. " Aileen's and Hal's goodness I can never repay," she pursued ; " Ailee has been so grave lately. Have you noticed it, Noel?" "Ye-s," he was forced to adniit, but he did not give her the reason. She was too weak just then. But that was the reason which took him inside to see Aileen. He wished to see all differences between the pair swept away, for Hal was certainly not improving. They were both so confoundedly obstinate," he thought. It was a very delicate matter in which to interfere. He hardly knew where to begin, especially as Aileen never broached the sub- ject to him. He wished to be loyal to his friend, and Hal had asked him to try and find out what lay at the root. That she held the key to the puzzle he was certain. " You see I cannot ask her myself unless I eat my own words," he explained to Norring- ton. Aileen was sitting alone, grieving silently, when he entered the drawing-room. Her piquant face was so much older looking and less bright. "How did you find Joan?" she asked quickly, not giving him a chance to speak first. " Very much better, thanks to all your unselfish- ness and care. Brereton is lucky in possessing such a wife." P 226 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA So he touched the point. Aileen winced. She had felt rather than known that for some time back Norrington had been aware of the coolness. Her self-control suddenly deserted her. " I wish Hal thought so," she said falteringly, sinking into a chair. " I'm sure he does," replied Norrington with quiet conviction. " Ah, no ; you do not understand. You cannot ; although you must have noticed all is not as it should be." " Can you not both explain and ' make up friends,' like the children do?" asked he, with a ghost of a smile. "You are very stubborn, you know, Mrs. Brereton. " " Oh ! " almost wailed Aileen ; " it is not my fault. Hal only can explain matters, but he will not. Thank you for your kindly intentions, but you can- not help me. There is no gossip, is there ?" " No," answered Noel gravely. As he rose to depart he noticed the tears in her eyes. CHAPTER XXII A LITTLE ACTION — A LITTLE TALK "\T 7 HEN August was passed and September in * » Joan was able to go about again as usual. She was looking out for a position as governess, but had not found one, nor was likely to do so. Posts were so soon filled. Mrs. Grey had been down several times to ask — actually ask — her to return to the Rectory, and absolved herself fully on each occasion. Joan simply declined to go. Then Grey tried. She nearly relented when she beheld his careworn and worried face and thought of the five eager faces who were always so ready to welcome her. " How can I go back, Arthur ? " she exclaimed. " Isabelle has told me not to do so ; and how do I know she will be any kinder if I do return .'" " She has asked you, and she owns that she did not know what she was saying in her temper. My poor wife is very passionate, Joan ; forgive her this once if you can. I have been forgiving her all my life." 227 228 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA But Joan dumbly shook her head, and Grey had to depart unsuccessful. It was Aileen and Noel who brought matters to an issue. " The Rectory is the place for you," they argued. " Mrs. Grey will be afraid to be unkind to you any more, for there has been too much scandal occasioned — some of it very detrimental to her. She is much too politic to interfere with you again. Whatever Mrs. Grey thinks will pay her best, that she does." " Your opinions of Isabelle have changed, since I first met you," said Joan, with a wan little smile. " And with very good reason," said Noel de- cidedly. "Joan, will you do as I ask you in this matter?" She was lying on a basket-chair set against a barrier of creeping, sheeny looking, yellow roses. One hardly knew which were the roses and which her head. " Do," pleaded Aileen. " Much though I should like to keep you, I cannot help agreeing with Mr. Norrington." " Then since you wish it, I will go," replied Joan, in a stifled voice. " One thing, it cannot last for ever, for ' such is life,' " and her head fell wearily back on the pillows again. > By a dextrous turn Aileen suddenly quitted the verandah. "Did 1 hurt you by what I said just then?" A LITTLE ACTION— A LITTLE TALK 229 inquired Norrington quickly, sitting down beside her ; " you sensitive little child." " No, no," reiterated she bravely. " I know that it is better for me to go. Yes, I will go, and the past shall be buried." " You brave darling ! You see, dear, you could not very well stay here with Mrs. Brereton on whom, although she is so generous, you have no claim. Try to bear up till this canal is finished." And so it fell out that in September Joan went back to the Rectory. The children's delight was unbounded. She could not help feeling she was partly recompensed for the sacrifice of her own way. It also came to pass that Isabelle had nothing to say about her engagement either one way or the other. She simply ignored it, as she did all Joan's illness. At length people began to think that after all there was not so much in the scandal. Once Mrs. Grey inquired of the girl if she were still of the same opinion, and was answered in the affirmative, and soon after this she again went away to Melbourne — on dit to recover her mortification at Miss Compton's obstinacy. When in Melbourne she saw Morris again, explained matters to him, and had a little talk. That individual scowled when he heard of Joan's unshaken attachment to Norrington. Then Mrs. Grey returned to Bourketown in a very complacent and amiable frame of mind. 230 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA The hot spring wore on. Owing to the dryness of the winter, the tindery grass, and thoughtful sun- downer, bush fires were springing up all over the colonies. Feed was becoming scarce, stock was dying, and altogether the bushman was putting in a very bad time of it. Norrington and Hal, sitting on the latter's verandah, talked about it. "You see, old chap," Norrington remarked slowly, taking the pipe from between his lips, "the townspeople will depend a good deal, altogether in fact in dry weather, upon this water from the river ; and then there is the country through which the canal runs, not to speak of the settlers who live along the river. " Not many selections along the river," replied Hal thickly — he had been drinking hard, and did not seem quite himself — " soil too sandy and unproductive." " I have noticed that the water is considerably lower," said Noel thoughtfully ; " the very fierce rays of the sun absorb it so. Has it ever been dry ? " " Don't know ; can't say." He was a little bit gruff, and disposed to be sleepy. Norrington looked at him with a twinge of pity. He was sorry to see such a fine fellow so far forget himself as to allow his balance to be disturbed and upset by the first trouble that came in his way. He thought, manlike, that Aileen should certainly give way, and ask for forgiveness, even if Hal were in th? wrong, for she must see how it would end, A LITTLE ACTION— A LITTLE TALK 231 Brereton was not the man who could stand much liquor at any time. " Hal ! " he ventured to remonstrate, rather sharply, " I wish to heaven you would give up the bottle. What earthly good can it do you, man ? and you are ruining your health and mind." "Oh, leave a fellow alone. Once you could do something with me, but not now. You don't know how gloriQus it is — what lovely sensations one has." Norrington looked at him steadily, and caught the expression of his eyes. " Too late, curse it ! " he muttered to himself; and to think I couldn't have stopped it somehow. He has got to positively love it." Aileen came out just then, cast a rather con- temptuous glance at her husband, and passed on to speak to Norrington. " Yes," he said, in answer to her question ; " but in spite of the prolonged dry weather we shall soon have plenty of water in the township. The works are pushing on." "You will be very glad, I know, when it is all finished. It will be some satisfaction." " A great deal, I hope. At all events it will enable me to marry, and though I should like to have waited and made a little more money, still, as things have turned out, it is much better that Joan should be under my care." " Yes, you are quite right," said Aileen kindly. 232 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA "Joan is not mercenary, and I think you two are very well suited to each other." "Thank you for saying that, Mrs. Brereton," an- swered the young fellow quickly ; " in spite of my being a convict's son — but you know, my father's family is as good as can be. He happened to be the black sheep, unfortunately." " But you went home to study your profession ? " " Oh yes, that made no difference. We had ' the almighty dollar,' as the Americans so neatly put it, then. Well, I think I must be getting along to my gUnyah. Good-bye, Mrs. Brereton ; I won't disturb your husband. I see he is asleep." CHAPTER XXIII THE CRISIS CHRISTMAS had come and gone. January, burning, blazing, and dry, was in full swing. All over the colony went up the wail of distress ; such a drought had not been known for very many years. Following on the dry winter and drier spring it came in full blast. Those " who had known it all along," remarked with the air of " I told you so. You people would have done well to have taken care of the water when you had it. You have had splendid seasons ; you must expect a drought in the next cycle," and so on would they moralize ; to which the sceptics would retort in allegorical phrase " that they had better see whether they had any oil in their own lamps." Meanwhile all suffered ; the city people as well as the country. Stock, dairy, and farm produce went up to famine prices. Bourketown and the sur- rounding district fared rather better than some other places, for with the aid of the river they did manage 233 234 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA to keep many sheep and cattle alive that would other- wise have perished ; but such poor, miserable, bony creatures they were, after all their care. Out at Bralga it was most forlorn. To go out on the run was something appalling, and to any one less comfortably off than the Conroys it must have meant — what so often happens to back-country squatters — ruination. Norrington was spending a few days at Bralga, and was now riding to have a look at the country. Over the nearest range Tub was stationed, watching for the first outbreak of fire in that vicinity — waiting for the heat, the smoke, the sudden crackling, hissing, and breaking of twigs and branches ; waiting for that red-eyed monster, the bosom friend and close ally of drought. Reginald accompanied Norrington, and Chubby, thoroughly at home in the saddle, would persist in going too. " You should stay at home," said Noel, looking at her kindly; "your tender heart could not bear such sights." She looked back at him without flinching. " Why should I pamper myself and stay at home because, forsooth, the sights I see may not be pleasant in my eyes ? There is too much of such cowardice." " But unless you can do any good such mortifica- tion of th«5 'jlesh is unnecessary, and not beneficial," argued he. THE CRISIS 235 " But I want to go," she persisted whimsically, — and she went. Through the bare, burnt-up country they rode. The sight of the bleached bones of the carcases of beasts lying about was truly distressing. " Isn't a drought awful } " said Chubby. " Even for us who can stand it the loss is immense ; but think of the poor selectors and farmers to whom it means absolute ruin." " And to all concerned," replied Norrington. " The ' credit of the country suffers — our trade suffers. We all feel it more or less." " I shall be glad when the canal is finished," im- pulsively. " It will bring the water much nearer to us, and benefit considerably all the Bourketonians." A worried look came into Noel's face. He glanced at Reginald, who was riding ahead somewhat im- patiently. " Do you know, Chubby, I cannot account for the river being so very low. Has it ever to your know- ledge been dry ? " " No, never ! " she returned promptly. Then she said, as if the river had been very little in her thoughts at all, " I'm glad you and Joan got the better of Mrs. Grey, and that Joan is well again now. I've been wanting to con — congratulate you — only it's so hard to know exactly what to say ; but you will understand me, wont you .'' " There was just a tone of wistfulness in her voice to 236 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA make him feel sorry that they had been thrown so much together. She was so fine a creature ; so reso- lute to keep herself in the background. In public she would never let anything overcome her breezy cheerfulness. By this time Reginald was out of sight. " Let him go ! " ejaculated Noel ; " he has never found my com- pany entertaining." "Yes; I am rather glad," admitted she, "for I wanted to tell you that Blanche — she is at St. Kilda you know — is engaged to Dr. Wilton." " Oh ! " said Noel, stroking his moustache, and thinking of what Joan had recently told him re that young man. " I suppose she finds that very satisfac- tory.? " " Look here," said Chubby candidly, " we have never yet tried to deceive each other in speaking of Blanche, seeing all that you have happened to find out, and it is much too late to begin now. Of course I saw as well as you that Dr. Wilton was as fond of Joan as he could possibly be of anything or anybody ; but still, Blanche knowing this, will deliberately marry him for his money and position. Oh, it is too sickening. I have done with her altogether. I can't understand how she can lower herself so ; and he knows it, and appraises her accordingly." " It is a great mistake," answered Noel thought- fully. " Women are silly to cheapen themselves, to play down to our vanity, in fact ; but still one can't THE CRISIS 237 persuade them to see otherwise. They think if they do such and such a thing, say this or that, it might have altered or improved their position ; whereas, if a fellow love a girl, whether she be grave or gay, it will make no difference ; if he love her not, no matter what she is, it will still make no difference." Chubby's face set. She knew that — ah ! so well. " Another thing, women run each other down, when they ought to know that in 'unity is strength.' " " Ah ! but you men are not so much better there, in reality," exclaimed Chubby. " I admit that a girl does generally run down her own sex and a man does not ; but yet there is very little difference between the two, for conceit is at the bottom of both. Conceit on the girl's part, in that she thinks and seeks to place herself before all others ; conceit on the man's, because he will not admit that a man, simply because he is a man, does wrong. How it reminds one of Adam and the apple : ' Lord, the woman that Thou gavest me,' etc., etc." " Now, are you not just a little unfair," interpolated he. " It is our good fellowship " Just then Reginald rode hastily back. " We cannot go through the scrub paddock,'' he cried ; " the fire has broken out on the range, and it is coming that way ! " " Tub ; oh, Tub ! " exclaimed Chubby, convulsively clutching her horse's reins. 238 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " Don't be alarmed," said Noel firmly ; " your brother and I are going to him. You ride home." " I want to go with you. I could help," she said eagerly. " You shall do nothing of the sort," he replied in sharply authoritative tones, very sharp for him. Chubby looked at his set mouth, and wisely gave in. She rode off without another word. Late that night all the men were at Bragla again, wearied and thoroughly worn out ; but they had brought the fire under. Then Norrington went back to Bourketown, the canal, and — Joan. It was a burning morning. The hot wind that had swept over miles of desert was so scorching that it seemed to blister him. The heat was intense. So high a temperature was sure to set miles and miles of country ablaze. When would the rain come ? A desperate cry went up from the people. " Water ! water ! " was all they asked. Norrington let his horse take it easily. He was going across country to that part of the river where the canal .started, and so avoided the usual high- way. All the once green and luxuriant vegetation was dried up and withered. Noel knew the accustomed track. His horse fell into it of his own accord, and snified the air rather eagerly. " Steady, old chap ! " admonished Noel, patting THE CRISIS 239 him as they began to descend a gravelly declivity which led straight to the river ; " you will have a drink soon." "Another pace, and here we are. Merciful heavens ! Great Scott ! What is this ? " Norrington's face turned, drawn and white. He realized it all in a minute. There was the bed cer- tainly, and the banks, but where was the water .■■ The river had run dry at last. He stared at it vacantly, unable to concentrate his thoughts. The horse seemed puzzled too. It wanted a drink very much. The situation dawned on him. He understood that the whole of his work and others' capital was wasted, that the famished people would not get the water they needed so badly, and that Joan was lost him for a considerable time longer yet. All his ambitions and fondest hopes wrecked. "No good going on," he uttered aloud harshly. " Hill and the men must know it all by this time. In common justice old Conroy ought to know at once. I will ride back to Bralga, I do not think I have pluck enough just yet to face my Joan and disappoint her." So he rode back to Bralga. Chubby was the first one to see him. One look at his face, and — " Oh, what is the matter ? " she cried. " River run dry," brusquely. " Where is your father ? " 240 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA Under that dark, set, cold face a mighty passion was working. The unquenchable look of grim de- termination burned in his brown eyes, and dogged lines were about his mouth. " I'll get him instantly," said Chubby quickly, who had never seen Noel look so gloomy before. Conroy was excessively angry. He didn't stop to think of Norrington's trouble or the sudden up- heaval of all his plans. He simply swore at him till he was compelled to stop for want of breath or a more extensive vocabulary. " Is it my fault .' " asked Noel grimly. " Do you not think that I suffer as much, aye, far more than you ? " " It's the loss of good, honest, sound coin of the realm I'm thinking of," he retorted irritably. "The canal built for nothing, the men paid for nothing, and all the rest of us defrauded. You must have seen how low the water was getting. You should have stopped the works." "If you will remember,'' said Noel, setting his teeth, " there was a certain course laid out which I was to follow. I did so with yours and the others' approval. How can I be responsible for the river failing at a critical moment ? It has never been known to be dry, and had I stopped the works when I first noticed a considerable diminution of water, a great deal of capital would still have been lost, and we should have been very much blamed for raising THE CRISIS 241 the expectations of the people by undertaking to do a certain thing and then not carrying it out." " All right, all right, let it rip ! You're a nice loser by the dashed concern though. Better look out for something else to do, for this finishes Bourketown I'm thinking." " There is something at the bottom of it," Chubby declared when she heard it all. " I dare say there is," Noel had responded with ironical humour. " There is mud for one thing." " I don't mean that." And there were tears in the grey eyes as she spoke. " Ah, you do not know /ww sorry I am." Consternation and distress prevailed at Bourke- town on Norrington's return. People were talking in sad little groups of twos and threes — they could think of nothing else, it meant so much to them. Hal knew of course ; he was told like the rest, but he was much too drunk to take the same vio- lent interest in the loss of his money as Conroy had. And Noel went to Joan. That she had been told already he did not doubt. Fortunately she was alone in the schoolroom — her usual retreat. She kept up until she saw him looking so thin and so distressed, and then she gave way. " Ah Noel, my Noel, do not mind ! It cannot be helped if we have to wait a little longer. Do not let Q 242 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA my share in this trouble worry you, for I am all right." " It means there is no billet now for me here, Joan, and I am poorer than when I started," he replied hoarsely. " Conroy, in his heat, blames me." " Does he .■' But he will get over that." " Even if he does that will not bring the water back into the river bed, nor help you and me, nor the poor drought-stricken people here. No ; I expect I shall have to leave, and look out for something else- where." " Yes, Noel," she answered bravely, though her face was white. She was a plucky little soul, and would not give in however her health failed her. " I shall probably go to Sydney. You, darling, must stay on here ; there is no help for it. You are feeling all right are you not } " anxiously. " Yes, I am all right," she answered determinedly. " So soon as things are settled and the men discharged I must get away. I wish I could make Brereton sober enough to understand me." "They say he is killing himself," said Joan in a low tone. " He was always found of a little drop, but he has been terrible lately. Oh, Noel, it is awful ; he is so changed." " Do you know why that is .' " sharply. " Because he and his wife are not good friends. She is mad about something, and will not say what, and as he has asked her once to tell him, he will not again. THE CRISIS 243 I am getting very disappointed in her, she is so confoundedly stubborn." " Perhaps Aileen is in the right," suggested Joan ; " she has never hinted anything to me." " That's just it ; she never does talk, and she never, if she can help it, gives you an opportunity to talk to her. But then she must see that Hal is drinking himself to death, and she should waive all her objec- tions and make up the quarrel. "Things like those must adjust themselves," said Joan wisely; "you and I cannot help. Ah, there is Isabelle calling again ; and oh, Noel, she is glad the river has run dry." CHAPTER XXIV HAL'S RECORD IS CLOSED " TJAL! Hal! Hal!" •^ -^ The cry rang sharply through Aileen's pretty drawing-room. It was a few days after the drying up of the river, and the heat was becoming more and more intense. rial had been brought home in a fit of delirium tremens, as they all well knew, save Aileen, and now the truth was brought home to her. He was better ; he had fallen off to sleep, but her cry roused " him. " What is the matter, Ailee } " he asked soberly, and in a tone something like the old one. That voice had been a stranger to her of late. "You cannot get better, they say," she said mournfully, creeping close to his couch, and fixing her once bright eyes on his face. " Won't you be glad ? " bitterly. " You will be a widow then." " I do not feel that anything could ever -make me glad again." HAL'S RECORD IS CLOSED 245 " What a pity, when I have been doing my best to obh'ge you by getting rid of myself." She did not appear to heed his remark, for taking one of his hands in her own, she said earnestly, " Hal, tell me why you stayed away so long at Bralga, that time, and I'll tell you all that I know too ? " Her voice sounded almost like Si cry, and for the first time he noticed how she had lost all her girlish- ness. She was very dear to him just at that moment, when he was not craving for spirits. " Well," he answered, rather feebly, " I stayed so long, if I can remember rightly, because I wanted to do some kangaroo hunting, and to get those skins for you. They are moth-eaten now, I think." "Was that a//?" she pursued feverishly. "Not because of — of Blanche Conroy, then ? " He seemed to rouse himself up at that. " Blanche • Conroy ! " he exclaimed, with all the irritability of an invalid, " who is talking about Blanche Conroy .' What do I care a rap about her? It is Aileen, my own Aileen, that is cruel to me." "You cannot mean to say that she was and is nothing to you. Ah, Hal ! tell me before it is too late !" " Of course she is not ; when did I ever show I cared for her'i I used to joke and tease her before I was engaged to you. And you have been nursing your jealousy all along, and have made me suffer in consequence. Where did you get such an idea ? " " Don't interrupt me and I will tell you all. In 246 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA the first place, it was before that dance at Bralga, — one day when we rode out to the works, and you first met Joan — Mrs. Grey asked me if you had never told me about yourself and Blanche Conroy " "Ah ! " savagely, from Hal. " But I did not pay any attention to her words then ; only when we were at Bralga, and you de- voted yourself to Blanche so much, I remembered, and was wretched. Then when you stayed behind, and didn't return until Blanche had left for Mel- bourne, I felt furious, and would not believe that the hunting and your land were the reasons of your delay. And so matters went on. I was too proud to ask, for I believed you to be quite aware of your fault, and you would offer no explanation." He seemed to be sinking into a stupor again. Her face contracted painfully. " Oh, Hal, under- stand me, do try; and say you forgive me. Lat- terly two or three little things have happened to show me how totally wrong I was — more convincing than any words you could utter." " Oh yes, I forgive you. I don't seem to be able to think much about it, though. It doesn't matter ; but, oh heavens, how dry I am ! Aileen, get me a thimbleful of brandy ; it's in my office. I can't stand this any longer." Aileen looked at him in dumb, unutterable agony. She realized that her confession, her love had come too late ! HAL'S RECORD IS CLOSED 247 Hal did not feel the need of it now — he was past understanding it. And she did not see the pathos in her poor, little story ; she only knew she was hurt beyond human help and sympathy. The future was dreary, hope- less. She walked unseeingly out of the room ; and the nurse — a trained nurse — came in, and had work enough to soothe the patient, and his wild craving for drink. He had wanted her love before, not now ; and before her was a whole lifetime of regret. Norrington entering the house with Grey, met her wandering aimlessly about. Though much worried and troubled himself, he had delayed his departure in order to see how his friend got on. The awful, frozen look of despair on Aileen's face startled him. " What is it .' " he asked quickly, drawing her aside. " Too late ! " she replied apathetically. " I have humbled my pride, have told him all ; but he cannot understand ; he no longer wants my love ! " " Yes," said Norrington rather sternly, " I was afraid you would let it run on to that." She looked up sadly at his compressed lips. " You are blaming me, when it came about through evil insinuation, and Hal's own careless way of acting ; but then you have always been his friend. 248 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA and men stick up for men, and women for men, while no one can spare any sympathy for those made wretched by regret ; and I — what have I not suf- fered ? " The set expression of Noel's thin, brown face relaxed. " I have never heard your side," he re- minded her gently. "You have never sought any one's confidence.' Just then Grey hurried up. "The nurse says we may see Brereton now," he said in low tones ; " he is quiet again." " Let me come with you," pleaded Aileen, " I am wretched alone." And Grey never looked, never said, " You must bear up, Mrs. Brereton ; " he and trouble were too well acquainted. He simply took her arm in a sym- pathetic, kindly way, and together they three went into the room. Hall was not sufficiently in his right senses to distinguish any one of them, and when Noel spoke to him, he burst out into passionate ravings. " That woman ! that fiend ! that parson's canting wife ! A lie ! a lie ! a lie ! but it ruined my life, and Aileen hates me because of it. Oh, take her away 1 I will not stand her gleaming, malicious face ; she mocks me, she is glad there are devils with me, but she ! she !-! the white-washed hypocrite ! is the biggest fiend of all. Oh, this is loathsome 1 " Aileen, sitting at the foot of the bed, shuddered. HAL'S RECORD IS CLOSED 249 Grey, standing with bowed head, suffered keenest agony whilst listening to poor Hal's distraught, drunken, but ah ! not unjust accusations against his wife — his lovely-faced wife ! Norrington, cold and set, pitied Grey his humilia- ting position, sorry to think how his leniency and tenderness were so ill rewarded, but could not help feeling Mrs. Grey deserved all hard words that were said. For, by this time, Aileen had told pitifully, tear- fully, the story of the sowing of evil, and now was the reaping of harvest. And every fresh statement hurt Grey a thousand times more than ever it could his mischief-making wife. It was like a keen arrow in his soul. The trained nurse was there and heard it all, but no one seemed to mind her. She moved about the room in the execution of her duty. "You have suffered," said Noel gently to Aileen. " But to what end ? " she replied despairingly. Then Hal broke out again : " That Mrs. Grey with her wicked lies; they should hound her from the parish. The devil take it ! how dry I am ! Give me just a drop — one drop, to keep these hissing serpents away. Heavens ! Norrington, how slow you are, man ; why can't you kill 'em ? " " This isn't fit for Mrs. Brereton," whispered Grey hoarsely to Noel, who then induced Aileen to leave the room. 250 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA Still the poor wretch raved on. " He could never stand much drink with his head," the doctor said when he arrived, " and he was always jovial and easily led — into wrong. Then this domestic trouble seems to have aggravated the evil." All that night Grey and Noel stayed at the house taking it in turns to watch with the nurse. But by morning their watching was no longer needed, and then they roused Aileen, and told her that Hal Brereton was dead ! CHAPTER XXV "TOO LATE THE BALM WHEN THE HEART IS BROKE " "D EMORSE, which was keen before, was poignant -»-^ now. Hal, her husband, her love, was dead. She could never tell him how she loved him ; how she repented of having nursed her jealousy ; and he could never assure her that his love for her was the same as ever. Too late ! too late ! That was the whole burden of her cry ; on her soul alone it fell. After the funeral, and even before, gossip ran rife, and Mrs. Grey came in for no small share of blame. Those who had had small grievances against her before now ventilated them. On the whole there was an undercurrent of dislike to her. Aileen did not escape. Norrington stayed, and did what he could to shield the dead and the living. Bourketown looked on him as a truly unfortunate and disappointed young fellow. They wished him luck in Sydney, for he had been popular amongst 252 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA them. But all their good wishes could in no way compensate for the bitter disappointment he was suffering. " Joan," he said simply at parting, " this is January, and I shall not be able to come over to see you until Easter, at least. I know you will feel it a long time, long for both o^ us ; but don't be discouraged. I'm afraid I couldn't manage to afford to run over sooner," wincing slightly. " I understand," she answered quietly, with her face full of dumb misery ; " and I am so powerless to help you, love mine." " You help me by your own sweet words and prayers," he declared passionately. "Oh, my love, how can I leave you .' Cruel that the river should have run dry, and forced me to leave you." It was the first time she had heard, him complain so bitterly of his misfortune. She wound her arms caressingly about his neck. " Never mind, never mind," she cried. " You will go, and I shall stay; but I shall always be here wait- ing for you. Now, you have barefy time to catch the mail, and then meet the express for Sydney. Ah, Noel, since you must go, go now ! " " You will take care of yourself, sweetheart-. You will not work too hard } " eagerly. " I shall be all right," smiling bravely. " That clock ! How fast the minutes fly ! Just this one last kiss. Oh, Joan ! " 'TOO LATE THE BALM" 253 He put his lips to hers ; then she wrenched herself from his arms. " Go HOW, Noel, or you will never go at all," she panted. At this last minute it was she who was the stronger. In such cases a woman very often is. He went a few paces, then turned. The sunshine caught her curly tresses, making them like spun gold, and it turned her falling tears to pearls. " I cannot leave you like this," Noel cried distress- fully,- coming back. Oh, go ! " she implored. " Why linger, when it will not help either of us ? Never mind me. There is the whistle of the train now. She is on the flats already. Fare thee well ! " He went. Had she not urged him, he would have been with her now, kissing away her tears ; and the express would have carried no Noel Norrington Sydneywards. The scorching, droughty summer passed on ; the famine pressed hard on all agricultural and pastoral industries — on the poor creatures who tried to make a living from the soil. It is ever thus in Australia, where are such im- mense tracts of land so poorly watered. Until irrigation is general, there must ever be these periods of alternate scarceness and plenty. 254 11^ SUNNY AUSTRALIA In this land the elements despise half-hearted ness. One either gets a deluge or nothing at all. With March came the rain at last to Bourketown, and the water began to trickle back slowly into the river bed. The southerly wind blew fierce and strong, the heavens parted wide, and down came the grey veil that blotted out sky and landscape : and for three days the rain fell unceasingly. Joan, wearied out by the unending demands upon her time and strength, for all the children were at home, felt she must have a little quiet ; so, escaping from the noisy schoolroom, she stationed herself at her own window and gazed vacantly at the con- tinuous stream of water. The heat of the summer had made her languid ; the disappointment, and then the separation from Noel, had saddened her. The girl standing at the window was in all re- spects altered from the girl who said good-bye to Norrington so bravely on that brilliant January morning. She felt instinctively that the battle was going against her ; but with that unconscious self-sacrifice with which so many good women are endowed, she never made complaints nor sought respite from Grey, who, busy and worried by his wife as usual, did not observe how her strength was failing. Joan was always a slender creature. But now the ''TOO LATE THE BALM" 255 violet eyes that gazed ■ listlessly at the rain, were filled with a great, wistful longing. " Something tells me he will not come this Easter," she murmured to herself, " and how can I bear on, waiting and watching ? If I were only stronger, and had a little sympathy in my work here, which I never do, except from Arthur occasionally." Her whole heart cried out for a little kindly love in her daily life just then. But a silent room and four bare walls are unresponsive things, so the long- ing and the loneliness grew. " And this rain, it will do many good, but too late for me — too late for Noel ! " At the end of three weeks it had cleared. Easter was approaching ; but, just before Good Friday, a letter, in Noel's writing, arrived for Joan. She took it in a stunned sort of a way, knowing ere she broke the seal that it contained the doom of her hope. It was a long letter, a loving letter, but her mind grasped only one thing, and that was the fact that Noel, having obtained a managing position in an experimenting company, was ordered to pro- ceed north to Queensland at once. He wrote also how, when he had finished this tour, he would return to Bourketown, and they should be married. But Joan did not heed that ; she only knew she would not see Noel this Easter, and felt she could not longer endure living at the Rectory, 256 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA So she went to Grey and told him so. " Let me stay with Aileen," she begged. " She is lonely and wretched by herself, yet she cannot bear to leave Bourketown and Hal's grave. She will take me as a companion, and I shall have very little to do, except see after the servants and go out with her." " But my dear child, we are your nearest relations ; can you not manage to content yourself here ? " She burst into tears ; she was weak, disappointed, and dispirited. " Oh Arthur, you know how I hate talking about these things ; but I have never felt really well since my illness last winter. I must have a few months' rest ; so long as I am here Isabelle will worry and torment me." " I thought Mrs. Brereton had lost a lot of money since the failure of the river," remarked Grey, in a harrassed way. " Yes, but she still has a sufficiency, and she has asked me to come to her. Don't think I am ungrate- ful to you and the children, only I feel that I must have a rest and change." Grey scanned her narrowly, and seemed to find something that he had not noticed before. " You are looking ill. I think you ought to see Dr. Merton, Joan. I wish you had spoken to me before ; but you never complain." Here the good man looked at her so sorrowfully ''TOO LATE THE BALM" 257 and tenderly. He was much too good and unselfish to ever put himself in a forward place, and just now financial troubles were bothering him. " I will see that it is no expense to you," he added. "You mustn't trouble at all about that," ex- claimed Joan hastily. She finally went to Aileen's. Isabelle objected, of course, but for once her objections met with no en- couragement. Aileen, sad enough looking in her black trailing widow's robes, welcomed the girl kindly. " I am so glad you have come to me. We are both sorrowful women and know how to comfort each other ! But, my dear girl, what is the matter .' Are you ill ? "No, not ill, only sick unto death. Ah, Ailee, Noel cannot come this Easter, shall I ever, I wonder, see him again ? " " Yes, you will, you know you will ! Hope dies hard, Joan." The tears started in Joan's eyes ; Aileen gathered her into her arms, and they both wept together. It did them a lot of good. R CHAPTER XXVI WHAT NOEL LOST "A ILEEN?" ■^ " Yes, dear ! " " Tell me what Dr. Merton said." "That you must just stay here with me and do nothing." " Be useless, in fact. Ah, but that is so hard when I have been looking forward to a life of happy activity," exclaimed Joan pathetically. It was in the depth of winter again — the anniver- sary of that night she had come pleading to Aileen's door — and now she was lying before a huge fire, with a hacking cough, and a hectic flush on her cheeks. " You may yet have a happy life, though perhaps not so active," said Aileen, endeavouring to cheer her. "No," answered the girl, with a sudden, unusual strength in her tones ; " Dr. Merton has said there is no hope, but you dread telling me so. However, I know it without that, for it has been borne upon me very persistently of late that I have not much longer to live." 258 WHAT NOEL LOST 359 Her tones were truly prophetic, so that Aileen cried out, "You really must not talk so, child, or I shall have to send for Mr. Norrington if he were at the uttermost ends of the earth." " No, there is time enough for that," replied she quietly. " If he were to know now he would leave everything and come to me, and I do not want his plans to be upset a second time." Just then a ring came at the door and Chubby appeared in her usual unexpected way. " I know this is an awful time to arrive from Bralga, but father was driving in vvith the intention of staying a night in town, so I thought I would accompany him, as I heard you were not so well again." Thus spoke Chubby sitting down on the edge of the couch and looking at Joan with compassionate eyes. " That is not the worst," said Joan. " Chubby, ask Aileen, and she will tell you that Dr. Merton says I have only three months to live. Consumption is doing its work rapidly." " Mrs. Brereton, is that the truth ? " asked Chubby with a horror-stricken face. Ske was so vigorous, so healthy herself, that the mere thought of death was a very far away and shadowy finality. But then she looked at the fragile, wonderfully fair creature on the couch, and marvelled that she was not in heaven already. 26o IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " So true that I dread speaking of it. And then by-and-by, Mr. Norrington must be told. Joan won't hear of it yet." Chubby's mouth quivered painfully ; then she burst out, " Oh, Joan, dear old Joan, it can't be true ! it isn't possible, there must be some mistake." " No, there is no mistake, I have been convinced of this for some time." " Do you know," cried Chubby in heated grief, " I shall always blame Mrs. Grey for your first getting in this state of health." " Oh, hush ! " exclaimed Joan, straining her faith and loyalty to the uttermost. " I was never a robust girl you must remember." She, who was dying, felt her time too short to say unkind and hard things, no matter how true. "All the more reason for your being taken care of," retorted Chubby energetically. '' I think there ought to be some extra special punishment for clergymen's wives who are such hypocrites." " The only thing sincere about Mrs. Grey is her hypocrisy," put in Aileen bitterly, thinking of her own sad story. Joan sighed wearily. " It seems to me now that everything is a great pity, a pity the way things have happened. If there were any moral to this story of Isabelle's, I should say, — Clergymen, choose suitable' wives ; have sincerity at all events." She spoke without any revengefulness or bitter- WHAT NOEL LOST 261 ness ; just like a little, tired child's voice, to whom nothing on earth matters very much. Chubby was melted instantly. " Ah, you have got beyond caring ; but never since you had that pneu- monia last winter have you been as you were. It's all a cruel shame ; and then for Noel to have to be away from you too." Aileen, fearing the conversation was exciting Joan too much, asked Chubby what had become of Tim O'Kelly. That young lady roused herself with a start. " Oh, Tub has found him some light work about on the station. We'll see he does not have to go on the wallaby again." "Dear old Tim," said Joan softly; "take care of him for me, Chub." " Indeed I will ; and Tim will nearly fret to death I'm sure, when I tell him about 'his darlint Miss Ruddy-gold.' Do you know, Joan, Tim and I have been taking counsel together, and we can't under- stand how it is that the river has not been in flood with all the rains we have had. Tim declares there has been some mischief in the affair. Do you think you have an enemy anywhere ? Bad and all as Mrs. Grey is, I do not see how s/te could affect the river." " Of course not," replied Joan, almost laughing at the bare possibility of such an idea ; then, in a curious onrush of thought, Morris appeared. Having never 262 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA heard from him again, she had nearly forgotten his existence. Her next thought was, " I must tell Noel all about him and those letters when he comes. However much he may dislike my referring to the subject he must listen, for maybe it will be my last chance." " I cannot make it out at all," remarked Chubby at length, still pondering the river question. " Never mind, dear. Perhaps everything will be made plain some day," answered Joan tiredly. Chubby saw she looked worn out, and she took alarm. Fearing the talking had been too much, she bade them both an affectionate good-night, and re- joined her father at the Star Hotel. When he heard the news gruff old Conroy was much affected. A few weeks later, when it was early spring, a lovely, tender, green spring too, quite unlike the pre- vious one, the following conversation took place be- tween Aileen and Chubby. They were sitting together in the former's house. " I tell you, Mrs. Brereton, it is of no use allowing Joan to put it off any longer. Noel must be sent for, no matter what he is doing. She is dying as fast as ever she can ; every one sees it," and poor Chubby burst into tears. It was just as well for Aileen that she had Joan to care for — for the girl never went back to the Rectory — otherwise her mind would have given way with the grief and remorse she felt at her husband's death. WHAT NOEL LOST 263 The patient, suffering creature crept into her empty heart. " Yes ; I will write and break the news as gently as I can. Perhaps he will be able to get leave of absence and so not lose his position." " Poor Noel ! poor Joan ! " exclaimed Chubby, thinking only of them and forgetting herself. " And yet these things are common enough ; why waste pity .' " mused Aileen. " It is only when we ourselves are directly concerned that they assume the tragic." " Being commonplace does not make sorrow any the easier," bluntly rejoined Chubby. Then Aileen sat down and wrote to Norrington, and Chubby went out to Joan. She, emaciated and weak to a degree, with all the lovely curves and roundness of her face lost, was lying pillowed on the verandah. Chubby could see nothing but the intense bril- liancy and shininess of the blue-purple eyes and her aureole of curls. By-and-by she could not even see that for the tears that filled her eyes. Noel came at last. Came, with such a look of passionate misery in his brown eyes, that Aileen could have wept. Chubby took good care to be at Bralga on his 264 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA arrival ; she realized that was the best place for her and for them. " I have wanted you so," cried Joan, stretching put her thin arms towards him ; " but I would not let 'them send for you before, so you must not blame any one but me." " Blame you ! Oh, my love, my love, what does position, money, or anything else matter by the side of you .' And now I have to lose j/ou ! " He sat down by her side, with his hand to his forehead. Joan, slipping her worn little hand into his disengaged one, waited patiently. " Noel," she began at last, " I must tell you while I have strength, for through some words of Chubby 's I think there may have been mischief in the failure of thd river. You know you never could bear me to speak of Durend and Morris to you ; but, neverthe- less, I should have told you that I frequently saw Morris at the Bond's, where, in fact, he proposed to me. Needless to say, I refused him — rather rudely I think. Then after we were engaged, he wrote two very disagreeable letters, which t answered sharply, and also told him that I was ehgaged to be married, but I mentioned no name. Do you think he would be so revengeful as to act as an enemy in conse- quence ? " Noel looked up steadfastljj. ^ The failure of the water supply, the smash-up of the company, and all the dire consequences that followed were things of WHAT NOEL LOST 265 the past that no discovery could benefit now. At present, he could only feel he was losing the loveliest and dearest thing out of his life. " Probably, from what you have just told me, and from the river never being in full flood with the March rains, most likely the channel has been diverted. However, knowing that can't do any good now, only I should like to know how Morris came to find out I was engaged to you, or how he had any reason for supposing I was in Bourketown at all. Tim knew ; but he would never split on me. " No ; and so there remains only Isabella. I un- fortunately told her about Morris when I first arrived, before I had any reason to distrust her, and she has always been bitterly opposed to our engagement. Then, if you recollect, where did she ferret up all your history and parentage ? " " Good ! " exclaimed Noel, starting up with a dangerous gleam in his eyes, " that double-dyed hypocrite again ! I shall tax her with it and force her hand. There has been foul play all along, ap- parently ; but we have been fools, and blind ! " "You must, of course, do what you think best," she answered wistfully. " Only, stay with me to-day, Noel ! " " I will stay with you, love, till — till " " Never mind, don't finish. TAat will come soon enough." 266 IN SUNNV AUSTRALIA " Oh, my brave darling ; but this is torture." "Joan," said Aileen, entering, "if it will not disturb you here are the children from school wishing to see you. Do you think you will be able to bear it ? " " Oh, yes ! let them come. I should like to see them ; perhaps I may not be able to see them again," she added to herself. They came in quietly, "the two boys looking very subdued. Joan greeted them most affectionately, and they perched themselves on her couch and about the room, bestowing a caress on her now and then. On their departure, Charlie and Rob slipped off down a side lane by themselves, leaving the other three to weep their own little weep on the way home. " I couldn't stand seeing those girls snivelling and blubbering," remarked Charlie in an abnormally high- pitched voice. " Girls are such awful duffers ! " " They are," assented his brother. " What's the good of them blubbering ? " he de- manded, still very boisterously, " It's so jolly undig- nified. Of course poor old Auntie Joe can't live much longer ! She looked like an angel, didn't she, Rob ? " in an awed tone. "You never saw an angel to tell, so shut up, donkey," said Rob crossly. " Why, Rob, you don't mean to cram us you're crying ! You've got a horrid smear right down your left cheek." WffAT NOEL LOST 267 " It's nothing to your red, bunged-up eyes ; you couldn't look worse if you had the measles." " Jolly cheerful sort of a chap you are for company home," exclaimed Charlie, savagely kicking a stone away that happened to be lying innocently in his path. They had just crossed a paddock, and were now at the fence. " I don't care," Rob cried, putting his arms on the rails and beginning to sob. "It's all up with Joe. We shall never see her any more, and no one was ever so good to us before." " No, no one," echoed Charlie vehemently. " It is all a horrid shame. I don't see why I should not howl and scream as well as any one else." And he did heartily. All the next day Joan and Noel were together, and said those things which only those who love can say to one another. Such words, under such solemn circumstances, are too sacred to be dwelt upon. " Good-night," she had said late that evening. " I am not frightened, not uneasy, only just tired. I think I shall sleep. God bless my dear ones." They were the last words Noel and Aileen ever heard her speak, for at dawn there was no Joan Compton on earth. Noel kissed the cold lips tenderly. " My love in heaven " was all he said. CHAPTER XXVII A DENUNCIATION UP till the time when the funeral was over and all that remained of the brilliant, beautiful Joan Compton was laid in a quiet grave, Norrington had kept calm — almost too calm. It was too suggestive of a storm. And the storm came. He had stood at the head of the grave, where he had more right than any one else, and listened, without comprehending, to the beautiful Burial Service. Only when the first clods of earth fell on the coffin did he realize that the best, the truest part of his life lay there. The mourners departed ; the sexton filled up the grave and went on his way, and only Noel remained kneeling stupefied beside a freshly heaped up mound that hid a best-loved face from his sight. " Curse it ! curse it ! " he cried at last, staggering to his feet, and flinging away the prayer-book into the long grass, for it was a good spring, and the grass was young and tender. Joan had been young and tender too, but now she 268 A DENUNCIATION 269 lay helpless and regardless of nought. No long day's work could weary her, no unkind words wound her any more. " Curse all that worried her," he cried, striding from the grave towards the Rectory, nor once look- ing back. His always decisive face set into singular hardness, every softening influence vanishing, and all love and tenderness departed from the brown eyes for ever. " Where is Mrs. Grey ? " he demanded fiercely, when he arrived at the Rectory. He could hardly bring himself to speak of her by name. " I'll get her, sir," said the maid, disappearing with amazing agility before his countenance. In a few minutes more Noel was standing in the dining-room, facing both Grey and his wife. Ske prudently closed the door. She, with swift anticipa- tion of what was coming, did not wish to have the whole parish set by the ears. "Grey," began Norrington in a voice cold, but intense from the passion he was in, " I am sorry to have to bring any suffering on you by what I am going to say, for you were always good to my dead girl out ikere. You are a good man, but without discrimination, and too loyal to a woman not worthy of being shielded. Mrs. Grey," hazarding a bold chance shot, " have the goodness to tell me all you know about the drying up of the river last sum- mer ? " 270 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA " Do you think I am afraid of your idle threats ? " she asked sarcastically, drawing herself up to her full height. She was certainly a very handsome and striking looking woman. Just now she was beauti- ful ; but Norrington could only see the malicious triumph in her cold eyes. " No, certainly not ; when you are not afraid of killing an innocent, delicate girl, for that is what your treatment of your step-sister amounts to. With your intense anxiety about other people's souls it is a wonder you did not have a care for your own, for it must be in jeopardy ; but, then, you are one of the devil's own special hypocrites, and that accounts for the inconsistency." He could not have said anything more calculated to bring out all she knew. His scornful, contemp- tuous tones incensed her. " Yes ; you may talk to me — you who called me your friend, and used to so gladly come to see me until my step-sister stepped in. Being a convict's son no doubt you were highly flattered, and laid your designs to be connected with out family." " Silence, Isabelle ! " exclaimed Grey sharply " Norrington's family is as good as your own." "Leave me alone," she commanded imperiously. Then addressing herself to Noel : " You may flatter yourself that you are a smart young man, but it took me to out-wit you after all. With all your acumen you failed to connect events, and let me tell you it A DENUNCIATION 27 1 was I — / whom you thought so little of — who upset all your plans, and turned your dearest hopes into bitterness. I discovered that the present owner of your old home was identical with the one whom my step-sister so rashly and foolishly refused to marry, and pre-supposing him to be jealous and revengeful I took a journey thither on that chance. I found him very infuriated. He, at least, was an honest man ; jott are a convict's son. From him I found out your antecedents. Greatly against my calculations, Joan never let that weigh against her infatuation for you. Therefore I laid a deeper plan. I knew you could not marry unless the canal was completed, so to oust you from that position I saw Morris again, and together we planned that the channel should be diverted. The drought favoured us, for it was not then so conspicuous that the river, for the first time, had dried up. Don't think that I can tell you where and how the channel was diverted. Morris is a rich man, and money, with wariness, can shut lots of people's mouths. So you see it is / who have been swaying your destiny all along, and you little thought it, but set me aside contemptuously, as if unworthy of trouble. Don't you think you have paid for changing your opinion of me .' " she finished up triumphantly. So, thus her vanity led her to confess what he could never have forced her to say. She did it to show her power. But he had gained all he wanted — 272 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA information as to whether, and if so by whom, his life had been interfered with. He laughed sardonically. " So you pride yourself on being a fraud — a cruel, revengeful intrigant; certainly an anomaly to the side you present to some people. You are too contemptible for me to waste more words on you, only remember that some day you may suffer as you have made others suffer." Without further remark he opened the door and went out, bent with determination to horsewhip Morris for his treachery. Grey did not follow him ; he turned to his wife with a look she had never seen on his face before. " Isabelle, to think you have deceived me like this ! Oh, gracious Heaven ! this is too hard a blow. Joan dead ; my love for you gone ; Noel estranged ; and this parish no longer an abode for us. What a false position you have placed me in." "If you do not desert me they cannot turn us out," she cried defiantly. " I shall not desert you before the world, but I can never think the same of you again. As to being compelled to leave this parish, I shall resign first." " You would never be such a fool, Arthur. Be- sides, no matter what I have done or said, they have each and all deserved it. I fail to see that / should be blamed. They brought things on themselves." "Isabelle, the only charitable construction I can put on your action is to believe you are not in your A DENUNCIATION 273 right mind. Otherwise I know not what to call you. I cannot conceive how you could be so un- generous, so revengeful, and for what reason. Such thoughts do not eventuate in a day. You have managed to conceal your character very well " " How dare you speak to me thus .? " she cried. She the beautiful, the lovely, the petted one, whose will was law in that household. " The only pity is that I did not begin to speak to you long ago. I am certainly to blame, more even than you; but I am being well punished for my weakness," he said steadily and without a trace of anger in his tones. " It is all Joan's fault," she began, falling into tears, and showing her beautiful face to its best advantage, as she well knew. "If she had never come, or if she had not been so perverse, this would never have happened." " Or, if you had behaved consistently with the sweet character you so cleverly managed to present to people as bond-fide. Cease these untrue excuses, Isabelle ; I have had enough of them." And then he went away to his study and locked himself in. Mrs. Grey sat staring rigidly before her. It was the first time he had left her without kissing away her hitherto always effective tears. CHAPTER XXVIII THE HEIR COMES INTO HIS OWN AGAIN NORRINGTON turned away from the Rectory with nothing but bitter, passionate feelings in his heart ; a fierce rebellion against his several misfortunes, and an implacable hatred for Mrs Grey. " Four lives ruined through her evil machinations," he was thinking savagely. "Joan's, Hal's, Mrs. Brereton's, and mine ! I believe she delights in it." Yet he did her an injustice in so thinking ; she had, probably, little or no sense of her responsibility, or of the consequences of her actions. Perhaps she did not try to understand ; but no one is wholly bad, or wholly good, so it is said. " Morris shall remember his agreement and the terms of his silence, I swear," Noel thought on, work- ing himself up into a white heat. And this was the frame of mind he was in; he, who had only a few hours before left a silent, sacred grave in a quiet churchyard — the churchyard in which he told his Joan of his love. THE HEIR COMES INTO HIS OWN AGAIN 275 It was one of the ironical things that so often happens in life, as if nature mocked us in our pain, and God hid His face ! Noel marched on, taking a short cut to his hotel, and there, leaving two short notes for Mrs. Brereton and Conroy, he packed up all his belongings, and turned his back on Bourketown, as he thought, for ever! Once in Melbourne, the load and strain on his heart eased. Here was something to occupy his mind and take his thoughts off from ever dwelling on one lovely, suffering face. He could never get it out of his eyes as he saw it last. In Melbourne he stayed for some days before carrying out his intention of proceeding to Durend, and from thence back to his post in North Queens- land again. Going down Collins Street on the last day of his trip, a woman, whose face seemed familiar, accosted him. " I knew I should remember you if ever the good Lord let us meet again !" she exclaimed without any preliminary. " I have been searching for you, and am on my way to Bourketown, where I should have gone but for this meeting. I have something .im- portant to tell you, Mr. Norrington." He looked at her keenly, unable to recollect her at all, when there flashed suddenly through his brain the memory of his last day at Durend, and of a woman called Pattie. 276 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA She was not pinched nor starved now ; she looked a healthy, decent woman. " Yes ; I remember now. I spoke to you one day at Durend about two years ago this month." " Yes ; it is Pattie Robinson, the same woman that you helped. Me and my bairns were starving then, but your timely help saved us, and soon after that my good man got work agin. I said if ever I had the chance of doin' you a good turn I would ; and now it has come. I learnt a secret lately." " Come into the park," said Noel quietly. He was trusting to and prepared to believe this woman's story, though, for all he knew she might be a mere adventuress. There they sat down on one of the seats, oblivious of the passers-by. " Let me tell you from the beginning," she com- menced seriously, and without any attempt at the melodramatic. " Soon after I met you, my good man got some shearing, and when that was over, the boss was so taken with him that he took 'im on as a reg'lar station hand. Then I got the help of a lad I knew, an' between us kep' the little farm agoin'. I used to go to Durend sometimes with butter for Morris's housekeeper — not but what I always managed to keep clear o' Morris himself — and there I picked up some stray words now an' then as to how the young man who helped me had once owned this place, an' how funny an' mysterious it was about his THE HEIR COMES INTO HIS OWN AGAIN 277 quittin' altogether. Well, I began to put two an' two together, an' knowin' Morris of old, afore we came anywheres near Durend, an' havin' no love fur him, I got my suspicions roused. I got to know the way of the house an' Morris's habits pretty well, though he's a kinder man what lays low an' don't say much. Seein' what has turned up, we was glad we followed Morris an' settled on that there little farm, though we wasn't long there while you were master at Durend. Leastways I don't remember ever havin' seen you then, an' you didn't know me by name or sight. See, Colt's farm is a goodish way back, an' an awkwardish sort o' place ter get at. But I'm gettin' off the track of my story ; so, to make things short, here goes. One day, just a few weeks back, the housekeeper sent for me unexpectedly. It seemed Morris was away in Sydney, an' she was taken bad with a kind o' fever, an' she couldn't for the dear life o' her get a soul to nurse her. Well, I wasn't afraid of fever, an' was glad of the chance of earnin' a few pounds ; an' there was she, couldn't be moved, an' Morris, fumin' an' ragin' away in Sydney. Once in Durend, I took care to get the run of the house, an' fossickin' among Morris's papers came across the fact that your father was supposed to have died intestate ; but that this man, who once had some business with your boss, turned up with some dockyments that made you quit Durend. Now I can prove that them papers was a fraud." 278 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA "What!" exclaimed Noel, jumping -to his feet. He had been listening quietly hitherto without any presentiment of what was coming. " Yes ; I saw a letter that a pal of his had written, an' also his reply to it. He must have forgot to burn 'em ; anyways they made me think them two had got up that plan an' those papers between 'em." " Go on," said Noel hoarsely. " Nex' day Morris came home. He couldn't abear the thought of me prying around, so he chanced the fever. But he cotched it, or it cotched him, more like. I stayed on an' nursed him too, for no one else would, an' when he was gettin' better, I taxed him with the fraud an' told him' of the letters I had. Then I wrung a confession from him, an' got him to sign it. He thought he was goin' to die that night, an' was frightened, I reckon. I didn't let on that I knew you, or about the good turn you done me, or he would have bin wantin' them papers back agin. As soon as my work there was finished I came along off ter find you. Morris had accidentally let drop that you had once gone to Bourketown, an' I had hopes of tracing you from theerabouts." " You have done very well," said Noel in a low voice. " You shall be rewarded for this." " Rewarded ! I have bin rewarded already," said Pattie gratefully. " I only wanted to do you a good turn back agin." " Partly that, but more to pay Morris out for his THE HEIR COMES INTO HIS OWN AGAIN 279 cruel treatment of you, isn't that so ? " asked Noel with a sombre, twisted smile. " Well, I own that was one o' my motives, but still I would not have bothered about it if it hadn't bin you who was so kind to me when I needed it most," declared she stoutly. "Now, sir, here are the papers." Noel took them ; read them through, then care- fully folded' them up. " I shall start for Durend to-night," he said. " I am goin' to see a sister o' my good man's for a few days. I reckon Morris would shoot me if he saw me come back same time as you," said Pattie astutely. " By the bye," remarked Noel with studied careless- ness, " I suppose you don't happen to remember what the Tarwindi was like last Christmas .■' Any- thing unusual going on } " "'Twas a little bit low an' sluggish through the drought," answered Pattie, wondering why he asked such a question ; " nothin' else that I heard of." And then they parted ; he to go back to his hotel, and she, to her sister-in-law's abode. As in the first chapter, so now, the same two persons are brought face to face. Only the positions are reversed ; it is Noel that holds the papers this time. " Do you know," said Noel, in a hard, unrelenting 28o IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA voice, " that Australia does not contain a bigger scoundrel, a more contemptible viper, than you ! " " Ha, those words are actionable ! have a care ! " exclaimed Morris menacingly. " You would not dare to bring an action against me," rejoined Noel, in calmly judical tones. " I could expose you. Not only are you a swindler and a robber, living on what is not your own, but you entered into a d d conspiracy with a jealous, revengeful woman ! Silence, as to my antecedents was in the compact when I relinquished Durend so that on that count alone, you have forfeited your right to this estate, However, you never had any right, seeing that document of yours, as regarding my late father's wishes, was a wholesale fraud. Now I am going to kick you out of this house, if you do not quit at once." Morris, with the face of a whipped cur, denied every- thing in toto. " You want this place for your bride, may be, but you'll have some difficulty in shifting me," he sneered. Norrington turned on him with a face of cold fury. " You cur ! Never dare to mention her name ! Do you know that you and your fellow-accomplice and chief instigator between you have murdered her.' There's a choice morsel for your conscience to carry! Now I will give you a day's start. You had better get off to America, or may be Darlinghurst or Berrinia will be favoured with your company for a few years." THE HEIR COMES INTO HIS OWN AGAIN 28 1 " You can't prove anything," he retorted, looking ghastly. " If it weren't for that cursed, meddlesome Pattie Robinson I wouldn't be in this funk." " I can prove everything," answered Noel, playing a bold stroke, and playing it well. Fear crept into Morris's eyes. He thought of all the dirty transactions, the cruel businesses he had wallowed in, and swiftly-rushing memory made him a coward. In every line of Norrington's grim, brown face was strong, immutable determination, and a steady burn- ing light in his eyes. " Are you going .' " " Yes — one minute." " Cut ! " Ten minutes later Durend was cleared of Morris, and the return of the rightful owner was quickly noised abroad. A few days later the daily papers recorded the suicide of a man named Morris who shot him- self whilst proceeding to Melbourne by train. No reason was assigned for the act. It was only Noel and Pattie who could even have an accurate guess at the cause. Tliis, they undoubtedly did. CHAPTER XXIX AFTER SEVEN YEARS DOWN a grassy, shady slope, which leads from a low, vine-covered house and flanked on the left by a well-grown orchard, sat a woman of some twenty- eight years. A cool land wind played with the long delicate green grass, for it was early summer. Early summer to everything in nature, but no early summer to the heart of the one sitting there. Bralga had seemed a desolate place to Chubby of late years. " Her breezy joyousness had settled down into a steady systematic cheerfulness, and in the glad grey eyes was a tender, wistful patience — a patience that grew as the years went on. She gazed at the limitless, silent bush with a great longing ; a longing to get away from the familiar solitude to where she would have less time to think. The melancholy of the Australian bush' seemed to have seized upon her just then. Then she moved her position a little to be more AFTER SEVEN YEARS 283 comfortable, and sticking her elbow on "^the earth, made her hand a prop for her head. Unconsciously her thoughts slipped back to the time of Joan's death and the months preceding it. Some- how they had got into a habit of doing that. Seven years ago ! seven years since that funeral and that hastily sera wed note of brief adieux which reached her father from Norrington. They had never received a line from him since, nor had he ever come to Bourketown again, the scene of his bright, soon-lost hopes. That he had come into his own estate, so wrongfully withheld, and that Tim O'Kelly had left Bralga and was living there with him, they knew. Chubby mentally reviewed it all — his abrupt depar- ture, his sudden turn of fortune, the scandal after Joan's death and Grey's hasty resignation of the charge. Whither they had gone she did not know. Some people had said Mrs. Grey was well punished for her cruelty, but of that Chubby took no account, for she failed to see how any retribution meted out to Mrs. Grey would benefit those she had injured. It might give Aileen and Norrington a thrill of satis- faction, but to even suppose that it did so, insensibly lowered them in her estimation. Chubby had no revengefulness mixed up in her composition, and she was more lenient of late. She was less ready to draw a straight, undeviating line between right and wrong — she made allowances — she took into account the extenuating circumstances. 284 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA Aileen Brereton had flitted back to her own people ; Blanche had married Dr. Wilton years ago, and was living in Melbourne. It was not a happy marriage ; Chubby regretted it, but she had never expected other- wise. Reginald had also wedded and was living near his sister ; and now Tub, who principally carried on the management of the station, was thinking of doing likewise, and was bringing home a wife in all respects exactly as the old people would have chosen her, and who would be a real daughter to them. Chubby did not see that she was wanted anywhere, or by any one particularly, in her little world. Her bright, self-reliant, but intensely loving spirit nearly failed her. She only asked to be of use, to be need- ful to some one. Once she had hoped to cheer, to be of some little comfort to Norrington in his trouble ; but as the years went by and he gave no sign, she ceased even to expect that. He denied her the pleasure of being the good friend she had already proved herself to be — she who would have been so without any ulterior motive. But she was sensible enough to recognise that he must shrink from anything and any one connected with the happiest, best period of his life, when Love and Joan shed a roseate glow over everything. The grey eyes looked dreamily out towards the boundless stretch of bush and plain again. Seven long years ! nine long years since she had first seen AFTER SEVEN YEARS 285 Norrington ; and now she was a woman verging on thirty. A hand was laid gently on her shoulder ; the form and face that had been perpetually before her mental vision of late, stood beside her. " That mirage, again ! " she cried, bursting into a passion of tears " ; is not my fate cruel enough with- ■ out being mocked like this ? " " Chubby ! " said a voice that was human enough, in all conscience. It was no fantasy of her brain this time. She bounded to her feet. " You, at last ! " Then suddenly remembering herself, she sank down to her grassy seat again, ask- ing in a dreary voice : " Why have you come ? " He looked at her with something of his old keen- ness, and noted how she had lost her vivacity and settled down into womanhood. Otherwise, she was still " just Chubby," only for the tender patience in the grey eyes. " For you" he answered, going straight to the point as usual. She started violently, when that which she had been longing for actually presented itself, she could not grasp the fact. " Noel, don't," she exclaimed, in an agony. " Hear my story first. Chubby, Chub — by dear ! " he pleaded, kneeling on the long grass beside her. " You were always fair and just in the old days. I 286 IN SUNNY AUSTRALIA have no excuses ; I can only offer you my reasons for neglecting you so long. Soon after I was at Durend I meant to come back and ask you to share my old home with me ; but then my heart was frozen — dead ! and I could not endure the thought of returning to Bourketown and Bralga. Then, when I felt I could come, I argued to myself that I had no right. You were probably married, and didn't want me, with the poor second-hand love I had to offer. I didn't deserve to be remembered, cutting myself away as I did from your friendship. And so three more years dragged on, and the longing to see you again, to know if you were still free, grew. So I have come ; but seven years is a long while. Chubby — a very long while." " Yes," she whispered ; she could not find voice to speak. " You know all my story ; all about my dead girl over there ; so I come to you on no false pretences. You are the only woman I could ever put in her place. If you care enough to accept the love I have to give you and take pity on my loneliness, I have wanted you so " She saw in the brown eyes she knew so well a wistful entreaty that had never been there before ; she saw the brown hair on his forehead all streaked with grey, and a firm mouth concealing its own woes. " Ah, Noel, all I ever had to give thee is thine still. Ask me only to do what you want, my love." AFTER SEVEN YEARS 287 " My love ! " he said, taking her in his arms ; " my love, Chubby ! " She put her arms round his neck and sobbed. " Long delayed, and long waiting ; but yet — your love, Noel, and mine, is still ours, for always ! " THE END.