Mill.
She
and
the
Gangoil
ladies
had
met
each
other
on
neutral
ground
,
and
it
was
almost
necessary
that
they
should
either
be
friends
or
absolute
enemies
.
Mrs.
Heathcote
had
been
aware
of
this
,
and
bad
declared
that
enmity
was
horrible
.
“
Upon
my
word
,
”
said
Harry
,
“
I
sometimes
think
that
friendship
is
more
so
.
I
suppose
I’m
fitted
for
bush
life
,
for
I
want
to
see
no
one
from
year’s
end
to
year’s
end
but
my
own
family
and
my
own
people
.
”
And
yet
this
young
patriarch
in
the
wilderness
was
only
twenty-four
years
old
,
and
had
been
educated
at
an
English
school
!
Medlicot’s
cottage
was
about
a
hundred
and
fifty
yards
from
the
mill
,
looking
down
upon
the
Mary
,
the
banks
of
which
at
this
spot
were
almost
precipitous
.
The
site
for
the
plantation
had
been
chosen
because
the
river
afforded
the
means
of
carriage
down
to
the
sea
,
and
the
mill
had
been
so
constructed
that
the
sugar
hogsheads
could
be
lowered
from
the
buildings
into
the
river
boats
.
Here
Mrs.
Heathcote
and
Kate
Daly
found
the
old
lady
sitting
at
work
,
all
alone
,
in
the
veranda
.
She
was
a
handsome
old
woman
,
with
gray
hair
,
seventy
years
of
age
,
with
wrinkled
face
,
and
a
toothless
mouth
,
but
with
bright
eyes
,
and
with
no
signs
of
the
infirmity
of
age
.
“
This
is
gey
kind
of
you
to
run
so
far
to
see
an
auld
woman
,
”
she
said
.
Mrs.
Heathcote
declared
that
they
were
used
to
the
heat
,
and
that
after
the
rain
the
air
was
pleasant
.
“
You’re
two
bright
lassies
,
and
you’re
hearty
,
”
she
said
.
“
I’m
auld
,
and
just
out
of
Cumberland
,
and
I
find
it’s
hot
enough
—
and
I’m
no
guid
at
horseback
at
all
.
I
dinna
know
how
I’m
to
get
aboot
.
”
Then
Mrs.
Heathcote
explained
that
there
was
an
excellent
track
for
a
buggy
all
the
way
to
Gangoil
.
“
Giles
is
aye
telling
me
that
I’m
to
gang
aboot
in
a
bouggey
,
but
I
dinna
feel
sure
of
thae
bouggeys
.
”
Mrs.
Heathcote
,
of
course
,
praised
the
country
carriages
,
and
the
country
roads
,
and
the
country
generally
.
Tea
was
brought
in
,
and
the
old
lady
was
delighted
with
her
guests
.
Since
she
had
been
at
the
mill
,
week
had
followed
week
,
and
she
had
seen
no
woman’s
face
but
that
of
the
uncouth
girl
who
waited
upon
her
.
“
Did
ye
ever
see
rain
like
that
!
”
she
said
,
putting
up
her
hands
.
“
I
thought
the
Lord
was
sending
his
clouds
down
upon
us
in
a
lump
like
.
”
Then
she
told
them
that
some
of
the
men
had
declared
that
if
it
went
on
like
that
for
two
hours
the
Mary
would
rise
and
take
the
cottage
away
.
Giles
,
however
,
had
declared
that
to
be
trash
,
as
the
cottage
was
twenty
feet
above
the
ordinary
course
of
the
river
.
They
were
just
rising
to
take
their
leave
,
when
Giles
Medlicot
himself
came
in
out
of
the
mill
.
He
was
a
man
of
good
presence
,
dark
,
and
tall
like
Heathcote
,
but
stoutly
made
,
with
a
strongly
marked
face
,
given
to
frowning
much
when
he
was
eager
;
bright-eyed
,
with
a
broad
forehead
—
certainly
a
man
to
be
observed
as
far
as
his
appearance
was
concerned
.
He
was
dressed
much
as
a
gentleman
dresses
in
the
country
at
home
,
and
was
therefore
accounted
to
be
a
fop
by
Harry
Heathcote
,
who
was
rarely
seen
abroad
in
other
garb
than
that
which
has
been
described
.
Harry
was
an
aristocrat
,
and
hated
such
innovations
in
the
bush
as
cloth
coats
and
tweed
trowsers
and
neck-hand-kerchiefs
.
Medlicot
had
been
full
of
wrath
against
his
neighbor
all
the
morning
.
There
had
been
a
tone
in
Heathcote’s
voice
when
he
gave
his
parting
warning
as
to
the
fire
in
Medlicot’s
pipe
which
the
sugar
grower
had
felt
to
be
intentionally
insolent
.
Nothing
had
been
said
which
could
be
openly
resented
,
but
offense
had
surely
been
intended
;
and
then
he
had
remembered
that
his
mother
had
been
already
some
months
at
the
mill
,
and
that
no
mark
of
neighborly
courtesy
had
been
shown
to
her
.
The
Heathcotes
had
,
he
thought
,
chosen
to
assume
themselves
to
be
superior
to
him
and
his
,
and
to
treat
him
as
though
he
had
been
some
laboring
man
who
had
saved
money
enough
to
purchase
a
bit
of
land
for
himself
.
He
was
,
therefore
,
astonished
to
find
the
two
young
ladies
sitting
with
his
mother
on
the
very
day
after
such
an
interview
as
that
of
the
preceding
night
.
“
The
leddies
from
Gangoil
,
Giles
,
have
been
guid
enough
to
ride
over
and
see
me
,
”
said
his
mother
.
Medlicot
,
of
course
,
shook
hands
with
them
,
and
expressed
his
sense
of
their
kindness
,
but
he
did
it
awkwardly
.
He
soon
,
however
,
declared
his
purpose
of
riding
part
of
the
way
back
with
them
.
“
Mr.
Heathcote
must
have
been
very
wet
last
night
,
”
he
said
,
when
they
were
on
horse-back
,
addressing
himself
to
Kate
Daly
rather
than
to
her
sister
.
“
Indeed
he
was
—
wet
to
the
skin
.
Were
you
not
?
”
“
I
saw
him
at
about
eleven
,
before
the
rain
began
.
I
was
close
home
,
and
just
escaped
.
He
must
have
been
under
it
all
.
Does
he
often
go
about
the
run
in
that
way
at
night
?
”
“
Only
when
he’s
afraid
of
fires
,
”
said
Kate
.
“
Is
there
much
to
be
afraid
of
?
I
don’t
suppose
that
any
body
can
be
so
wicked
as
to
wish
to
burn
the
grass
.
”
Then
the
ladies
took
upon
themselves
to
explain
.
“
The
fires
might
be
caused
from
negligence
or
trifling
accidents
,
or
might
possibly
come
from
the
unaided
heat
of
the
sun
;
or
there
might
be
enemies
.
”
“
My
word
!
yes
;
enemies
,
rather
!
”
said
Jacko
,
who
was
riding
close
behind
,
and
who
had
no
idea
of
being
kept
out
of
the
conversation
merely
because
he
was
a
servant
.
Medlicot
,
turning
round
,
looked
at
the
lad
,
and
asked
who
were
the
enemies
.
“
Free-selectors
,
”
said
Jacko
.
“
I’m
a
free-selector
,
”
said
Medlicot
.
“
Did
not
jist
mean
you
,
”
said
Jacko
.
“
Jacko
,
you’d
better
hold
your
tongue
,
”
said
Mrs.
Heathcote
.
“
Hold
my
tongue
!
My
word
!
Well
,
you
go
on
.
”
Medlicot
came
as
far
as
the
wool-shed
,
and
then
said
that
he
would
return
.
He
had
thoroughly
enjoyed
his
ride
.
Kate
Daly
was
bright
and
pretty
and
winning
;
and
in
the
bush
,
when
a
man
has
not
seen
a
lady
perhaps
for
months
,
brightness
and
prettiness
and
winning
ways
have
a
double
charm
.
To
ride
with
fair
women
over
turf
,
through
a
forest
,
with
a
woman
who
may
perhaps
some
day
be
wooed
,
can
be
a
matter
of
indifference
only
to
a
very
lethargic
man
.
Giles
Medlicot
was
by
no
means
lethargic
.
He
owned
to
himself
that
though
Heathcote
was
a
pig-headed
ass
,
the
ladies
were
very
nice
,
and
he
thought
that
the
pig-headed
ass
in
choosing
one
of
them
for
himself
had
by
no
means
taken
the
nicest
.
“
You’ll
never
find
your
way
back
,
”
said
Kate
,
“
if
you’ve
not
been
here
before
.
”
“
I
never
was
here
before
,
and
I
suppose
I
must
find
my
way
back
.
”
Then
he
was
urged
to
come
on
and
dine
at
Gangoil
,
with
a
promise
that
Jacko
should
return
with
him
in
the
evening
.
But
this
he
would
not
do
.
Heathcote
was
a
pig-headed
ass
,
who
possibly
regarded
him
as
an
incendiary
simply
because
he
had
bought
some
land
.
This
boy
of
Heathcote’s
,
whose
services
had
been
offered
to
him
,
had
not
scrupled
to
tell
him
to
his
face
that
he
was
to
be
regarded
as
an
enemy
.
Much
as
he
liked
the
company
of
Kate
Daly
,
he
could
not
go
to
the
house
of
that
stupid
,
arrogant
,
pig-headed
young
squatter
.
“
I’m
not
such
a
bad
bushman
but
what
I
can
find
my
way
to
the
river
,
”
he
said
.
“
Find
it
blindful
,
”
said
Jacko
,
who
did
not
relish
the
idea
of
going
back
to
Medlicot’s
Mill
as
guide
to
another
man
.
There
was
a
weakness
in
the
idea
that
such
aid
could
be
necessary
,
which
was
revolting
to
Jacko’s
sense
of
bush
independence
.
They
were
standing
on
their
horses
at
the
entrance
to
the
wool-shed
as
they
discussed
the
point
,
when
suddenly
Harry
himself
appeared
out
of
the
building
.
He
came
up
and
shook
hands
with
Medlicot
,
with
sufficient
courtesy
,
but
hardly
with
cordiality
,
and
then
asked
his
wife
as
to
her
ride
.
“
We
have
been
very
jolly
,
haven’t
we
,
Kate
?
Of
course
it
has
been
hot
,
but
every
thing
is
not
so
frightfully
parched
as
it
was
before
the
rain
.
As
Mr.
Medlicot
has
come
back
so
far
with
us
,
we
want
him
to
come
on
and
dine
.
”
“
Pray
do
,
Mr.
Medlicot
,
”
said
Harry
.
But
again
the
tone
of
his
voice
was
not
sufficiently
hearty
to
satisfy
the
man
who
was
invited
.
“
Thanks
,
no
:
I
think
I’ll
hardly
do
that
.
—
Good-night
,
Mrs.
Heathcote
;
good-night
.
Miss
Daly
;
”
and
the
two
ladies
immediately
perceived
that
his
voice
,
which
had
hitherto
been
pleasant
in
their
ears
,
had
ceased
to
be
cordial
.
“
I
am
very
glad
he
has
gone
back
,
”
said
Heathcote
.
“
Why
do
you
say
so
,
Harry
?
You
are
not
given
to
be
inhospitable
,
and
why
should
you
grudge
me
and
Kate
the
rare
pleasure
of
seeing
a
strange
face
?
”
“
I’ll
tell
you
why
.
It’s
not
about
him
at
this
moment
;
but
I’ve
been
disturbed
.
—
Jacko
,
go
on
to
the
station
,
and
say
we’re
coming
.
Do
you
hear
me
?
Go
on
at
once
.
”
Then
Jacko
,
somewhat
unwillingly
,
galloped
off
toward
the
house
.
“
Get
off
your
horses
,
and
come
in
.
”
He
helped
the
two
ladies
from
their
saddles
,
and
they
all
went
into
the
wool-shed
,
Harry
leading
the
way
.
In
one
of
the
side
pens
,
immediately
under
the
roof
,
there
was
a
large
heap
of
leaves
,
the
outside
portion
of
which
was
at
present
damp
,
for
the
rain
had
beaten
in
upon
it
,
but
which
had
been
as
dry
as
tinder
when
collected
;
and
there
was
a
row
or
ridge
of
mixed
brush-wood
and
leaves
so
constructed
as
to
form
a
line
from
the
grass
outside
on
to
the
heap
.
“
The
fellow
who
did
that
was
an
ass
,
”
said
Harry
;
“
a
greater
ass
than
I
should
have
taken
him
to
be
,
not
to
have
known
that
if
he
could
have
gotten
the
grass
to
burn
outside
,
the
wool-shed
must
have
gone
without
all
that
preparation
.
But
there
isn’t
much
difficulty
now
in
seeing
what
the
fellow
has
intended
.
”
“
Was
it
for
a
fire
?
”
asked
Kate
.
“
Of
course
it
was
.
He
wouldn’t
have
been
contented
with
the
grass
and
fences
,
but
wanted
to
make
sure
of
the
shed
also
.
He’d
have
come
to
the
house
and
burned
us
in
our
beds
,
only
a
fellow
like
that
is
too
much
of
a
coward
to
run
the
risk
of
being
seen
.
”
“
But
,
Harry
,
why
didn’t
he
light
it
when
he’d
done
it
?
”
said
Mrs.
Heathcote
.
“
Because
the
Almighty
sent
the
rain
at
the
very
moment
,
”
said
Harry
,
striking
the
top
rail
of
one
of
the
pens
with
his
fist
.
“
I’m
not
much
given
to
talk
about
Providence
,
but
this
looks
like
it
,
does
it
not
?
”
“
He
might
have
put
a
match
in
at
the
moment
?
”
“
Rain
or
no
rain
?
Yes
,
he
might
.
But
he
was
interrupted
by
more
than
the
rain
.
I
got
into
the
shed
myself
just
at
the
moment
—
I
and
Jacko
.
It
was
last
night
,
when
the
rain
was
pouring
.
I
heard
the
man
,
and
dark
as
was
the
night
,
I
saw
his
figure
as
he
fled
away
.
”
“
You
didn’t
know
him
?
”
said
Miss
Daly
.
“
But
that
boy
,
who
has
the
eyes
of
a
cat
,
he
knew
him
.
”
“
Jacko
?
”
“
Jacko
knew
him
by
his
gait
.
I
should
have
hardly
wanted
any
one
to
tell
me
who
it
was
.
I
could
have
named
the
man
at
once
,
but
for
the
fear
of
doing
an
injustice
.
”
“
And
who
was
it
?
”
“
Our
friend
Medlicot’s
prime
favorite
and
new
factotum
,
Mr.
William
Nokes
.
Mr.
William
Nokes
is
the
gentleman
who
intends
to
burn
us
all
out
of
house
and
home
,
and
Mr.
Medlicot
is
the
gentleman
whose
pleasure
it
is
to
keep
Mr.
Nokes
in
the
neighborhood
.
”
The
two
women
stood
awe-struck
for
a
moment
,
but
a
sense
of
justice
prevailed
upon
the
wife
to
speak
.
“
That
may
be
all
true
,
”
she
said
.
“
Perhaps
it
is
as
you
say
about
that
man
.
But
you
would
not
therefore
think
that
Mr.
Medlicot
knows
any
thing
about
it
?
”
“
It
would
be
impossible
,
”
said
Kate
.
“
I
have
not
accused
him
,
”
said
Harry
;
“
but
he
knows
that
the
man
was
dismissed
,
and
yet
keeps
him
about
the
place
.
Of
course
he
is
responsible
.
”
CHAPTER
IV
.
—
HARRY
HEATHCOTE’S
APPEAL
.
For
the
first
mile
between
the
wool-shed
and
the
house
Heathcote
and
the
two
ladies
rode
without
saying
a
word
.
There
was
something
so
terrible
in
the
reality
of
the
danger
which
encompassed
them
that
they
hardly
felt
inclined
to
discuss
it
.
Harry’s
dislike
to
Medlicot
was
quite
a
thing
apart
.
That
some
one
had
intended
to
burn
down
the
wool-shed
,
and
had
made
preparation
for
doing
so
,
was
as
apparent
to
the
women
as
to
him
.
And
the
man
who
had
been
balked
by
a
shower
of
rain
in
his
first
attempt
might
soon
find
an
opportunity
for
a
second
.
Harry
was
well
aware
that
even
Jacko’s
assertion
could
not
be
taken
as
evidence
against
the
man
whom
he
suspected
.
In
all
probability
no
further
attempt
would
be
made
upon
the
wool-shed
;
but
a
fire
on
some
distant
part
of
the
run
would
be
much
more
injurious
to
him
than
the
mere
burning
of
a
building
.
The
fire
that
might
ruin
him
would
be
one
which
should
get
ahead
before
it
was
seen
,
and
scour
across
the
ground
,
consuming
the
grass
down
to
the
very
roots
over
thousands
of
acres
,
and
destroying
fencing
over
many
miles
.
Such
fires
pass
on
,
leaving
the
standing
trees
unscathed
,
avoiding
even
the
scrub
,
which
is
too
moist
with
the
sap
of
life
for
consumption
,
but
licking
up
with
fearful
rapidity
every
thing
that
the
sun
has
dried
.
He
could
watch
the
wool-shed
and
house
,
but
with
no
possible
care
could
he
so
watch
the
whole
run
as
to
justify
him
in
feeling
security
.
There
need
be
no
preparation
of
leaves
.
A
match
thrown
loosely
on
the
ground
would
do
it
.
And
in
regard
to
a
match
so
thrown
,
it
would
be
impossible
to
prove
a
guilty
intention
.
“
Ought
we
not
to
have
dispersed
the
heap
?
”
said
Mrs.
Heathcote
at
last
.
The
minds
of
all
of
them
were
full
of
the
matter
,
but
these
were
the
first
words
spoken
.
“
I’ll
leave
it
as
it
is
,
”
said
Harry
,
giving
no
reason
for
his
decision
.
He
was
too
full
of
thought
,
too
heavily
laden
with
anxiety
,
to
speak
much
.
“
Come
,
let’s
get
on
;
you’ll
want
your
dinner
,
and
it’s
getting
dark
.
”
So
they
cantered
on
,
and
got
off
their
horses
at
the
gate
,
without
another
word
.
And
not
another
word
was
spoken
on
the
subject
that
night
.
Harry
was
very
silent
,
walking
up
and
down
the
veranda
with
his
pipe
in
his
mouth
—
not
lying
on
the
ground
in
idle
enjoyment
—
and
there
was
no
reading
.
The
two
sisters
looked
at
him
from
time
to
time
with
wistful
,
anxious-eyes
,
half
afraid
to
disturb
him
by
speech
.
As
for
him
,
he
felt
that
the
weight
was
all
on
his
own
shoulders
.
He
had
worked
hard
,
and
was
on
the
way
to
be
rich
.
I
do
not
know
that
he
thought
much
about
money
,
but
he
thought
very
much
of
success
.
And
he
was
by
nature
anxious
,
sanguine
,
and
impulsive
.
There
might
be
before
him
,
within
the
next
week
,
such
desolation
as
would
break
his
heart
.
He
knew
men
who
had
been
ruined
,
and
had
borne
their
ruin
almost
without
a
wail
—
who
had
seemed
contented
to
descend
to
security
and
mere
absence
from
want
.
There
was
his
own
superintendent
,
Old
Bates
,
who
,
though
he
grumbled
at
every
thing
else
,
never
bewailed
his
own
fate
.
But
he
knew
of
himself
that
any
such
blow
would
nearly
kill
him
—
such
a
blow
,
that
is
,
as
might
drive
him
from
Gangoil
,
and
force
him
to
be
the
servant
instead
of
the
master
of
men
.
Not
to
be
master
of
all
around
him
seemed
to
him
to
be
misery
.
The
merchants
at
Brisbane
who
took
his
wool
and
supplied
him
with
stores
had
advanced
money
when
he
first
bought
his
run
,
and
he
still
owed
them
some
thousands
of
pounds
.
The
injury
which
a
great
fire
would
do
him
would
bring
him
to
such
a
condition
that
the
merchants
would
demand
to
have
their
money
repaid
.
He
understood
it
all
,
and
knew
well
that
it
was
after
this
fashion
that
many
a
squatter
before
him
had
been
ruined
.
“
Speak
a
word
to
me
about
it
,
”
his
wife
said
to
him
,
imploringly
,
when
they
were
alone
together
that
night
.
“
My
darling
,
if
there
were
a
word
to
say
,
I
would
say
it
.
I
must
be
on
the
watch
,
and
do
the
best
I
can
.
At
present
the
earth
is
too
damp
for
mischief
.
”
“
Oh
that
it
would
rain
again
!
”
“
There
will
be
heat
enough
before
the
summer
is
over
;
we
need
not
doubt
that
.
But
I
will
tell
you
of
every
thing
as
we
go
on
.
I
will
endeavor
to
have
the
man
watched
.
God
bless
you
!
Go
to
sleep
,
and
try
to
get
it
out
of
your
thoughts
.
”
On
the
following
morning
he
breakfasted
early
,
and
mounted
his
horse
without
saying
a
word
as
to
the
purport
of
his
journey
.
This
was
in
accordance
with
the
habit
of
his
life
,
and
would
not
excite
observation
;
but
there
was
something
in
his
manner
which
made
both
the
ladies
feel
that
he
was
intent
on
some
special
object
.
When
he
intended
simply
to
ride
round
his
fences
or
to
visit
the
hut
of
some
distant
servant
,
a
few
minutes
signified
nothing
.
He
would
stand
under
the
veranda
and
talk
,
and
the
women
would
endeavor
to
keep
him
from
the
saddle
.
But
now
there
was
no
loitering
,
and
but
little
talking
.
He
said
a
word
to
Jacko
,
who
brought
the
horse
for
him
,
and
then
started
at
a
gallop
toward
the
wool-shed
.
He
did
not
stop
a
moment
at
the
shed
,
not
even
entering
it
to
see
whether
the
heap
of
leaves
had
been
displaced
during
the
night
,
but
went
on
straight
to
Medlicot’s
Mill
.
He
rode
the
nine
miles
in
an
hour
,
and
at
once
entered
the
building
in
which
the
canes
were
crushed
.
The
first
man
he
met
was
Nokes
,
who
acted
as
overseer
,
having
a
gang
of
Polynesian
laborers
under
him
—
sleek
,
swarthy
fellows
from
the
South
Sea
Islands
,
with
linen
trowsers
on
and
nothing
else
—
who
crept
silently
among
the
vats
and
machinery
,
shifting
the
sugar
as
it
was
made
.
“
Well
,
Nokes
,
”
said
Harry
,
“
how
are
you
getting
on
?
Is
Mr.
Medlicot
here
?
”
Nokes
was
a
big
fellow
,
with
a
broad
,
solid
face
,
which
would
not
have
condemned
him
among
physiognomists
but
for
a
bad
eye
,
which
could
not
look
you
in
the
face
.
He
had
been
a
boundary
rider
for
Heathcote
,
and
on
an
occasion
had
been
impertinent
,
refusing
to
leave
the
yard
behind
the
house
unless
something
was
done
which
those
about
the
place
refused
to
do
for
him
.
During
the
discussion
Harry
had
come
in
.
The
man
had
been
drinking
,
and
was
still
insolent
,
and
Harry
had
ejected
him
violently
,
thrusting
him
over
a
gate
.
The
man
had
returned
the
next
morning
,
and
had
then
been
sent
about
his
business
.
He
had
been
employed
at
Medlicot’s
Mill
,
but
from
the
day
of
his
dismissal
to
this
he
and
Harry
had
never
met
each
other
face
to
face
.
“
I’m
pretty
well
,
thank
ye
,
Mr.
Heathcote
.
I
hope
you’re
the
same
,
and
the
ladies
.
The
master’s
about
somewhere
,
I
take
it
.
—
Picky
,
go
and
find
the
master
.
”
Picky
was
one
of
the
Polynesians
,
who
at
once
started
on
his
errand
.
“
Have
you
been
over
to
Gangoil
since
you
left
it
?
”
said
Harry
,
looking
the
man
full
in
the
face
.
“
Not
I
,
Mr.
Heathcote
.
I
never
go
where
I’ve
had
words
.
And
,
to
tell
you
the
truth
,
sugar
is
better
than
sheep
.
I’m
very
comfortable
here
,
and
I
never
liked
your
work
.
”
“
You
haven’t
been
at
the
wool-shed
?
”
“
What
,
the
Gangoil
shed
!
What
the
blazes
‘d
I
go
there
for
?
It’s
a
matter
of
ten
miles
from
here
.
”
“
Seven
,
Nokes
.
”
“
Seven
,
is
it
?
It
is
a
longish
seven
miles
,
Mr.
Heathcote
.
How
could
I
get
that
distance
?
I
ain’t
so
good
at
walking
as
I
was
before
I
was
hurt
.
You
should
have
remembered
that
,
Mr.
Heathcote
,
when
you
laid
hands
on
me
the
other
day
.
”
“
You’re
not
much
the
worse
for
what
I
did
;
nor
yet
for
the
accident
,
I
take
it
.
At
any
rate
,
you’ve
not
been
at
Gangoil
wool-shed
?
”
“
No
,
I’ve
not
,
”
said
the
man
,
roughly
.
“
What
the
mischief
should
I
be
doing
at
your
shed
at
night-time
?
”
“
I
said
nothing
about
night-time
.
”
“
I’m
here
all
day
,
ain’t
I
?
If
you’re
going
to
palm
off
any
story
against
me
,
Mr.
Heathcote
,
you’ll
find
yourself
in
the
wrong
box
.
What
I
does
I
does
on
the
square
.
”
Heathcote
was
now
quite
sure
that
Jacko
had
been
right
.
He
had
not
doubted
much
before
,
but
now
he
did
not
doubt
at
all
but
that
the
man
with
whom
he
was
speaking
was
the
wretch
who
was
endeavoring
to
ruin
him
.
And
he
felt
certain
,
also
,
that
Jacko
was
true
to
him
.
He
knew
,
too
,
that
he
had
plainly
declared
his
suspicion
to
the
man
himself
.
But
he
had
resolved
upon
doing
this
.
He
could
in
no
way
assist
himself
in
circumventing
the
man’s
villainy
by
keeping
his
suspense
to
himself
.
The
man
might
be
frightened
,
and
in
spite
of
all
that
had
passed
between
him
and
Medlicot
,
he
still
thought
it
possible
that
he
might
induce
the
sugar
grower
to
co-operate
with
him
in
driving
Nokes
from
the
neighborhood
.
He
had
spent
the
night
in
thinking
over
it
all
,
and
this
was
the
resolution
to
which
he
had
come
.
“
There’s
the
master
,
”
said
Nokes
.
“
If
you’ve
got
any
thing
to
say
about
any
thing
,
you’d
better
say
it
to
him
.
”
Harry
had
never
before
set
his
foot
upon
Medlicot’s
land
since
it
had
been
bought
away
from
his
own
run
,
and
had
felt
that
he
would
almost
demean
himself
by
doing
so
.
He
had
often
looked
at
the
canes
from
over
his
own
fence
,
as
he
had
done
on
the
night
of
the
rain
;
but
he
had
stood
always
on
his
own
land
.
Now
he
was
in
the
sugar-mill
,
never
before
having
seen
such
a
building
.
“
You’ve
a
deal
of
machinery
here
,
Mr.
Medlicot
,
”
he
said
.
“
It’s
a
small
affair
,
after
all
,
”
said
the
other
.
“
I
hope
to
get
a
good
plant
before
I’ve
done
.
”
“
Can
I
speak
a
word
with
you
?
”
“
Certainly
.
Will
you
come
into
the
office
,
or
will
you
go
across
to
the
house
?
”
Harry
said
that
the
office
would
do
,
and
followed
Medlicot
into
a
little
box-like
inclosure
which
contained
a
desk
and
two
stools
.
“
Not
much
of
an
office
,
is
it
?
What
can
I
do
for
you
,
Mr.
Heathcote
?
”
Then
Harry
began
his
story
,
which
he
told
at
considerable
length
.
He
apologized
for
troubling
his
neighbor
at
all
on
the
subject
,
and
endeavored
to
explain
,
somewhat
awkwardly
,
that
as
Mr.
Medlicot
was
a
new-comer
,
he
probably
might
not
understand
the
kind
of
treatment
to
which
employers
in
the
bush
were
occasionally
subject
from
their
men
.
On
this
matter
he
said
much
,
which
,
had
he
been
a
better
tactician
,
he
might
probably
have
left
unspoken
.
He
then
went
on
to
the
story
of
his
own
quarrel
with
Nokes
,
who
had
,
in
truth
,
been
grossly
impudent
to
the
women
about
the
house
,
but
who
had
been
punished
by
instant
and
violent
dismissal
from
his
employment
.
It
was
evidently
Harry’s
idea
that
a
man
who
had
so
sinned
against
his
master
should
be
allowed
to
find
no
other
master
—
at
any
rate
in
that
district
;
an
idea
with
which
the
other
man
,
who
had
lately
come
out
from
the
old
country
,
did
not
at
all
sympathize
.
“
Do
you
want
me
to
dismiss
him
?
”
said
Medlicot
,
in
a
tone
which
implied
that
that
would
be
the
last
thing
he
would
think
of
doing
.
“
You
haven’t
heard
me
yet
.
”
Then
Harry
went
on
and
told
of
the
fires
in
the
heat
of
summer
,
and
of
their
terrible
effects
—
of
the
easy
manner
of
revenge
which
they
supplied
to
angry
,
unscrupulous
men
,
and
of
his
own
fears
at
the
present
moment
.
“
I
can
believe
it
all
,
”
said
Medlicot
,
“
and
am
very
sorry
that
it
should
be
so
.
But
I
can
not
see
the
justice
of
punishing
a
man
on
the
merest
,
vaguest
suspicion
.
Your
only
ground
for
imputing
this
crime
to
him
is
that
your
own
conduct
to
him
may
have
given
him
a
motive
.
”
Harry
had
schooled
himself
vigorously
during
the
ride
as
to
his
own
demeanor
,
and
had
resolved
that
he
would
be
cool
.
“
I
was
going
on
to
tell
you
,
”
he
said
,
“
what
occurred
that
night
after
I
saw
you
up
by
the
fence
.
”
Then
he
described
how
he
and
his
boy
had
entered
the
shed
,
and
had
both
seen
and
heard
a
man
as
he
escaped
from
it
;
how
the
boy
had
at
once
declared
that
the
man
was
Nokes
;
how
the
following
day
he
had
discovered
the
leaves
,
which
Nokes
no
doubt
had
deposited
there
just
before
the
rain
,
intending
to
burn
the
place
at
once
;
and
how
Nokes’s
manner
to
him
within
the
last
half
hour
had
corroborated
his
suspicions
.
“
Is
he
the
boy
you
call
Jacko
?
”
“
That’s
the
name
he
goes
by
.
”
“
You
don’t
know
his
real
name
?
”
“
I
have
never
heard
any
other
name
.
”
“
Nor
any
thing
about
him
?
”
Harry
owned
,
in
answer
to
half
a
dozen
such
questions
,
that
Jacko
had
come
to
Gangoil
about
six
months
ago
—
he
did
not
know
whence
—
had
been
kept
for
a
week’s
job
,
and
had
then
been
allowed
to
remain
about
the
place
without
any
regular
wages
.
“
You
admit
it
was
quite
dark
,
”
continued
Medlicot
.
Harry
did
not
at
all
like
the
cross-examination
,
and
his
resolution
to
be
cool
was
quickly
fading
.
“
I
told
you
that
I
saw
myself
the
figure
of
a
man
.
”
“
But
that
you
barely
saw
a
figure
.
You
did
not
form
any
opinion
of
your
own
as
to
the
man’s
identity
.
”
Harry
Heathcote
was
as
honest
as
the
sun
.
Much
as
he
disliked
being
cross-examined
,
he
found
himself
compelled
not
only
to
say
the
exact
truth
,
but
the
whole
truth
.
“
Certainly
not
.
I
barely
saw
a
glimpse
of
a
figure
,
and
,
till
I
spoke
to
Nokes
just
now
,
I
almost
doubted
whether
the
lad
could
have
distinguished
him
.
I
am
sure
he
was
right
now
.
”
“
Really
,
Mr.
Heathcote
,
I
can’t
go
along
with
you
.
You
are
accusing
a
man
of
committing
an
offense
,
which
I
believe
is
capital
,
on
the
evidence
of
a
boy
of
whom
you
know
nothing
,
who
may
have
his
own
reasons
for
spiting
the
man
,
and
whom
you
yourself
did
not
believe
till
you
had
looked
this
man
in
the
face
.
I
think
you
allow
yourself
to
be
guided
too
much
by
your
own
power
of
intuition
.
”
“
No
,
I
don’t
,
”
said
Harry
,
who
hated
his
neighbor’s
methodical
argument
.
“
At
any
rate
,
I
can’t
consent
to
take
a
man’s
bread
out
of
his
mouth
,
and
to
send
him
away
tainted
as
he
would
be
with
this
suspicion
,
either
because
Jacko
thought
that
he
saw
him
in
the
dark
,
or
because
—
”
“
I
have
never
asked
you
to
send
him
away
.
”
“
What
is
it
you
want
,
then
?
”
“
I
want
to
have
him
watched
,
so
that
he
may
feel
that
if
he
attempts
to
destroy
my
property
his
guilt
will
be
detected
.
”
“
Who
is
to
watch
him
?
”
“
He
is
in
your
employment
.
”
“
He
lives
in
the
hut
down
beyond
the
gate
.
Am
I
to
keep
a
sentry
there
all
night
,
and
every
night
?
”
“
I
will
pay
for
it
.
”
“
No
,
Mr.
Heathcote
.
I
don’t
pretend
to
know
this
country
yet
,
but
I’ll
encourage
no
such
espionage
as
that
.
At
any
rate
,
it
is
not
English
.
I
dare
say
the
man
misbehaved
himself
in
your
employment
.
You
say
he
was
drunk
.
I
do
not
doubt
it
.
But
he
is
not
a
drunkard
,
for
he
never
drinks
here
.
A
man
is
not
to
starve
forever
because
he
once
got
drunk
and
was
impertinent
.
Nor
is
he
to
have
a
spy
at
his
heels
because
a
boy
whom
nobody
knows
chooses
to
denounce
him
.
I
am
sorry
that
you
should
be
in
trouble
,
but
I
do
not
know
that
I
can
help
you
.
”
Harry’s
passion
was
now
very
high
,
and
his
resolution
to
be
cool
was
almost
thrown
to
the
winds
.
Medlicot
had
said
many
things
which
were
odious
to
him
.
In
the
first
place
,
there
had
been
a
tone
of
insufferable
superiority
,
so
Harry
thought
,
and
that
,
too
,
when
he
himself
had
divested
himself
of
all
the
superiority
naturally
attached
to
his
position
,
and
had
frankly
appealed
to
Medlicot
as
a
neighbor
.
And
then
this
new-fangled
sugar
grower
had
told
him
that
he
was
not
English
,
and
had
said
grand
words
,
and
had
altogether
made
himself
objectionable
.
What
did
this
man
know
of
the
Australian
bush
,
that
he
should
dare
to
talk
of
this
or
that
as
being
wrong
because
it
was
un-English
!
In
England
there
were
police
to
guard
men’s
property
.
Here
,
out
in
the
Australian
forests
,
a
man
must
guard
his
own
,
or
lose
it
.
But
perhaps
it
was
the
indifference
to
the
ruin
of
the
women
belonging
to
him
that
Harry
Heathcote
felt
the
strongest
.
The
stranger
cared
nothing
for
the
utter
desolation
which
one
unscrupulous
ruffian
might
produce
,
felt
no
horror
at
the
idea
of
a
vast
devastating
fire
,
but
could
be
indignant
in
his
mock
philanthropy
because
it
was
proposed
to
watch
the
doings
of
a
scoundrel
!
“
Good-morning
,
”
said
Harry
,
turning
round
and
leaving
the
office
brusquely
.
Medlicot
followed
him
,
but
Harry
went
so
quickly
that
not
another
word
was
spoken
.
To
him
the
idea
of
a
neighbor
in
the
bush
refusing
such
assistance
as
he
had
asked
was
as
terrible
as
to
us
is
the
thought
of
a
ship
at
sea
leaving
another
ship
in
distress
.
He
unhitched
his
horse
from
the
fence
,
and
galloped
home
as
fast
as
the
animal
would
carry
him
.
Medlicot
,
when
he
was
left
alone
,
took
two
or
three
turns
about
the
mill
,
as
though
inspecting
the
work
,
but
at
every
turn
fixed
his
eyes
for
a
few
moments
on
Noke’s
face
.
The
man
was
standing
under
a
huge
caldron
regulating
the
escape
of
the
boiling
juice
into
the
different
vats
by
raising
and
lowering
a
trap
,
and
giving
directions
to
the
Polynesians
as
he
did
so
.
He
was
evidently
conscious
that
he
was
being
regarded
,
and
,
as
is
usual
in
such
a
condition
,
manifestly
failed
in
his
struggle
to
appear
unconscious
.
Medlicot
acknowledged
to
himself
that
the
man
could
not
look
even
him
in
the
face
.
Was
it
possible
that
he
had
been
wrong
,
and
that
Heathcote
,
though
he
had
expressed
himself
badly
,
was
entitled
to
some
sympathy
in
his
fear
of
what
might
be
done
to
him
by
an
enemy
?
Medlicot
also
desired
to
be
just
,
being
more
rational
,
more
logical
,
and
less
impulsive
than
the
other
,
being
also
somewhat
too
conscious
of
his
own
superior
intelligence
.
He
knew
that
Heathcote
had
gone
away
in
great
dudgeon
,
and
he
almost
feared
that
he
had
been
harsh
and
unneighborly
.
After
a
while
he
stood
opposite
Nokes
and
addressed
him
.
“
Do
the
squatters
suffer
much
from
fires
?
”
he
said
.
“
Heathcote
has
been
talking
to
you
about
that
,
”
said
the
man
.
“
Can’t
you
say
Mr.
Heathcote
when
you
speak
of
a
gentleman
whose
bread
you
have
eaten
?
”
“
Mr.
Heathcote
,
if
you
like
it
.
We
ain’t
particular
to
a
shade
out
here
as
you
are
at
home
.
He
has
been
telling
you
about
fires
,
has
he
?
”
“
Well
,
he
has
.
”
“
And
talking
of
me
,
I
suppose
?
”
“
You
were
talking
of
having
a
turn
at
mining
some
day
.
How
would
it
be
with
you
if
you
were
to
be
off
to
Gympie
?
”
“
You
mean
to
say
I’m
to
go
,
Mr.
Medlicot
?
”
“
I
don’t
say
that
at
all
.
”
“
Look
here
,
Mr.
Medlicot
.
My
going
or
staying
won’t
make
any
difference
to
Heathcote
.
There’s
a
lot
of
’em
about
here
hates
him
that
much
that
he
is
never
to
be
allowed
to
rest
in
peace
.
I
tell
you
that
fairly
.
It
ain’t
any
thing
as
I
shall
do
.
Them’s
not
my
ways
,
Mr.
Medlicot
.
But
he
has
enemies
here
as’ll
never
let
him
rest
.
”
“
Who
are
they
?
”
“
Pretty
nigh
every
body
round
.
He
has
carried
himself
that
high
they
won’t
stand
him
.
Who’s
Heathcote
?
”
“
Name
some
who
are
his
enemies
.
”
“
There’s
the
Brownbies
.
”
“
Oh
,
the
Brownbies
.
Well
,
it’s
a
bad
thing
to
have
enemies
.
”
After
that
he
left
the
sugar-house
and
went
across
to
the
cottage
.
CHAPTER
V.
—
BOSCOBEL
.
Two
days
and
two
nights
passed
without
fear
of
fire
,
and
then
Harry
Heathcote
was
again
on
the
alert
.
The
earth
was
parched
as
though
no
drop
of
rain
had
fallen
.
The
fences
were
dry
as
tinder
,
and
the
ground
was
strewed
with
broken
atoms
of
timber
from
the
trees
,
each
of
which
a
spark
would
ignite
.
Two
nights
Harry
slept
in
his
bed
,
but
on
the
third
he
was
on
horseback
about
the
run
,
watching
,
thinking
,
endeavoring
to
make
provision
,
directing
others
,
and
hoping
to
make
it
believed
that
his
eyes
were
every
where
.
In
this
way
an
entire
week
was
passed
,
and
now
it
wanted
but
four
days
to
Christmas
.
He
would
come
home
to
breakfast
about
seven
in
the
morning
,
very
tired
,
but
never
owning
that
he
was
tired
,
and
then
sleep
heavily
for
an
hour
or
two
in
a
chair
.
After
that
he
would
go
out
again
on
the
run
,
would
sleep
perhaps
for
another
hour
after
dinner
,
and
then
would
start
for
his
night’s
patrol
.
During
this
week
he
saw
nothing
of
Medlicot
,
and
never
mentioned
his
name
but
once
.
On
that
occasion
his
wife
told
him
that
during
his
absence
Medlicot
had
been
at
the
station
.
“
What
brought
him
here
?
”
Harry
asked
,
fiercely
.
Mrs.
Heathcote
explained
that
he
had
called
in
a
friendly
way
,
and
had
said
that
if
there
were
any
fear
of
fire
he
would
be
happy
himself
to
lend
assistance
.
Then
the
young
squatter
forgot
himself
in
his
wrath
.
“
Confound
his
hypocrisy
!
”
said
Harry
,
aloud
.
“
I
don’t
think
he’s
a
hypocrite
,
”
said
the
wife
.
“
I’m
sure
he’s
not
,
”
said
Kate
Daly
.
Not
a
word
more
was
spoken
,
and
Harry
immediately
left
the
house
.
The
two
women
did
not
as
usual
go
to
the
gate
to
see
him
mount
his
horse
,
not
refraining
from
doing
so
in
any
anger
,
or
as
wishing
to
exhibit
displeasure
at
Harry’s
violence
,
but
because
they
were
afraid
of
him
.
They
had
found
themselves
compelled
to
differ
from
him
,
but
were
oppressed
at
finding
themselves
in
opposition
to
him
.
The
feeling
that
his
wife
should
in
any
way
take
part
against
him
added
greatly
to
Heathcote’s
trouble
.
It
produced
in
his
mind
a
terrible
feeling
of
loneliness
in
his
sorrow
.
He
bore
a
brave
outside
to
all
his
men
,
and
to
any
stranger
whom
in
these
days
he
met
about
the
run
—
to
his
wife
and
sister
also
,
and
to
the
old
woman
at
home
.
He
forced
upon
them
all
an
idea
that
he
was
not
only
autocratic
,
but
self-sufficient
also
—
that
he
wanted
neither
help
nor
sympathy
.
He
never
cried
out
in
his
pain
,
being
heartily
ashamed
even
of
the
appeal
which
he
had
made
to
Medlicot
.
He
spoke
aloud
and
laughed
with
the
men
,
and
never
acknowledged
that
his
trials
were
almost
too
much
for
him
.
But
he
was
painfully
conscious
of
his
own
weakness
.
He
sometimes
felt
,
when
alone
in
the
bush
,
that
he
would
fain
get
off
his
horse
,
and
lie
upon
the
ground
and
weep
till
he
slept
.
It
was
not
that
he
trusted
no
one
.
He
suspected
no
one
with
a
positive
suspicion
,
except
Nokes
,
and
Medlicot
as
the
supporter
of
Nokes
.
But
he
had
no
one
with
whom
he
could
converse
freely
—
none
whom
he
had
not
been
accustomed
to
treat
as
the
mere
ministers
of
his
will
—
except
his
wife
and
his
wife’s
sister
;
and
now
he
was
disjoined
from
them
by
their
sympathy
with
Medlicot
!
He
had
chosen
to
manage
every
thing
himself
without
contradiction
and
almost
without
counsel
;
but
,
like
other
such
imperious
masters
,
he
now
found
that
when
trouble
came
the
privilege
of
dictatorship
brought
with
it
an
almost
unsupportable
burden
.
Old
Bates
was
an
excellent
man
,
of
whose
fidelity
the
young
squatter
was
quite
assured
.
No
one
understood
foot-rot
better
than
Old
Bates
,
or
was
less
sparing
of
himself
in
curing
it
.
He
was
a
second
mother
to
all
the
lambs
,
and
when
shearing
came
watched
with
the
eyes
of
Argus
to
see
that
the
sheep
were
not
wounded
by
the
shearers
,
or
the
wool
left
on
their
backs
.
But
he
had
no
conversation
,
none
of
that
imagination
which
in
such
a
time
as
this
might
have
assisted
in
devising
safeguards
,
and
but
little
enthusiasm
.
Shepherds
,
so
called
,
Harry
kept
none
upon
the
run
;
and
would
have
felt
himself
insulted
had
any
one
suggested
that
he
was
so
backward
in
his
ways
as
to
employ
men
of
that
denomination
.
He
had
fenced
his
run
,
and
dispensed
with
shepherds
and
shepherding
as
old-fashioned
and
unprofitable
.
He
had
two
mounted
men
,
whom
he
called
boundary
riders
,
one
an
Irishman
and
the
other
a
German
—
and
them
he
trusted
fully
,
the
German
altogether
,
and
the
Irishman
equally
as
regarded
his
honesty
.
But
he
could
not
explain
to
them
the
thoughts
that
loaded
his
brain
.
He
could
instigate
them
to
eagerness
;
but
he
could
not
condescend
to
tell
Karl
Bender
,
the
German
,
that
if
his
fences
were
destroyed
neither
his
means
nor
his
credit
would
be
sufficient
to
put
them
up
again
,
and
that
if
the
scanty
herbage
were
burned
off
any
large
proportion
of
his
run
,
he
must
sell
his
flocks
at
a
great
sacrifice
.
Nor
could
he
explain
to
Mickey
O’Dowd
,
the
Irishman
,
that
his
peace
of
mind
was
destroyed
by
his
fear
of
one
man
.
He
had
to
bear
it
all
alone
.
And
there
was
heavy
on
him
also
the
great
misery
of
feeling
that
every
thing
might
depend
on
own
exertions
,
and
that
yet
he
did
not
know
how
or
where
to
exert
himself
.
When
he
had
ridden
about
all
night
and
discovered
nothing
,
he
might
just
as
well
have
been
in
bed
.
And
he
was
continually
riding
about
all
night
and
discovering
nothing
.
After
leaving
the
station
on
the
evening
of
the
day
on
which
he
had
expressed
himself
to
the
women
so
vehemently
respecting
Medlicot
,
he
met
Bates
coming
home
from
his
day’s
work
.
It
was
then
past
eight
o’clock
,
and
the
old
man
was
sitting
wearily
on
his
horse
,
with
his
head
low
down
between
his
shoulders
,
and
the
reins
hardly
held
within
his
grasp
.
“
You’re
late
,
Mr.
Bates
,
”
said
Harry
;
“
you
take
too
much
out
of
yourself
this
hot
weather
.
”
“
I’ve
got
to
move
slower
,
Mr.
Heathcote
,
as
I
grow
older
.
That’s
about
it
.
And
the
beast
I’m
on
is
not
much
good
.
”
Now
Mr.
Bates
was
always
complaining
of
his
horse
,
and
yet
was
allowed
to
choose
any
on
the
run
for
his
own
use
.
“
If
you
don’t
like
him
,
why
don’t
you
take
another
?
”
“
There
ain’t
much
difference
in
’em
,
Mr.
Heathcote
.
Better
the
devil
you
know
than
the
devil
you
don’t
.
It’s
getting
uncommon
close
shaving
for
them
wethers
in
the
new
paddock
.
They’re
down
upon
the
roots
pretty
well
already
.
”
“
There’s
grass
along
the
bush
on
the
north
side
.
”
“
They
won’t
go
there
;
it’s
rank
and
sour
.
They
won’t
feed
up
there
as
long
as
they
can
live
lower
down
and
nearer
the
water
.
Weather
like
this
,
they’d
sooner
die
near
the
water
than
travel
to
fill
their
bellies
.
It’s
about
the
hottest
day
we’ve
had
,
and
the
nights
a’most
hotter
.
Are
you
going
to
be
out
,
Mr.
Heathcote
?
”
“
I
think
so
.
”
“
What’s
the
good
of
it
,
Mr.
Heathcote
?
There
is
no
use
in
it
.
Lord
love
you
,
what
can
yon
do
?
You
can’t
be
every
side
at
once
.
”
“
Fire
can
only
travel
with
the
wind
,
Mr.
Bates
.
”
“
And
there
isn’t
any
wind
,
and
so
there
can’t
be
any
fire
.
I
never
did
think
,
and
I
don’t
think
now
,
there
ever
was
any
use
in
a
man
fashing
himself
as
you
fash
yourself
.
You
can’t
alter
things
,
Mr.
Heathcote
.
”
“
But
that’s
just
what
I
can
do
—
what
a
man
has
to
do
.
If
a
match
were
thrown
there
at
your
feet
,
and
the
grass
was
aflame
,
couldn’t
you
alter
that
by
putting
your
foot
on
it
?
If
you
find
a
ewe
on
her
back
,
can’t
you
alter
that
by
putting
her
on
her
legs
?
”
“
Yes
,
I
can
do
that
,
I
suppose
.
”
“
What
does
a
man
live
for
except
to
alter
things
?
When
a
man
clears
the
forest
and
sows
corn
,
does
he
not
alter
things
?
”
“
That’s
not
your
line
,
Mr.
Heathcote
,
”
said
the
cunning
old
man
.
“
If
I
send
wool
to
market
,
I
alter
things
.
”
“
You’ll
excuse
me
,
Mr.
Heathcote
.
Of
course
I’m
old
,
but
I
just
give
you
my
experience
.
”
“
I’m
much
obliged
to
you
;
though
we
can’t
always
agree
,
you
know
.
Good-night
.
Go
in
and
say
a
word
to
my
wife
,
and
tell
them
you
saw
me
all
right
.
”
“
I’ll
have
a
crack
with
’em
,
Mr.
Heathcote
,
before
I
turn
in
.
”
“
And
tell
Mary
I
sent
my
love
.
”
“
I
will
,
Mr.
Heathcote
;
I
will
.
”
He
was
thinking
always
of
his
wife
during
his
solitary
rides
,
and
of
her
fear
and
deep
anxiety
.
It
was
for
her
sake
and
for
the
children
that
he
was
so
care-worn
,
not
for
his
own
.
Had
he
been
alone
in
the
world
he
would
not
have
fretted
himself
in
this
fashion
because
of
the
malice
of
any
man
.
But
how
would
it
be
with
her
should
he
be
forced
to
move
her
from
Gangoil
?
And
yet
,
with
all
his
love
,
they
had
parted
almost
in
anger
.
Surely
she
would
understand
the
tenderness
of
the
message
he
had
just
sent
her
.
Of
a
sudden
,
as
he
was
riding
,
he
stopped
his
horse
and
listened
attentively
.
From
a
great
distance
there
fell
upon
his
accustomed
ear
a
sound
which
he
recognized
,
though
he
was
aware
that
the
place
from
whence
it
came
was
at
least
two
miles
distant
.
It
was
the
thud
of
an
axe
against
a
tree
.
He
listened
still
,
and
was
sure
that
it
was
so
,
and
turned
at
once
toward
the
sound
,
though
in
doing
so
he
left
his
course
at
a
right
angle
.
He
had
been
going
directly
away
from
the
river
,
with
his
back
to
the
wool-shed
;
but
now
he
changed
his
course
,
riding
in
the
direction
of
the
spot
at
which
Jacko
had
nearly
fallen
in
jumping
over
the
fence
.
As
he
continued
on
,
the
sounds
became
plainer
,
till
at
last
,
reining
in
his
horse
,
he
could
see
the
form
of
the
woodman
,
who
was
still
at
work
ringing
the
trees
.
This
was
a
job
which
the
man
did
by
contract
,
receiving
so
much
an
acre
for
the
depopulation
of
the
timber
.
It
was
now
bright
moonlight
,
almost
as
clear
as
day
—
a
very
different
night
,
indeed
,
from
that
on
which
the
rain
had
come
—
and
Harry
could
see
at
a
glance
that
it
was
the
man
called
Boscobel
still
at
work
.
Now
there
were
,
as
he
thought
,
very
good
reasons
why
Boscobel
at
the
present
moment
should
not
be
so
employed
.
Boscobel
was
receiving
wages
for
work
of
another
kind
.
“
Bos
,
”
said
the
squatter
,
riding
up
,
and
addressing
the
man
by
the
customary
abbreviation
of
his
nickname
,
“
I
thought
you
were
watching
at
Brownbie’s
boundary
?
”
Boscobel
lowered
his
axe
,
and
stood
for
a
while
contemplating
the
proposition
made
to
him
.
“
You
are
drawing
three
shillings
a
night
for
watching
;
isn’t
that
so
?
”
“
Yes
,
that’s
so
.
Anyways
,
I
shall
draw
it
.
”
“
Then
why
ain’t
you
watching
?
”
“
There’s
nothing
to
watch
that
I
knows
on
—
not
just
now
.
”
“
Then
why
should
I
pay
you
for
it
?
I’m
to
pay
you
for
ringing
these
trees
,
ain’t
I
?
”
“
Certainly
,
Mr.
Heathcote
.
”
“
Then
you’re
to
make
double
use
of
your
time
,
and
sell
it
twice
over
,
are
you
?
Don’t
try
to
look
like
a
fool
,
as
though
you
didn’t
understand
.
You
know
that
what
you’re
doing
isn’t
honest
.
”
“
Nobody
ever
said
as
I
wasn’t
honest
before
.
”
“
I
tell
you
so
now
.
You’re
robbing
me
of
the
time
you’ve
sold
to
me
,
and
for
which
I’m
to
pay
you
.
”
“
There
ain’t
nothing
to
watch
while
the
wind’s
as
it
is
now
,
and
that
chap
ain’t
any
where
about
to-night
.
”
“
What
chap
?
”
“
Oh
,
I
know
.
I’m
all
right
.
What’s
the
use
of
dawdling
about
up
there
in
the
broad
moonlight
,
and
the
wind
like
this
?
”
“
That’s
for
me
to
judge
.
If
you
engage
to
do
my
work
and
take
my
money
,
you’re
swindling
me
when
you
go
about
another
job
as
you
are
now
.
You
needn’t
scratch
your
head
.
You
understand
it
all
as
well
as
I
do
.
”
“
I
never
was
told
I
swindled
before
,
and
I
ain’t
a-going
to
put
up
with
it
.
You
may
ring
your
own
trees
,
and
watch
your
own
fences
,
and
the
whole
place
may
be
burned
for
me
.
I
ain’t
a-going
to
do
another
turn
in
Gangoil
.
Swindle
,
indeed
!
”
So
Boscobel
shouldered
his
axe
,
and
marched
off
through
the
forest
,
visible
in
the
moonlight
till
the
trees
hid
him
.
There
was
another
enemy
made
!
He
had
never
felt
quite
sure
of
this
man
,
but
had
been
glad
to
have
him
about
the
place
as
being
thoroughly
efficient
in
his
own
business
.
It
was
only
during
the
last
ten
days
that
he
had
agreed
to
pay
him
for
night-watching
,
leaving
the
man
to
do
as
much
additional
day-work
as
he
pleased
—
for
which
,
of
course
,
he
would
be
paid
at
the
regular
contract
price
.
There
was
a
double
purpose
intended
in
this
watching
—
as
was
well
understood
by
all
the
hands
employed
:
first
,
that
of
preventing
incendiary
fire
by
the
mere
presence
of
the
watchers
;
and
secondly
,
that
of
being
at
hand
to
extinguish
fire
in
case
of
need
.
Now
a
man
ringing
trees
five
or
six
miles
away
from
the
beat
on
which
he
was
stationed
could
not
serve
either
of
these
purposes
.
Boscobel
therefore
had
been
fraudulently
at
work
for
his
own
dishonest
purposes
,
and
knew
well
that
his
employment
was
of
that
nature
.
All
this
was
quite
clear
to
Heathcote
;
and
it
was
clear
to
him
,
also
,
that
when
he
detected
fraud
he
was
bound
to
expose
it
.
Had
the
man
acknowledged
his
fault
and
been
submissive
,
there
would
have
been
an
end
of
the
matter
.
Heathcote
would
have
said
no
word
about
it
to
any
one
,
and
would
not
have
stopped
a
farthing
from
the
week’s
unearned
wages
.
That
he
had
to
encounter
a
certain
amount
of
ill
usage
from
the
rough
men
about
him
,
and
to
forgive
it
,
he
could
understand
;
but
it
could
not
be
his
duty
,
either
as
a
man
or
a
master
,
to
pass
over
dishonesty
without
noticing
it
.
No
;
that
he
would
not
do
,
though
Gangoil
should
burn
from
end
to
end
.
He
did
not
much
mind
being
robbed
.
He
knew
that
to
a
certain
extent
he
must
endure
to
be
cheated
.
He
would
endure
it
.
But
he
would
never
teach
his
men
to
think
that
he
passed
over
such
matters
because
he
was
afraid
of
them
,
or
that
dishonesty
on
their
part
was
indifferent
to
him
.
But
now
he
had
made
another
enemy
—
an
enemy
of
a
man
who
had
declared
to
him
that
he
knew
the
movements
of
“
that
chap
,
”
meaning
Nokes
!
How
hard
the
world
was
!
It
seemed
that
all
around
were
trouble
to
him
.
He
turned
his
horse
back
,
and
made
again
for
the
spot
which
was
his
original
destination
.
As
he
cantered
on
among
the
trees
,
twisting
here
and
there
,
and
regulating
his
way
by
the
stars
,
he
asked
himself
whether
it
would
not
be
better
for
him
to
go
home
and
lay
himself
down
by
his
wife
and
sleep
,
and
await
the
worst
that
these
men
could
do
to
him
.
This
idea
was
so
strong
upon
him
that
at
one
spot
he
made
his
horse
stop
till
he
had
thought
it
all
out
.
No
one
encouraged
him
in
his
work
.
Every
one
about
the
place
,
friend
or
foe
,
Bates
,
his
wife
,
Medlicot
,
and
this
Boscobel
,
spoke
to
him
as
though
he
were
fussy
and
fidgety
in
his
anxiety
.
“
If
fires
must
come
,
they
will
come
;
and
if
they
are
not
to
come
,
you
are
simply
losing
your
labor
.
”
This
was
the
upshot
of
all
they
said
to
him
.
Why
should
he
be
wiser
than
they
?
If
the
ruin
came
,
let
it
come
.
Old
Bates
had
been
ruined
,
but
still
had
enough
to
eat
and
drink
,
and
clothes
to
wear
,
and
did
not
work
half
as
hard
as
his
employer
.
He
thought
that
if
he
could
only
find
some
one
person
who
would
sympathize
with
him
and
support
him
,
he
would
not
mind
.
But
the
mental
loneliness
of
his
position
almost
broke
his
heart
.
Then
there
came
across
his
mind
the
dim
remembrance
of
certain
old
school
words
,
and
he
touched
his
horse
with
his
spur
and
hurried
onward
:
“
Let
there
be
no
steps
backward
.
”
A
thought
as
to
the
manliness
of
persevering
,
of
the
want
of
manliness
in
yielding
to
depression
,
came
to
his
rescue
.
Let
him
,
at
any
rate
,
have
the
comfort
of
thinking
that
he
had
done
his
best
according
to
his
lights
.
After
some
dim
fashion
,
he
did
come
to
recognize
it
as
a
fact
that
nothing
could
really
support
him
but
self-approbation
.
Though
he
fell
from
his
horse
in
utter
weariness
,
he
would
persevere
.
As
the
night
wore
on
he
came
to
the
German’s
hut
,
and
finding
it
empty
,
as
he
expected
,
rode
on
to
the
outside
fence
of
his
run
.
When
he
reached
this
he
got
off
his
horse
,
and
taking
a
key
out
of
his
pocket
,
whistled
upon
it
loudly
.
A
few
minutes
afterward
the
German
came
up
to
him
.
“
There’s
been
no
one
about
,
I
suppose
?
”
he
asked
.
“
Not
a
one
,
”
said
the
man
.
“
You’ve
been
across
on
Brownbie’s
run
?
”
“
We’re
on
it
now
,
Mr.
‘Eathcote
.
”
They
were
both
on
the
side
of
the
fence
away
from
Gangoil
station
.
“
I
don’t
know
how
that
is
,
Karl
.
I
think
Gangoil
goes
a
quarter
of
a
mile
beyond
this
.
But
we
did
not
quite
strike
the
boundary
