MAIL NOTICE.

Bush Advocate, Volume XVIII, Issue 489, 15 August 1906, Page 5

MAIL NOTICE.

Mails for Australia (due Sydney 220 d Aug.), for Ceylon, India, South 'Africa, China, Straits Settlements, also United Kingdom and Continent of Europe, via Colombo (due in London October 2nd), close here on Friday, 17th Aug., at 5 p.m. E. C. BjlacH, Postmaster.

((..'ontiuiUH 1 . f i om ui»g<J 3). the luxuriant shrubs, tini* fclu'lteml from throe-fourths of the winds of heaven, and tho old, somewhat frayed pink sandstone church, with its tall spire, which was yet dwarfed by the green bo."ik& z-oimd it, were all inexpressibly dear to him. And so were tho old gold and silver coins in. the little buhl cabinet for which he had only a few weeks ago had an iron outer cage constructed ! CHArTJvU. 11. Tho Rector sat in his spacious and rather low parlour and let the dusk steal in upon him with the chorus of the winds, 'tie liked thus to rest before the dinner hour, especially now that he was in his seventh decade. With his fox terrier's nose* Miiujfglcd into his palm, he sat and continued his meditations about Polly Gable, Colin, and Judo. And there, in the recess between the wild old-fashioned hear tli and tho window, stood tho new safe which had journeyed all the way from Liverpool for the protection of his terrestrial treasures of gold and silver. He had ordered the safe soon after that felonius trouble at Broby Hall. It was to be made according to a- design of his own; hence the delay. Well, he was glad it had arrived. But as an article of furniture it was not welcome ; oven its artistic colouring of chocolate and yellow, to make it harmonise more or less with the room, did not disguise it sufficiently. It stood before him as a symbol of tho distrust in his fellow men which he had heen forced to entertain. At seven o'clock Mrs Wilson, his housekeeper, came in to lay the cloth and chatter. Mrs Wilson didn't like the wind, she said. There was no more comfortable house than tho Gliu Rectory in a storm; nevertheless, whenever she heard the blustering and whining of the wind in the chimneys and passages, and the menacing language of the old elms outside, she thought of the poor sailors at sea. So she said. But the Rector had heard all that before, often. "Well," he said, '"'suppose you put something in the lifeboat box this minute, Mrs Wilson, for your own peace of mind's sake and for the good of the poor sailors." That made the worthy woman laugh respectfully. It was so like the rector to catch her up thus; he would have his little jokes, even though he had given up hunting. She said something of this to her son Roger in the kitchen ; but put no coins in the lifeboat box. Roger looked after the garden, the horse and trap, and other things. These three, the rector, Mrs Wilson, and Roger, had the house to themselves. After dinner the rector drank one glass of sound port wine ('B7, as it chanced) by the light of the three candles with poppy-red shades to them, and with his long clap pipe in his hand fell asleep. Vortigcru, tho fox terrier, having extended his fore-paws, al^o slept before the fire on that old-fashioned hearth. And the wind grew in strength all the time, its noise mating not at all discordantly with the rattle of small-shot rain and hail on the parlour -windows. A downright characteristic March night, j

warranted to warn all 1 li c i'nv\v;ml young plants in the rectory gardi'U that they would be wisn to rota I'd their development. Thox.' were still the weather conditions when the liojisg bell rang violently, Vortigorn stood up and barked, and the roctor awoke. "Bless me. dog, what'a the matter "with you?" the rector asked. He had not heard the bell. Attributing Vortigern's excitement solely to the storm, he walked to the window, pushed back the curtain, and peeped out. But it. -jams a black as well as a furious night, and nothing was to bo seen except the diamond gleam of the (Continued on page 7).

'Continued from page 6). drops of moisture on tho glass. To him now came Mi« Wilson, with astonishment oozing at her pores. "J b'Cg pardon, sir, but will you please to come into tho hall?" she said. "It'« Mi- Colin Evans and a bicycle. He's had an. accident, and can't speak properly." The Rector murmured "Oh !' increduJoiirfly, and, still holding' hifi clay pipe, followed the housekeeper. There iv the roomy hall, with its college mementoes, its weapons of savage tribes, sporting prints, and trophies of, tho chase in his own shire, sat Colin Kvans, sure enough, on ono of the oaken chairs. He sat in a heap, however, like a broken man. Mud and blood were on his face, and his breathing was at least peculiar. "Colin," cried the liector. '"You !' The man roused himself partially, showed a pale face through his mire and mioty eyes. "Very sorry, sir," he whispered. "Don't tell my mother. I'll be all right by and hy." "Fetch Roger, Mrs Wilson," said the vector, and alone with Polly Gable's first love, Mr Hawkcs took a masterful survey oi' him. "What brings you here:" he asked, not at all sympathetically, fn the circumstances. "I — I can't explain, sir, yet. Give mi time. I'm — I'm afraid it's concussion. My head's in a thick whirl. I can't see clearly. I pitched off by the gate. I was coming to ask you about — but don't tell my mother;, please don't do that, sir."' "Where's your bicycle?" asked the Rector. "Outside, sir, by the steps. It doesn't matter. It'll be safe there. I— feel myself safe back in dear little Glin, but — oh, my head !" He sighed with such evident tokens of suffering that the rector no longer hesitated. Roger and his mother appearing, the rector bade Roger help Colin Evans into the parlour, and himself also helped when it seemed that Colin could do nothing without guidance. :; Oet a couple of bricks heated, Mrs Wilson," he said. In the parlour the young man's collapse made rapid progress. Even when his collar was off and his shirt unbuttoned, and he was laid on the sofa, he didn't seem any easier. "You'll have to go for Di % Taverill, Roger," eaid the Rector, and Roger wae quite of that opinion. Tho injured man made faint protest. He was very sorry again ; wouldn't have given all this trouble if he could have done otherwise; and — and then hie eyes shut, and his breathing became very distressed. Roger delayed no longer. He put on his coat and cap, and faced the storm. It was a nasty black three miles to the doctor's house, midway between Glin and Wiverstoke, the next village. The Rector said nothing to Roger about Colin's mother, whose house he would almost pass. It was an omission. If he had remembered it, he would certainly have had Mrs Evans informed of her son's remarkable return to the parish, in spite of Colin's own desires in the matter. However, perhaps Roger would act on his own instincts and call at Holly Cottage going or returning. (To be continued in cur next issue).