CHAPTER 111.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 66, 27 November 1880, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER 111.

BOSS. • A simple maiden in her early bloom, With bat one powei to rale her soal; For love to dare all things, face any doom, For him whose oharm Her thoughts control ! Bibcind One-Tree .Bail there Jay an agrioulfcoral . eettlemeat. A number of selectors tikd taken tip farms on the Emu Creek.and were able to do pretty well by growing vegetables, fruit, and bay for Grit, on the rich alluvial Boil that covered the banks! Some of them had planted vines on the hillside, and already the wine from the grapes had beoome noted, while the table grapes and peaches ot the creek were of the i beßt Qualities. The farmers who were early I on tbe spot had sot the basks, and the selectors who came afterwards had to be Batiefied'with the arid hillsides, on which the crops were soanty. To earn sufficient to live, these selectors and their eons had to split wood "on the mountains, to do jobs for the farmers on the flats, and ! to go away shear,iog when, that season came round. Jaok Begin was one ot the hill Beleotoru. "Viotor and Walter skirted the hilJ, and passed through a fern gully of exceptional beauty. ' Here, in the moist soil, and under the shade of giant eucalypti, grew ferns of every kind, from the minute and ethereally delicate maidenhair to the -palm-like tree ferns, which rose ten and twenty feet in height, 'their rich, green 'fronds contrasting with the dull, dingy hue of the gum-trees; The spot, however, was not without oocupants, for two or three pionio parties were boisteroußly enjoying! themselves, some dancing, others playing kiss-in-the-ring, wbioh is ever a favourite' at these "moral" gatherings. Our friends kept dear of the meny-makezi, and wexe boob rewarded with' another prospeot, totally different from that which! they' had tfrom'.the hill where, they took luncheon. Beneath them lay the Emu lOreek, winding its way, for, being springtime, it was running, through a number of highly cultivated farms and orchards, the trees in which were covered with .blossoms and, delicate green ipraya. The rich green of the crops and gardens was a pleasant rest for the eye, 10 irritated by the dingy hue of the forest. homes were to be IMB wwjiriwie, 1 and there wa§ ore* all a

repose that was delightful to weaned-out city souls. Contented-looking oowa were grazing in kbe meadows, .ftfcd.e&lves and foals placed sbouk thd banks, .while on one hillside & flock ef sheep were dotted around, their snowwhite Jambs, , just,- entered uponrtheir life, raoing :up anil down , the . hill in play. Even,' the farms' of the V stringy- bark eeleotors," aa ; the valley farmers ealleo those who had to take upland on the hili]Bides;jlooked green,, and ohaery, the' crops being luxuriant and, the grass abundant, for .it was, early in the season/and withering summer had not yet come. T>ireetiy below (Where .VJfotor jand Walter e topped to their .vision with., the beautiful scene, bo different to what they saw everyday, was a moderate-sized • paddock, only partially oleared, in, which there was a slab and bark hut. Around this were congregated some horses',' a few lean cows, dogs of all kinds, from the terrier to the kangaroo dog; dilapidated-looking Sooks that Beemed as li (her had not seen water eidoe their birth ; fowls which appeared to have been iv innumerable wars, 'judging by their battered feathers ; eats, whioh were sunning themselves on the doorstep ; two or three 1 , wiselooking goats, with kids playing^ antios around them, and several ragged children, hatless ana bootless, as heedless of the sun as their dumb companions; the centre of attraction being V &tout> frowsy woram, in & tom piint dresß, hex hair fretted like that of v .he porcupine, ber face like a fall moon in a fog,' and a general air of slatternliness about her, whiob told of the hard-working selector's wife. With the animals, however, she was a great favourite, and no wonder, for, when there was no grass, they bad to look to her for food. The horses . were the * only animals that looked as if they were well tended, lor their hides shone, and they were well fleshed and skittish to boot. They were splendid] animals, and it was easy to see they good blood in their veins. One, in particular, struck Walter's disoerning eye ; it was a coal-black filly, of matehleßß symmetry, and, judging from her behaviour, of great spirit. " Bad cesß to y«u, Biddy," they heard the woman aay to one of the cow*, «■ they descended the hill, "poking yer dobs into my face; I'll give yon a pulthogue \ you'll remimber, me lady — divil a bite ov hay you'll have this blessed day for your impidence. Get out o' me way, Nanny, ye divil, putting your horns in me dreia; bad scran to you for ablaguard goat. If you j amp on me again, Rover, you ugly mongrel of the world, I'll mnrdher you entirely. Pat, ye thief of the world, don't go near the filly's hind legs; she'd kick the eye oat of a mosquito, and, goodness kaowa, you ain't one, you goeioon. Oh, mvudaer, I'm kilt entirely wid the bastes an' the children. What'a the matther, now, I wondher ?" -" This exclamation was caused by a combined scream from the young ones, who had spied the strangers, and, in consequence, like all bush children, they scampered into the houie like rabbits. The dogs at once set up a defiant bark, and all the animals appeared considerably nonplussed, and to be in doubts whether they should tun or Ry away, or } trust to their protectress to deal with tha \ strangera. The young filly already mentioned out a great oaper and galloped away; followed by her fellow equines. Mm. Regan, for it was that lady, appeared completely "nonplushed," as she would say herself, and ■eemed to meditate a bolt into tbe house to prepare to meet the " ginthry." • Bat Viotor, in his pleaßant way, Boon put Mrs. Regan at hireaae. ! "Good-day, Mrs. Regan/' said h.e; " hard at work as usual. Don't mind us. Mr. Manton and I have just called in fa we were having a walk round the hill. Come here, you rascal, l Pat !" he added, as that red, shock-headed boy' poked his inquisitive nose out of the door for a second. •' I've got somerhing ior yon." "Oh, never mind the divil," said Mra. Regan, her broad face expanding into a fat smile j "the whole o' thim are as wild as kangaroos, and it breaks my heart to have to dale wid thim. But you'll come in and have a sup o' milk — the real cow-juice, not the stuff they give you down in Grit — bad cess to it for the Ould One's town. Did ye see my Dan there to-day ?" " Tes," replied Victor, a slight shadow crossing his face, like a light cloud passing 1 over a cornfield j "we saw Dan with Bat Riley. They were riding ' some young horses," "Bedad, "Dan 'll be breaking his neck with them young horses yet," said Mr 3. Regan. " But he's cracked on horses, and thinks of most nothing else ; and Jack s just as bad as him. But come in, come

Mra, Regan had kept up the conversation until Bhe knew by certain Bounds that the "parlour" had been "made daeent,"' and that Rose had fled to make her toilet. She now led the way, and the, visitors entered a small room, roughly floored with sawn, logs, the only furniture of which wais a deal-table, a dresser containing crockery and kitchen utensils, and a few chairs. The walls were papered with illustrated journals, home and foreign; over the chimney was a garish print of the Virgin and Child; and there was a gilt crucifix, discoloured by smoke and fließ, on the mantel. Sitting near the fire was a stout old man, smoking a short, black pipe. " How are you, Mister Graham ?" said this man, rising, and extending a huge paw to Victor. " It's a fine day, isn't it? Be Bated, giutieioia.". The "gintiemin" took seats, and Mrs. Regan busied henelf with taking out of the dresser a couple of cups and a jug of milk. While this was ' going on, Walter had an opportunity to bbierve, at more leisure, the man and woman. Dennis Regan was a powerfully-built, low-set, old man, with stnggling, half-red, half-grey hair, and he was attired in a red shirt and moleskin trousers. His face was covered with a coarse ttabble, which added to his villainous appearance, 'for he was eiientially of the Fenian : type, which London Pvmch has so felicitously depicted.- Tne prominent upper front j»w, the squat, depreiud hoae, and the large mouth, with jagged teeth, were all Dennis Regan's. His little eyes twinkled with a conning light, and his low brow completed a repulsive picture. At for Mis: Regan, though somewhat different to her husband, there could be no doubt about her character. Though overflowing with the -humour of her nation, and good-natured to some extent. It was evident she was a woman ef strong and violent paaaioni, mingled with mubh native cunning, which qualities were, so to say, overlaid by a veneer of humour and geniality. She was one of those women who would give you all she had at one moment, and stab you to the heart the next, if you interfered with her, or hers. . She had .the trait of the wild beaat— unreasoning love for her young. Altogether, two ol the moeb dangerous classes ; • very unfit parents to rear children in the bush ; yet how many such then are 1 Walter Mantch had only seen the Regans once or twice, eicept Dan, with whom he was pretty well acquainted, but he knew their character perfectly welL Constable Longßight, who was acquainted with all the, questionable characters in the district of Grit, and who was a great comrade of — constable's and reporters generally are, as the minion of the law gets the pressman to trumpet bis doings withTa view to promotion, and the reporter obtains

f tvaluable and early information from the official-^-had given him a good idea of the S,<?gans. Ostensibly tikety* lived by splittia^ timber, doing" work for other farmers, breaking in horse's, and shearing, the farm being a home for them, but the police' suspected them of horse-stealing and other practices. ' Indeed, Longsigh't had his suspicions that the old man " ran " a still in the mountain, but this could not be sheeted home, though it was well known the' greater quantity of the raw whisky that was sold in the Grit shanties never paid duty. As for the horse-stealing, Jack Began, Dan's younger brother, had already spent eighteen months in the Grit Gaol for an escapade of that kind. It was at that time that the police became aware of the really dangerous character of the family, for Mrs. Began, and Dan declared Jack was improperly accused, and threatened all kinds of penalties for bis detention. Besides, through, intermarriage and other ties, a regular Began clan had grown up on the mountain ; and, although the police "shadowed" the family — more, perhaps, chan they should, for espionage is doubly' galling to men of such hot blood — they failed to bring any of them, except Jack, within the reach of the law. Dan Began > was looked upon as one of the most hot-blooded, hotheaded young bushmen around - Grit — a j demon whsa aroused ; and, when in liquor, | so mad and -powerful that, on one occasion, fourpolioemen failed to capture him, though he afterwards gave himself up to a civilian, and was fined in the ordinary way. Snch was the extraordinary family in which Victor and Walter found themselves, owing to Victor's penchant for Rose, the' only untainted member of the flock. - .Walter and Victor took a drink of milk to gratify Mrs. Regan, all the while conscious that the Bmall fry were peeping at them, as if they were wild' beasts, out of the closet, despite sundry winks, kicks, and coughs on the part of their grandmother, for, be it remembred, these children were not her own, they were those of her elder daughter, whose husband was' now serving' a period in goal for stealing a mob of horses. "Won't you have a dhrop o' milk, Dennis ? ' asked Mrs. Eegan of her husband. " Milk, is it !" replied Began, contemptuously. "Do you think I d have that stuff. See if there's a dhrop o' poteen in tha bottle, an 1 I'll have some. Perhaps these gintlemin would like to have a sup of the pure crathur ?" Mrs. Began produced the black bottle, and DennishadiaJf a tumbler, bufcneither Victor not Walter -would touch, the evil-smelling fluid. Jußfc as Dennis had quaffed off his potion, the door of one* of the rooms opened, and a vision of loveliness, contrasting strikingly with the surroundings, was revealed. Eose Eegan came forward, her face aglow with blushes, and shook hands with the visitors. Walter noticed that her hand lingered in Victor's, and.that a l gleam of love 'suffused her dark eyes. He also saw that the two old people looked very keenly at the pair, and' that their eyes l were lit up with a sort of triumphant light. Eose Eegan was a slight, delicate blossom of a girl, and it would be impossible to trace any resemblance in her to her parents.' Irish beauty is always attractive, and in Eoae's case, though only descended of Trish I parents — for she was a native — it was i doubly bo. Her features, though not tegular, were singularly pleasing, and there was in her face an air o£ tru9t and simplicity tbat was irresiatible* - Soill, she ~ was not without that curious hunted look that characterised the whole family— even the little ones— aB if they looked upon everyone as an enemy. Bose's complexion was singularly clear, and her dark . brown eyes had that trusting, loving expression that is bo powerful in woman. How Eose and Victor got outside, Walter would have found it difficult to explain, but they did, and were soon out of sight. The old couple kept talking to him as if to 1 cover the retreat, and Walter listened as if he were in a dream. The events of the day passed before him iv rapid succession up to the meeting with Bobb, and then, as he asked himself what all this .would bring forth, a shudder, the cause of which he could not explain, passed through hia frame. Bo nervoue and diabraught was he, that he accepted from Dennis a glass of the fiery liquor which he called whisky, .and he had hardly drained it off when the sound of hoofs was heard, and a rider dismounted at the door amid the welcoming bark of the dogs, and the clamour ef the other animals. (To ie continued.)