MACARTHY OF MULWALLAH

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16193, 20 March 1913, Page 10

MACARTHY OF MULWALLAH

(By G. SKELTON.)

[Ann Rights Reserved.]

Jameson was in a talkative mood, and I felt inclined to listen to him. He had accepted my invitation to come up country for a few days’ fishing, and we now sat smoking in the firelight outside the door of my hut. “Yes,” said Jameson, “people say that ‘ all’s fair in love and war,’ but I knew a man who didn’t think so. You’ve heard, I suppose, of Jed Macarthy, of Mulwallahr” , I had to confess that Macarthy or Mulwallah was unknown to me. _ He was pointed out to me just before I left town, continued my friend, and I have been thinking a good deal about him since then. Jed Macarthy was left an orphan at the age of twenty. Some years previously he had come out to Australia with his father, who had been appointed to manage a large tract of timber country in the Blue Mountains. An English syndicate had secured the cutting rights and had established a sawmill on the river just below Grant’s Hill. On the lower slopes of the hill stood the manager’s house, and here Jed Macarthy lived until an accident at the mill bereft him of his father. John Hammond, the man selected to take charge of the works, took up Ins abode in the house on the hill shortly afterwards. He received young Macarthy very kindly, and asked him to remain in the house. Jed hesitated to I accept the invitation ; but, when Mrs Hammond added her entreaties to those of her husband, ho decided to stay on with them, a step that he had no cause to regret. To the lonely boy John Hammond and his wife became as fathei and mother, and much he had to thank them for. The Hammonds had one daughter, and between her and Jed there sprang up a friendship which grew steadily stronger as the days went by. Those were healthy, happy days for Jed Macarthy. The work in the mill was hard, but it was pleasant, and it straightened the young man’s back and broadened his shoulders. Then when each long d->~ had drawn to a close the boy would wail: up the hill to the house, there to find a pretty brown-eyed maiden waiting to <dve him a cheery welcome. Often, as she moved about preparing the evening meal, would Jed watch her with admiring eves, and often, would he be moved to tell her of some new grace of hers that he had discovered to be rewarded with a toss of the head winch showed that his compliments were not receiv’d half as seriously as they were intended. Ts it to he wondered at that one day Jed Macarthy realised suddenly that ho was desperately in love with Danhne Hammond. No word of love had passed between them, but the boy was certain that his love must be rehe was mistaken. Daphne Hammond had found him a young man with not one friend in the wide world—’ho had offered him her sympathy. He bad given her love: lie wanted love— s lip crave him friendship. Had the voiinc man told the girl ot his love for her, lie mieht haw won her heart • but lie was fearful lest he should offond her and he had his own ideas of what was the most honourable course to take. Ho resolved to see her father. John Hammond listened sympathetijpllv to Ins story. “ >\nd you sav that you have sa-d nothing of this 'to my daughter?” h« ' 'a p have been affectionate friends,” answered Jed, “ but of love I have spoken not a- word. “Tt is' ns well,” said Hammond.. “Mv hoy I respect you for thus coming ‘to ine, but I must put things straight to you. My daughter is but eighteen and you but twenty-two. You are both too young to think of mar.riage, and have you not considered that vou have no home to offer a wife? I do not wish to lose you, but I tlimlc it would be wise if you were to go away for a year or two. It will test both yourself and my daughter. And Jed Macarthy went away. • He went away and resolved that he would provide himself with the wherewithal to found a home worthy ot Daphne Hammond. , , Their parting was brief. They shook hands, and Jed went off with the girl s last words ringing through hm brain, “I will miss you terribly, Jed. He wa.s quite content. Poor Jed! Tf he had but told her what was in his heart, what a difference it might have made ! Jameson paused to re-liglit his pipe. , “ You are wondering, 57 T he “ wh’re I learnt all this. I will tell von. Last year I was feeling run-down and my doctor ordered fresh air. He himself made arrangements for me to -ro and spend a month on a country station. Here I met Symonds who had been a personal friend of Macaithy’s. One night ne told me, not without some emoton, tile story that I am telling vein It is a story that I cannot forget.” \ , When Macarthy left Grant’s Hill he. made for Mulwallah. The place was little more than a desert when the voung man arrived there and announced to his mate Symonds his intention of starting a cattle farm. Symonds laughed at him and told him riot to waste what little money he had on such a foolish project. But lie was not to be deterred. He had realised that with irrigation the desert waste mivht be turned into a grassy plain. \nd he was right. In. tw-o years the place had changed completely, and Macarthy saw that a few successful years would spell fortune for him. Then he made up his mind to go back and tell Daphne Hammond of his

success. He would ask her to marry him and share what he had.

Accompanied by Symonds, Jed journeyed back to Grant's Hill. His heart beat faster as he neared the house where lived the girl he loved—the girl who had been in his thoughts ever since he had said “Good-bye” two years before.

At the foot of the hill he met an old friend—Stephen Grant, whose father owned a considerable share in the mill property. Stephen had come out to the mill some six months before, intending to make a brief visit, but. liking the open air life he had determined to stay. Together the two men walked up the hill. The girl met them at the house. She was surprised to see Jed and told him how happy it made her to know that ho had returned. They went into the house and Jed recounted to them liis experiences since he had left Grant's Hill. For two hours he talked, telling of his difficulties, his hardships and his hopes of success. But it was with a heavy heart that he left the house that night. He knew that Daphne Hammond might be to him a sister, but that she could never be his wife. She loved Stephen Grant. The days that followed only proved to Jed that ho was correct in his surmise. The blow was a hard one for him. To find that, while he had been toiling in order that he might win the hand of Daphne Hariimond, her love had been given to another, cut him j deeply. “And now,” said Jameson, “comes ! the point of my story.” Jed knew that if only Stephen Grant could be got out of the \vay it would most likely mean succes for him. An overpowering desire seized him to removo his rival by fair means or foul. His desire was to be gratified sooner than he expected. All the timber cut in the ranges was brought to the top of Grant’s Hill by a bush tramway. The hill was very ; steep, and to transfer- the great logs from the top of the hill to the river beneath there had been constructed a wide flume or chute which was supplied

with running water by a small streamlet. Half way down the flume the hill became suddenly steeper, making it impossible for those at the top,to see the bottom of the flume. To overcome this difficulty a signal was run up the hillT and until “ All clear ” was signalled no logs were released by those at the top. It was a few days after the return of Jed Macarthy that a large consignment of logs was being sent down the flume to the river below. Thinking that there was no danger, Stephen Grant scrambled down into the flume and tried to cross it. Carelessly he did not look where he was stepping, his foot caught in a hole, and he fell heavily on his face. Stunned by the fall, he lay motionless.

Fifty yards up the flume stood Jed Macarthy. He alone had noticed Stephen. A second later a faint rushing sound could be heard far away up the hillside. Jed knew full well what that meant. The “All clear” signal had been given and a ponderous log was moving down tho flume. A few moments and Stephen Grant would be crushed to death. Macarthy did not stir. Ho was seized by an evil impulse to leave Stephen Grant to his fate. Here was the chance for which he had been waiting. The hesitation was but momentary. The better man in hint triumphed. Did not Grant’s life mean happiness for Daphne Hammond? If she was happy, what mattered his own success or failure?

He lost not a moment. He raced like a madman down to where the prostrate form was - lying. The water covered Stephen’s head. Had not help been near, he must have drowned. Leaping into the flume, Jed lifted 1 the man, and, with an almost superhuman effort, pushed the body up the bank into a position of safety. But he himself was not vet safe—the great crashing log was getting nearer. Nine feet above him was the edge of the ground. Exerting all his strength, ho endeavoured to scale the steep slope. The thundering log was upon him. He would have fallen' back exhausted, but strong hands stretched out and caught

him by the wrists, pulling him. on toj of the bank just as the log roared past. Symonds had .seen him and had arrived just in time to save his life. The next morning found' Jed saying “ good-bye ” to Daphne Hammond. They were standing at the bedside of Stephen Grant. He grasped Jed’s.hand. “ You saved my life,” lie said. “ How can I thank you? If there is aughl that I can do for you, you have but t< say the word.” “ I saved your life,” said Jed, “ foi her sake. lam going back to mj ranch. When she Decomes your wift he kind to her. Dd all that you can to make her happy. Good-bye—good-bye, Daphne.” The girl threw her arms, round Jed’a neck and 1 kissed him. “Good-bye, Jed,” sho said, “and God bless you I” And Jed Macarthy mounted his horse and rode away to Mulwallali. Jameson’s tale was finished, and we sat silent awhile. “ Your story moves me strangely, Jameson,” I said. “It is a case ol self-sacrifice in one life in order tha/ two others might be made happy. JeA Macarthy risked his life to save hit rival. Verily his love must have been great.” “ Greater love hath no man,” said Jameson.