FICTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 3439, 21 May 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

FICTION.

NEW ZEALAND STORIES BY NEW ZEALAND WRITERS. No. 22. HE IS THE M.4N. {Written for the New Zealand Hail) [Br Thomas McMahon.] All Rights Reserved by the Author. CHAPTEB I, < I wonder if we’re ever going to strike it. Six weeks’ hard graft and a duffer after all I’ Ned Holten gave the swag strap an extra twitch, took out his knife, cut a piece of flax, and went on. ‘ I don’t think there's anything worse than hard luck in goldmining. Toil, toil, toil from year’s end to year’s end as I have done all my life; suffering all sorts of privations from wot an 4 cold, sometimes not getting even enough gold to square the tucker bills. Whatsay you, Jim ? Don’t you thihk when fortune’s daughter’s followin’ a fellow—that’s misfortune, you know—he’s batter to give the game best I • Well, I agree with you right enough as regards fighting an uphill battle when digging, or even anything else, when luck’s against you,'no matter what path in life you choose; it seems hard when everything's going adverse. Still I belivo there’s worse disappointments in life than any sort of hard luck as regards money matters. For instance, there’s disappointment in love. A proper disappointment in love causes more earthly misery than anything else I know of,’ He spoke in such’confident tones, and his voice had such a sincere ring about it, that it touched a soft spot in Holten’s heart. For Holten came towards him, and grasping his hand, said, ‘ I give in, you’re right. I believe those are as true words as ever you spoke in your life. Though I started this argument I think it was more for the sake of hearing my-

self talk than- anything else. However it has served to recall an incident in my life, and although the affair only recalls bitter remembrances, still I like to think of it now and then. , I’ll just relate to you roughly how it'happened, before we make a start on our tramp.’ Jim Lever and Ned Holten hadn’t much luck since they had been mates to-

gether, and that was some three years, at the time of the above conversation. They had just finished sinking a shaft, which ihoy had only bottomed a couple of days previously, only to find she was a rank duffer. They couldn't as much as raise the colour. Still they seemed to be in the same rich-looking wash as other good-paying claims around. And they now had finally decided to leave the claim and fossick around a bit further up the creek. They; had got their swags amide up, and nothing now remained of the camp but a few bare forksticks and the ridge-pole, some empty jam tins, a Sow old boots, and a heap of ashes in the middle of a gray patch of earth where the fire had been. They sat on their swags, smoked away, and Holten started his narrative. ‘ It’s a good while ago now since I landed one evening at Derksten’s station, tired and hungry, with blistered feet, and not a penny in the world to call my own. But you know in those times I was young, and a® strong as; a bullock, so that was .only a matter of very small importance. The first person I. saw as I trudged into the station was, a pretty buxom girl; she looked ib be just about gettin’ out of her teens. The sleeves of her dress were rolled up to the elbows, showing a pair of stout sunburnt arms. Her dress was made of rough-looking grey stuff, and some ports of it looked shabby, and was almost worn threadbare. She earned an -empty bucket in each hand, and two -wir/-looking cattle dogs kept close behind at her heels. Her face was almost hidden Beneath a broad-brimmed yellow-looking straw hat; still 1 obfald see enough to lot me know that she had a good-natured, g o 'od-lookin* face, .. one of those faces Ihio'fc wo know there is something pleasing an i true in, yet what it is that takes one’s fancy we cannot tell. She looked at me with her dark piercing eyes for an instant or two, and then remarkediit you appear fens tired come with me." . • She took me around i<3 iho kitchen, and I was soon wiring in to a good feed of beef and vegetables, which God knows I wanted bad enough, for I was half famished, and enjoyed that meal thor•oughly well.’ < That night I; saw the boas, who, gave -me a job, and X worked there for two -years—the happiest, two years ever I ispeut in my life- The beautiful homely .girl I saw the first night I came was no £*3 a personage ‘ than the squatters daughter. And I being young at the t hno of course it hasn’t unnatural that I h ndd fall in lave with her. And many and ° happy hour we used to spend to „ st w. She could use mj axe just as I c wiW, and sometimes wo would be together day. clearing and burning the fupplcja and thick from off her fa ** used to assist in »* aboU ‘ farm, no matter w>*« by b T g constantly in her oo WfV 1 founder of her every day. , on y child, and Derksten a hi ß wlfo falrly adored her, and gave her *Ufaer own way in almost everything. * Things were goin’ on famously, till one night I received a bit of a surprise. Ths squatter himself comes to me and says, “ Holten, I’ve got soma bad nows for you, lad. You’re going ,to be discharged from the station. I have tried my utmost to keep you on, but it’s no use. The missus absolutely refuses to listen, and insists on your dismissal. The fact is, she says you’re too familiar with Mary (for that was the daughter’s name) and as the attachment could never lead to anything hut disappointment and misery on both sides, it’s better to nip it In the bud. To j make it plain to you, your station in life ■would make it almost an impossibility for j •you to over think of marrying Mary. And now I ask you as a personal favour to Heave; because, really, to tell you the tenth, I don’t like to part with you. Yoh’ite not a bad sort of a fellow, Holten, amdl wouldn't like to see us part bad friends.” Old Derksten held out his hand, I grasped It, and told him I had no indention of bearing any grudge against him, .on the contrary, I told him I had a great . deal to thank him for; and said I wouldn't

.forget the assistance he had given me. For I had saved q. farish cheque during m\ 7 two years’ sta,y at Derksten’s, I prev "ended I wasn’t sorry, and tried to look unconcerned about leaving the girl. But a t was no go, and I broke down 00mpletelj ’ in front of old Derksten, and told him I would do anything for the girl; that 11 eved her with my whole heart and soul. S till if he thought my stopping at the station was goin’ to interfere with her happiness nr affect her welfare in the future, I was wiping to, and would leave •the place, come w\at would.

‘ The old fellow'x himself was even touched a bit, for as ! left him a few big tears began to find thejr way down his .cheeks. Poor old Dervsten I There •wasn’t a bettor fellow in the whole of Maoriland. But his wife, sho was a bit of a Tartar, and she always ran the show —Derksten just did what she toW him. < I had a hut all to myself just behind the homestead, so the next day I rolled np my swag and made all preparations for leaving. Somewhere about half-past II that night I quietly shouldered bluey and stole out of the hut, flattering myself that all hands wore asleep. It was moonlight, but not extra bright; the sky was hazy and almost black in some places, and there was scarcely a star to be seen. 1 The night air was cool and chilly, but I was glad of that, as I knew I’d soon get warmed up carrying the swag.

‘ I was going out the gate, when I felt a hand laid on my shoulder, and I turned round sudden like, for I felt a bit startled at first. Who was standing before me but Mary—like the beautiful night vision of which the poets sing. ‘ “ You’re not going to leave ms without saying good-bye, are you, Ned ? What have I done, that you wouldn't oven come to say good-bye to me ?” she pleaded.

‘After I’d recovered from the first shock which on first sight she had given me I managed to blurt out —

‘ “ What brings you here—and at this time of night, Mary ? You will catch your death of cold I" ‘ Then I started to explain matters, and was promptly stopped by her informing me that she know all—that she had been listening to the conversation which had passed between mo and her father. And she also said—

‘ “ It’s no use us crying over the affair. We must try and bo brave—try and bear with the separation, for the sake of one another. Mother is now ill, and father blames us as being the cause of it—he says this affair has upset her mind. You know I’ve always been able to work father and mother before, and I have tried hard to work them this time, but there’s no chance—not the slightest hope, and it is absolutely imperative that we must separate. But still, our love for one another need grow no less. Fate may separate us, but it cannot rob us of the love we boar for one another, can it, Ned ?” she sobbed out.

‘ I couldn’t stand to see the girl crying s.o I tried to soothe her with the gentlest words I could think of, and by kissing her warm, tear-stained face. At last I could bear it no longer, and after shaking hands for the last time she gave me this locket, rolled in paper, cautioning me, at the same time to lose neither, and asking that I should always wear the locket as long as my love for her existed, and that, of course, will be as long as I live. 1 See, here’s the trinket, Jim 1’ and Holten drew a small round silver case from the breast of his blue shirt. He always kept it there, hanging to a string which he wore round his neck.

Lever took the locket and opening it gazed for some time on a girl’s portrait, then handed it back, remarking, •• That’s not a bad looking face anyhow, Ned. There’s a good-natured look there right enough.” ‘ Good natured I Look here, Jim, you wouldn’t believe what that girl would do for me, old fellow. You’d scarcely credit that the piece of paper which was rolled round this locket was no less than a ten pound note. She knew very well I wouldn’t take the money if she offered it to me straight out, so to show you her real genuineness that’s the way she done

1 I'll never forget her parting look that i night, as I left the station, and wandered off like one in a dream, almost unconscious ' of all around, and scarcely knowing where I went. * I never heard no more about the Derksten’s after I left the station. Bein’ mostly fossickin’ away in the bush and knockin’ about these little diggin’ townships, such as we’ve been doin’, a fellow doesn’t hear much nows about those things, does he ? Anyhow I suppose it’s about a hundred to one that me and her shall never meet again now. But I hope God will bo always good to her and reward her as she deserves,’ and as he concluded his voice was just a bit thickish and husky, and ho turned his head away, ashamed to let his mate see the tears that came in spite of all he could do to keep them back. CHAPTER 11. Then neither spoke for a bit till Holted, rising to his feet, said, ‘ give us a lift on with this swag, Jim.' Lever helped him on with the swag, placed his own up on end on a stump, shoved his arms through the straps, picked up an old black billy, and both men tramped away together. Three weeks afterwards the sun, warm and glaring, looked down on a strange, wild-looking scene: heaps of freshly upturned yellow stone and earth, piles and piles of freshly cleared bush scrub, while white, ghostly-looking calico and canvas tents were scattered in hundreds all about the place. The rattle of picks, shovels and cradles mingled with the noise of voices and laughter, accompanied by the creaking and grinding of wooden windlasses, gave the scone an exceedingly animated and lively appearnnee. All hands wore a bit surprised to see a woman on the field, for it was a very rare thing in those days to see a woman on a new rush, and as the find was only located about a fortnight, no wonder the diggers were astonished at her appearance amongst them. < Why, bless me, Ned 1 here’s a woman cornin’ up the creek,’ Jim Lever called out to his mate down the shaft (tor he and Holten had set in on this new rush to try their luck once more), * she’s stopped at Morley’s claim now—she's looking for some on, I'll bet a crown she’s turning back again—no I she's cornin’ this way now,’ he kept ejaculating. On she came ton ards him, picking her Steps as best she could over the soft muddy ground. Lever scrutinised her well, and Blade her out to be not bad looking, and abput'twenty-six years of a*ge. After bidding him good-day, gjje asked if his mate’s name was Holten, and said she wanted to see him. ‘A lady hers wants to see you, mate,’ he called out to Holten- ‘ Eight you are —heave up, then 1’ The windlass started groaning, and it wasn’t long before Holten emerged from the shaft, covered and spattered from head to foot Tvith muck and clay, his flannel open at the neck, and the perspiration rolling from his brow. He looked at the woman in silence for some moments. Then his eyes brightened as he recopised her as Mary Derkaten —his Mary, bis long lost love. Of course it was a joyful meeting between the two lovers, and many pleasant things were said, such as mostly all lovers say to one another. Holten learned from Mary that everything on the station was changed since he loft. She told him her 1 father and mother were both dead, and that the of the property was now hers; and how shd bad been looking and advertising for him for . months.

Jim Lever went away down to one of the next claims for a smoke and a yam, in order to leave them to have a good private talk over the past. ‘And so your poor old father and mother have both crossed the Great Divide; and

you say they both wished before they died that we should be married ? and I’m

most anxious that , their wish should be fulfilled at as early a date as possible.

Mary, has your early love for mo decreased at all ? Are you, the owner of a large station worth thousands, willing to

marry a penniless digger ? She answered she was, and the thing was settled and sealed more firmly than ever by the appearance of the old silver locket at this most opportune moment, for by some mischance or other ft had come out from its hiding-place, and was immediately recognised by her who had presented it years before.

Lever came back to the shaft after leaving them to themselves for about an hour.

* "Will we have another bucket or two up, or .will we go and boil the billy and have a drink of tea?’ said Holten, addressing his mate.

‘ Yes, we’ll have another bucket or two up. When you see that cementy tack hero you're not far off the bottom. I fancy somehow we’re pretty close to the reef in the right-hand comer,’ Lover replied.

‘ Sit down here and wait a bit, Mary. We may strike the bottom any minute ppw, and as my mate's a bit anxious, you

won't mind waiting a few minutes, will you ?' and as Holten spoke ho gathered up an armful of manuka scrub and placed it as a seat for her on the top of the loose heap o I gravel. ‘ Soon as I come up we’ll go to dinner. Our dining-table's pretty rough, you know, and you’ll have to excuse my baking, for you'll find the damper pretty close and heavy,’ he remarked, jocularly. Then, going to the side of the shaft, Holten placed his feet in the bucket and disappeared from view. They worked away till dinner-time, and Holten was coming up the shaft again. His head was almost level with the surface, when the handle of the windlass, which was made from the bent limb of a black birch tree, trimmed off a bit with a tomahawk, suddenly snapped off at a knotty place. Holten made a grab at the side of the shaft, but his hold slipped, and down ho went like a shot, the jerking of the rope bumping him against the slabbed sides of the shaft in his rapid descent. At last the barrel of the windlass ceased to spin, for he had reached the bottom.

Jim Lever smothered a curse, to which, only for the presence of the woman, he would have given free vent, as he looked at the broken handle.

Mary Derksten rushed to the edge of shaft. It was very dark near the bottom, and she could see nothing.

‘ Are you hurt, Ned?’ she called out, but received no reply. She was very pale and frightened, and asked herself, ‘ is he dead ? ’ Dead 1 the awful thought made her shudder. All her happy dream cut short in a few instants.

‘ Go to some of them claims down there, and get as much help as you possibly can, and I’ll go down and see what I can do for Ned.’ So saying, Lever grabbed hold of the rope and started to slide down ths shaft.

. Holten lay doubled up, battered and bleeding, and to all appearances lifeless. Lever placed his hand on the injured man’s heart; it was beating veryfaintly. A crowd of men had soon gathered on the scene, and Holten was quickly brought to the top of the shaft and taken to his camp,- where after some considerable time he returned to consciousness, but was very feverish and delirious at times. Mary sat up with him the first night after the accident, listening to his wild ravings, mostly about hersely. At times he imagined he was back on the station again, and repeated all the old story, which was already so impressively imprinted on her memory. The diggers were all very good and kind, doing whatever they could for him. They put up a stretcher and enlarged the camp, and as Mary volunteered to nurse him, they rigged up a small tent for her accommodation, close alongside the other. A doctor was sent for, and when he came shook his hep,d, and said he regarded the case as almost hopeless.

‘ He’s hurt pretty bad internally, and will most likely linger on for a while, and then drop off. Still with very good eare he may possibly pull through. Anyhow we can’t attempt to shift him at present, he wouldn’t bo able to stand it.* Then the doctor left some medicine, with directions as to how it was to be administered, and returned home again, saying he would moke another call shortly. It was winter time and the weather was so rough and windy, that Mary often thought the flimsy tent would be carried away completely. The heavy rain kept the ground floor in a state of constant dampness. Everything about the place seemed very rough and strange to her for a while. The pannikins, tin plates and billy, the candlestick composed of three nails driven in an upright position into a block of wood, the meat tins acting in the capacity of basins for holding butter, sugar and other necessary articles of food, together with a rusty sardine tin, which fulfilled the duties of a salt cellar, showed everything around to be in keeping with true digging style, and the inconvenience of eamp life. But these little things Mary considered only as very trifling, and although having just left a warm, luxurious home, she soon got accustomed to them.

Jim Lever was very attentive to Ned, arid spent a good deal of Iris spare time in the sick man's camp. He put a wages man on in the claim, and they had bottomed on splendid gold. Lever grew to like Mary when he came to know her well, and thought what a lucky fellow Holten was in possessing the love of such a girl, in fact he gradually began to envy his mate, and a wish came on him to replace Holten in Mary’s affections. Day after day it kept growing stronger, until it was almost maddening. He sometimes felt ashamed of himself to think he should feel jealous of a poor sick mate, who was almost on the verge of the grave, Dut no matter how often, or how he tried to banish the thought it would return to his mind again, with fresh strength and renewed vigor, so that each time the desire was stronger than ever.

After about a fortnight Ned regained his reason, and looked to be recovering himself a little. The doctor paid another visit, and, after examining him, said: 1 You’ll have to keep very quiet, and be careful of yourself for some time yet; you’re a long way from being out of danger, you know.’ In a few days more the sick man took a turn for the worse and sank back into his old weak state again. It was whilst in this condition that he one day sent for Mary and Jim Lever and told them he thought it was a case. « ‘ I don't think I’ll last much longer—something seems to tell me I won’t; the fact is I’m certain I’m going to peg out, and I want to rest assured that you will both he happy when I'm gone. Jim,’ he said, addressing Lever, ‘ you’re about one of the best friend 3 I've got in the world ; then who could I trust better than you to look after Mary here when I’m gone ? And Mary,’ ha said, turning to the girl, 1 you’ll allow him to do it, won’t you ? You love me, I know you do ; then for my sake say you will marry Jim Lever ! when I’m gone. Your parents wished that you and me should be man and wife, and now my dying wish is that you two shall be the same to each other as me and you were to have been very shortly, Mary,’ he continued, a slight flush mantling his pale, blanched features. What he was saying seemed to excite him. ‘ Now then, I want your answers —-are you both agreeable to that ?’ They 'wore both silent. Neither answered his question for some time. Mary spoke first. 1 I’m willing to do anything to please you,' she said, with a gush of tears, 1 but don’t say you’re going to die yet, Ned 1 Oh, don’t say that 1 It’s only imaginaI tion on your part—you’ll recover it you’ll only keep your spirits up. Don’t get down-hearted, but try and be brave,' she cried in piteous, sympathetic tones. ‘ I wish it could be as you say, Mary. I wish that I could live and make you happy- I would give worlds to be able to do so, but ft cannot be; for I am going slowly and surely away to the land of no return. I’m not a bit frightened, I Jmow my time’s come, and I’ve got to go- But enough of this; there’s no use talking of dying, wo can gain nothing by that. Now then, Jim,’ said the sick man to Lever, • I haven’t got your answer yet ?’ You know my answer, Ned. I'm like Mary, willing tp do anything to please you ; but there’s no need for all this ; you’ll be as right as ninepence in a few weeks more, and we'll all be able to sit down together, and have a good laugh over the whole affair. While there’s life there’s hope, and the game’s never won till it’s lost,’ he said cheerily. ‘My blessing on you both. I can at least die happy and contented. Now I can lose my game with a cheery heart. Long life and good luck to each of you, and may you both always keep clear of misfortune and trouble,’ muttered Holten, as he sank back exhausted into a deep stupor. To te concluded next iceeh.)