Chapter XII.

Otago Witness, Issue 1155, 17 January 1874, Page 21

Chapter XII.

CONCLUSION.

The constables had started from Gangoil on their way to Boolabong, a little after four, and from that time till he was made to get out of bed for his dinner, Harry Heathcote was allowed to sleep. He had richly earned his rest by his work, and he lay motionless, without a sound, in the broad daylight, with his arm under his head, dreaming no doubt of some happy squatting land, in which there were no free selectors, no fires, no rebellious servants, no floods, no wild dogs, to worry the lambs, no grass seeds to get into the fleeces, and in which tho price of wool stood steady at two shillings and sixpence a pound. His wife from time to time came into tho room shading the light from his eyes, protecting him from the flies, and administering in her soft way to what she thought might be his comforts. His sleep w&s of the kind which no light, nor even flies, can interrupt. Once or twice she stooped down and kissed his brow, but he was altogether unconscious of ]\qv caress.

During this time old Mrs. M,©dlicot arrived, but her coming did not awake the sleeper, though it was by no means made in silenco. The old woman sobbed and cried over her son, at the same time expressing her thankfulness that he should have turned up in the forest so exactly a,t) the proper moment — evidently taking part in the conviction that her Giles had saved Gangoil and all its sheep. And then there were all the necessary arrangements to be made for. the night,, in accordance with which flAmoßt sveiybody had to give up

his or her bed and sleep somewhere else. But nothnig disturbed Harry Heathcote. For the present he was allowed to occupy his own room, and he enjoyed the privilege. Kate Daly during this time was much disturbed in mind. The reader may remember — Kate at any rate remembered well — that just as the doctor had arrived to set his broken bone, Mr. Medlicot, disabled as he was, attempted to take her by the arm. He had certainly chosen an odd time for a declaration of love, just the moment in which he ought to have peen preparing himself for the manipulation of his fractured limb — but unless ha had meant a declaration of love, surely he would not have seized her by the arm. It was a matter to her of great moment. Oh — of what vital importance ! The English girl living in a town — or even in what we call the country — has no need to think of any special man till some special man thinks of her. Men are fairly plentiful, and if one man does not come, another will, And there have probably been men coming and going in some sort since the girl left her schoolroom and became a young lady. But in the bush the thing is very different. It may be that there is no young I man available within fifty miles — no possible lover or future husband, unless Heaven should interfere almost with a miracle. To those to whom lovers are as plentiful as blackberries it may seem indelicate to surmise that the thought of such a want should ever enter a girl's head. I doubt whether the defied idea of any want had ever entered poor Kate's head. But now that the possible lover was there — not only possible but very probable — and so eligible in many respects, living so close, with a house over his head and a good business ; and then so handsome and, as Kate thought, so complete a gentleman ! Of course she turned it much in her mind. She was very happy with Harry Heathcote ! There never was a brother-in-law so good ! But after all what is a brother-in-law, though he be the very best ? Kate had already begun to fancy that a house of her own and a husband of her own would be essential to her happiness. But then a man cannot be expected to make an offer with a broken collar-bone ; certainly cannot do so just when the doctor has arrived to set the bone.

Late on in the day, when the doctor had gone and Medlicot was according to instructions sitting out on the verandah, in an arm chair, and his mother was with, him, and while Harry was sleeping as though he never meant to be awake again, Kate managed to say a few words to her sister. It will be understood that the ladies' hands were by no means empty. The Christmas dinner was in course of preparation, and Sing-Sing, that villainous Chinese Cook, had absconded. Mrs, Growler, no doubt, did her best ; but Mrs. Growler was old and slow, and the house was full of guests. It was by no means an idle time, but still Kate found an opportunity to say a word to her sister in the kitchen.

" What do you think of him, Mary I" To the married sister "him. would naturally mean Harry Heathcote, of whom as he lay asleep the young wife thought that he was the very perfection of patriarchal pastoral manliness ; but she knew enough of human nature to be awara that the "him" of the moment to her sister was no longer her own husband. " I think he has got his arm broken fighting for Harry, and that we are bound to do the best we can for him. "

" Oh, yes — that's of course. I'm sure Hrrry will feel that. He used, you know, to — to — that is, not just to like him, because he is a free-selector. "

" They'll drop all that now. Of course they could not be expected to know each other at the first starting. 1 shouldn't wonder if they became regular friends." " That would be nice ! After all, though you may be so happy at home it is better to have something like a neighbour. Don't you think so ?"

"It depends on who the neighbours are. I don't care much for the Brownbies." "They are qnito different, Mary." " I like tho Medlicots very much." " I consider he's quite a gentleman," 1 said Kate.

"Of course lie's a gentleman. Look here Kate, I shall be ready to welcome Mr. MetUicot as a a brother-in-law if things should turn out that way."

U I didn't mean that, Mary."

' ' Did you not I Well- -you can mean it if you please, as far as I am concerned. Has he said anything to you, dear 1 " "No." "Not a word?" " I doa't know what you call a word — not a word of that kind." I thought, perhaps " '•' I think he meant it onee — this morning."

" I dare say ho meant it. And if he meant it this morning, he won't have forgotten his meaning to-morrow." "There ib no reason why he should jaeanit, you know." "None in the leapt, K&to, • is there V*

"Now you're laughing at me, Mary. I never used to laugh at you when Harry was coming. I was so glad, and 1 did everything I could." "Yes, you went away and left us in the Botanical Gardens, I remember. But, you see there are no Botanical Gardens here ; and then the poor man has broken hiß collar-bnne, and couldn't walk about if there were."

" I wonder what Harry would say if it vnre to be so."

"Of course he'd be glad — for your sake."

"But he does so despise free-selectora ! And then he used to think that Mr. Medlicot was quite as bad as the Brownbies. I wouldn't marry anyone to be deBpised by you and Harry." " That's all gone by, my dear," said the wife, feeling that she had to apologise for her husband's prejudices. "Of coxirse one has to find out what people are before one takes them to one's bosom. Mr. Medlicot has acted in the most friendly way about these fires, and I'm sure Harry will never despise him any more." "He couldn't have done more for a real brother than have his arm broken."

"But you must remember one thing, Kate. Mr. Medlicot is very nice, and like a gentleman, and all that. But you never can be quite certain about any man till he speaks out plainly. Don't set your heart upon him till you are quite sure that he has set his npon you." " Oh, no," said Kate, giving her maidenly assurance when it was so much too late ! Just at this moment Mrs. Growler came into the kitchen, and Katie's promises and her sister's cautions, were for the moment silenced.

"flow we're to manage get the dinner on the table I for one don't know at all," said Mrs. Growler. " There's Mr. Bates 'U be here ; that will be six of 'em ; and that Mr. Medlicot will want somebody to do everything for him, because he's been and get hisself smashed. And there's the old lady has just come out from home and is as particular as anything. And Mr. Harry himself never thinks of things at all. One pair of hands, and them very old, can't do everything for everybody." All of which was very well understood to mean nothing at all. Household deficiencies — and, indeed, all deficiencies — are considereble or insignificant in accordance with the aspirations of those concerned. When a man has a regiment of servants in his dining-room, with beautifully cut glass, af ■ >rest of flowers, and an iceberg in the middle of his table, if the weather be hot, his guests will think themselves ill-used and badly fed if aught in the banquet be astray. There must not be a rose-leaf ruffled ; a failure in the attendance, a falling-off in a dish, or a fault, in the wine, is a crime. But the same guests shall be merry as the evening is long with a leg of mutton and whiskey toddy, and will change their own plates, and clear their own table, aud think nothing wrong— if , from the beginning, such has been the intention of the giver of the feast. In spite of Mrs. Growler's prognostications, although tho cook had absconded, and the chief guest of the occasion could not cut up his own meat, the Christmas dinner at Gangoil was eaten with great satisfaction. Harry had been so far triumphant. He had stopped the fire that was intended to ruin him, he had beaten off his enemies on their own ground, and he was no longer oppressed by that sense of desolation which had almost overpowered him. "We'll give one toast, Mrs. Medlicot," he said, when Mrs. Growler and Kate between them had taken away the relics of the plum -pudding. "Our friends at home!" The poor lady drank the toast with a sob — "That's vera weel for you ; Mr. Heathcote. You're young and will win your way heme. and see auld freens again, nae doubt ; but I'll never see ane of them mair, except those I hnve here." .Nevertheless, the old lady ate her dinner and drank her toddy, aud made much of the occasion, going in .and out to her son upon the verandah. Soon after dinner, Keathcote, as was his wont, strayed out with his prime minister, Bates, to consist on dangers which might be supposed still to threaten his kingdom, and Mrs, Heathcote, with her youngest boy in her lap, sat talking to Mrs. Medlicot in the parlor. Such was not the custom in weather such as this. Kate had been sent out to the verandah, ■with special commands to attend to tho wants of the sufferer, and Mrs. Heathcote would have followed her had she not remembered her sister's appeal. "I did everything I could for you." In those happy days Kate had been ycry good , and certainly deserved requital for her services. And, therefore, when the men had gone out, Mrs. Heathcote, with her guest, remained in the w-irm room, and wont so far a» to suggest that at that period of the day the room was proferable to tho verandah. Po«r Mrs. Medlicot waH new to the waya tf the bush, and fell into tho trap ; and thu» Kate Daly was left alone with hor wounded hero. When told to take him out his $Issb of

I wine, and when conscious that no one followed her, she felt herself to have been guilty of some great sin, and was almost tempted to escape. She had asked her sister for help ; — and this was the help that was forthcoming, help so palpable, so manifest, as to be almost indelicate. Would he think that plans were being made to catch him, — now that he was a captive and impotent ? The thought that it was possible that such an idea might occur to him was terrible to her. She would sooner lose him altogether than feel the stain of such a suggestion on her own conscience. She put the glass of wine down on the little table by his side, and then attempted to withdraw. " Stay a moment with me," he said, "Where are they all ?" "Mary and your mother are inside. Harry and Mr. Bates have gone across to look at the horses."

"I almost feel as though I could walk too."

"You must not think of it yet, Mr. Medlicot. It seems almost a wonder that you shouldn't have to be in bed, and you with your collar-bone broken only last night. I don't know how you can bear it as you do." " I shall be so glad I broke it, if one thing will come abotit." " What thing ?" asked Kate, blushing. "Kate— may I call y(m Kate ?" "I don't know," she said. "You know I love you, — do you not 1 You must know it. Dearest Kate, can you love me and be my wife ?" His left arm was bound up, and was in a sling, but he put out his right hand to take hers — if she would give it him. Kate Daly had never had a lover before, and felt the occasion to be trying. She had no doubt about the matter. If it were only proper for her to declare herself, she could swear with a safe conscience that she loved him better than all the world. "Put your hand here, Kate," he said. As the" request was not exactly for the gift of her hand, she placed it in his. " May I keep it now t" She could only whisper something that was quite inaudible, even to him. " I shall keep it and think that you are my own. Stoop down, Kate, and kiss me if you love me." She hesitated for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. She did love him and was his own ; still to stoop and kiss a man who, if such a thing were to be allowed at all, ought certainly to kiss her ! She did not think she could do that. But then she was bound to protect him, wounded and broken as he was, from his own imprudence ; and if she did not stoop to him he would rise to her. She was still in doubt, still standing with her hand in his, half bending over him, but yet half resting as she bent, when, all suddenly, Harry Heathcnte was on the verandah followed by the two policemeu, who had just returned from Boolabong. She was sure that Harry had seen her, and was by no means sure that she had been quick enough in escaping from her lover's hand to have been unnoticed by the policemen also. She fled away as though guilty, and could hardly recover herself sufficiently to assist Mrs. Growler in producing the additional dinner which was required. The two men were quickly sent to their rest, as has been told before ; and Harry, who had in truth seen how close to his friend his sister-in-law had been standing, would, had it been possible, have restored the lovers to their old positions ; but they were all now on the verandah, and it was impossible. Kate hung back, half in and half out of the sitting-room, and old Mrs. Medlicot had seated herself clwse to her son. Harry was lying at full length on a rug, and his wife was sitting over him. Then Giles Medlicot, who was not quite contented with the present condition of affairs, made a little speech. "Mrs. Heathcote," he said, " I have asked your sister to marry me." "Dearie mo, Giles," said Mrs. Medlicot.

Kate remained no longer half in and half out of the parlour, but retreated altogether and hid herself. Harry turned himself over on the rug, and looked up at his wife, claiming inlinito credit in that ho hud foreseen that such a thing might happen. " And what answer has she given you ?" said Mrs. Heathcote. " Slip hasn't given me any answer yet. I wonder what you and Heathcote would say about it." " What Kate has to say is much more important," replied the discreet sister. " I should like it of all things," said Harry, jumping up. " It's always best to be open about these things. When you first came here I didn't like you. You took a bit of my river frontage, not that it does me any great harm ; but, then I was angry about that scoundrel Nokess."

" I was wrong about Nokcs,"saiclMoAlicot, " and have, therefore, had my collar-bone broken. As to the land you'll forgivo my having it if Kate will como aud live there,"

"By George ! I should think so. Kate, why don't yoxi como out ? Oomo along, roy giri< Wodlicot has ppoken out openly,

and you should answer him in the same fashion." So saying he dragged her forth and, I fear that as far as she was concerned, something of the sweetness of her courtship was lost by the publicity with which she was forced to confess her love. "Will you go, Kate, and make sugar down at the Mill 'I I have often thought how bad it would be for Mary and me when you were taken away ; but we shan't mind it so much if we know that yon are to be near us."

" Speak to him, Kate," said Mrs. Heathcote, with her arm round her sister's waist.

'' I think she's minded to have him," said Mrs. Medlicot.

"Tell me, Kate,— shall it be so?" pleaded the lover.

She came up to him, and leaned over him, and whispered one word which nobody else heard. But they all knew what the word was. And before they separated for the night, she was left alone with him, and he got the kiss for which he was asking when the policeman interrupted them.

' ' That's what I call a happy Christmas," said Harry, as the party finally parted for the night.