Otago Daily Times and Witness PRIZE TALE COMPETITION.

Otago Witness, 5 December 1900, Page 14

Otago Daily Times and Witness PRIZE TALE COMPETITION.

[FIRST PRIZE— SECTION I.] WILLIAM RUFUS.

By Keron Hale

T ' S the most absolutely ghastly tiling I ever J~ ls((f[ heard of," said Holmer. llfe'V Lankester, who was beating out " I don't Milk want to p la y in y our y arcl " witll mucll ener gy i|A\iw and his breakfast fork, took up the tale : " If Poppy has only sense enough to spill — } her over Chadbury Cutting! Unless her nerves are iron, she won't care to risk that every time she goes back to civilisation." " Thank heaven, I haven't a sister," said Cochrane, piously. He sat on the window-ledge, blocking out the background that was never-ending roll of tussock down, swelling into stiffened billows of bush-topped, shingle-topped, and snow-topped hills. " Poppy can't help it. It's abhorrent to his vei'y soul. But when the laws of Nature decree that a man shall have a sister, and when that sister says, ' I will abide on thy right side, and keep the house with thee,' what can a poor beggar do? He must bow to the inevitable, and say 'So be it.' " This was Clunes's contribution. He stood with his back to the fire, and one muddy boot hooked into the fender rail. Part Hill Station, was soaking in autumn sunshine and Sabbath calm, and therefore these men, who laboured with

their heads and hands six days out of seven, dawdled, over an 11 o'clock breakfast, and tried to imagine that the days of their idleness were come again.

" What on carth — makes her — any girl — cr — want to — come here?" Holmer was coaxing the life into his pipe, and his words came disconnectedly. " Pshaw ! " Lankester dropped his fork contemptuously ; " why do girls ever want to go to places 30 miles from another girl, and 40 from anywhere else ? Poppy's sister means to get married, and she comes with the intention of hooking one of Poppy's cadets. That's to your interest, Cluney and Peter (Cochrane was Peter, having been baptised Paul). You'll be ' snappit oop ' before a year's out, ' ma curly-heided babbie.' "

" Shut up," said Clunes, rubbing his hair viciously. " I'm jiggered if I'm going to have anything to do with her ! If Poppy is beastly enough to bring her here, and — and make things beastly all round, I'll go and doss in the whare."

These four, whose work lay far among snow mountains and stony gullies, and whose household words were the language of the sheep farm, had lived lives unto themselves hitherto, among the fastnesses of Marlborough, and they had found the taste of Bohemianism very good. Clunes and Cochrane were cadets. That is, for the payment of certain monies, according to contract, the benefits of table napkins, nail brushes, and sheets accrued to them, the while they woi'ked with common men over the tale of common things that make up station life.

Lankester was overseer, and helped Poppy keep the books. Holmer was a nondescript, possessing the birth and education of a gentleman in conjunction with the pay and employment of a rouseabout. They were all under 30, and all unsusceptible, except Clunes, who was only untried.

They banded together at races and balls, and had no desire to taste new and elusive things. Therefore, the coming of Poppy's sister into their sanctuary being bitter, and hardly borne, they kicked things viciously, and found occasion to call Poppy a fool. Yet was there pity in their hearts ; for to Poppy — christened John Freystone Popham, — pertained

Those accustomed to the North Island will at once recognise the absolute realism of the httle foal so happily left to ucconipnny his mother in her day's work.

not only Part Hill, which made him a marked man in thedistrict, but — the sister.

" Pop was savage before he started yesterday. Says he'll have to tool her round. Good old Poppy ! ''

"Mightn't be bad fun if — if she's pretty. " Clunes, feeling the force of a new idea, scraped mud on the hearthrug' cheerfully.

" Oh, I say ! Buck up, you chaps ! We'll have to protect Cluny against himself. He'll never stand up to the onslaughts of Poppy's sister."

" Bless his innocence ! He shall be protected then ' " Cochrane wound long arms about the curly-headed one, and l fell over the sofa with him forthwith.

Holmer disentangled them impassionately, and, sitting on Clunes, desired them to listen whilst he swore by all his gods that Poppy's sister should receive no more than bare civility from him.

" Oyez ! Oyez ! " Lankester got up promptly ; " and I also ! Speak up, you fellows ! They took the oath with great solemnity. Then Cochrane, having got himself into a coat and immaculate riding" boots, went off to Puki township for the mail.

Lankester lounged out of the window, and watched two> sparrows fighting over a shank-bone on the verandah. He was big and black-browed, addicted to silence and unalterable opinions. He was making up his mind on a certain point. Then he turned to the two men.

" Clunes, you'll have to look after the books for a few days. I'm going to Penai with Cochrane."

Holmer pulled out his pipe

" Lankester, is there method in your madness ? Droving is the sickest work on record, and those wethers are as fat as butter."

" I shall make a hash of the books,"' came despairingly from Clunes. " I'd sooner take the sheep. Straight injin, I would, Lankester."

"So wotild I. Got all the things ready \ All right. I'll just sort em out a bit. Don't forget to go round those flock

rams, Holmer, and put a sapling in that blessed gap. Anyone , Avould think you imagined Sunday was a clay of rest, not i restitution ! " " This new arrival is going to make Lanky very ill, observed Chines wisely, as the door shut. " Some girl at Home gave him a bad time — forget her name ; I was only a kid then ; but he thinks women worse than the plagues of Egypt now, and I shan't be surprised if things happen." " It's a sickening nuisance, and there will be several rows when Poppy returns and fiuds Lankester non cst. HangPoppy's sister ! " So Lankester gathered together Cochrane, a couple ot station hands, many dogs, and a cart containing a tent, cooking paraphernalia, and a cook. Then he departed southward in the early morning in order that he might forget the advent of Poppy's sister. Nothing becomes so monotonous as change, be it from one , noisy city to another or one tussock range to another. j

The weather Avas hot and breathless, and though Lankester got off and walked, swayed sleepily in his warm, creaking saddle, sparred lazily with Cochrane, he found much time to hate the slow-moving line ahead, endless and silent ; creeping on to purple and blue-green distances, which grew into nearness of yellow tussock and brown tawhina clumps, and receded imperceptibly to take up their position again as purple distance. They counted miles from the shingle river beds where raupo and toi-toi struggled for life among the blue papa and limestone cliffs, and they counted the cost when the fat wethers dropped by the wayside, and the tilted cart hung out distress signals of raw skins. Neither did Lankester forget Poppy's sister, because he knew very well that though she might have forgotten him being only a child in the days when she upset his world for him, she would speedily remember before many days were past.

He was a gentleman and a poor man, and billets were hard to come at. As he had never asked Sybil to marry him. it was not necessary to enlighten Poppy concerning this. She had flirted systematically since she was 10, and to her Lankcs

ter was probably only one of " the ruck." None of the fellows knew. He was very sure of that. So he turned things over in his mind, and determined to abide by future results. Generally it was joy to the hearts of Cochrane and Chines to take the road with Lankester. For to those who would labour among the hills and the bush, the desolation and the glory of New Zealand, there pertaineth one thing, and it was Lankester's. The love of Nature, which is the root of all good. There are other incidentals. It is necessary to know more than a little about everything if you desire to become confidential overseer on a thirty-thousand acre station.

Lankester knew more than a little, and was ready to impart it in simple language ; but on the seventh day from the arrival of Poppy's sister Cochrane returned to his fellows in disgust. Lankester had failed him. Even the overhauling of their tent one evening by M'Gunty's pigs at the Reserve had not resulted in a circus with M'Gunty, although in the nature of things it might have been expected. So Cochrane turned his thoughts to Poppy's sister, and, treading on the heels of Lankester, bombarded, the occupants of the " den " with questions before he was through the doorway.

" Hallo, you chaps ! What's she like ? Can she talk ? What are you in those togs for? Doesn't she make you drers for "

" Oh, holy smoke ! Gag him, somebody ! Salve, Lankester. Is my future friend red-haired, eh ? " " Red ! " Cochrane pulled an empty flask, a pair of wirecutters, and a broken pipe out of his pockets. " Red ' Crumbs! Pretty?"

" H-m-m ! I judge nobody. You'll see her to-morrow Poppy drove her over to Oropi this afternoon. She — she'? not shy." "What's her name?"

" Pop calls her Bill. I incline to William Rufus. myself. He was a Johnny with a sufficiency of nerve, wasn't he, as well as red-headed? Don't know. Didn't ask Pop any questions, poor beggar."

The group of mation& under the o'd gum tiee no doubt compnses mothers of past, no less than prospective, winners of the blue ribbon

ot the tuif.

From behind the Sporting and Dramatic Lankester heard disgustedly that Sybil, now William Rufus, was skittish; that she was going to write a book, and illustrate it with snap-shots; that she had marvellous eyes (this from dunes), and was given over to the sin of asking the wherefores of all things. And as it was not in his power to " curse her and cast her out " he said nothing, but listened the more. '"' She'll follow us round with her beastly kodak when we're marking and dipping, or slaving in the yards ! Ain't it sickening? " and Cochrane bit hard on his pipe stem. " She'll have you under her thumb in two days." Holmer spoke convincingly. " Old Cluny is pulpy already." " I'm not ! But I'm not going to be rude to any girl just because " " Because she happens to be here ! Quite right, my son ! We'll leave that for the worldly-wise Lankester. D'ye hear, old man? "

Lankester uprose, and cast aside his paper. " Oh, don't talk bally rot ! What did Poppy say about to-morrow's dipping, you fellows? Oh, all right," as Chines explained matters rapidly. " Hand over the keys, will you ? I want to get some things out of the store." Holmer had a remark to make after Lankester's depar-

" Do you think it possible that he knew her before? "

Cluncs scoffed

" Not much ! "Member what he said about tipping her over the Chadbury Cutting? No; it's just natural cussedness, and a touch of liver. Also, he expects a wigging from Pop ; nor will he be disappointed." The law of the land decrees that dipping must be a thing of the past before the last day of May. On Part Hill, where snow lay on the hill crests half the year, dipping followed mustering, and grazing on the low lands followed dipping.

But each station is at liberty to make its own rules, for snow does not fall alike on the evil and the good. It pays more attention to degrees of height. The morning after Lankester's return held autumn sunshine, with white rolling mist in deep bush gullies, and

autumn work with disconsolate sheep in concrete yards. Dipping depends on weather, and therefore needs all the hours an ordinary man can afford, and much more energy than an ordinary man can afford, without imperilling his soul and body. When the sheep requiring cleansing total something over 20,000, it is not all done in an autumn day, even with all hands to the pump. There were " shifts " and " days off " and " bonuses "to be considered. Lankester thought out suggestions for later submission to Poppy's approval the while he took his turn as crutch-man, in order that Cochrane also might yell himself dumb in the drafting yards. Poppy and Holmer, on the river-fiat, were rounding up more victims for the sacrifice with great noise, and the 10 men putting sheep through the yards did not work silently. Therefore, Lankester was dnaf, and knew not when William Rufus came down the line of fence beside the race and called to Clunes over the gate. „ She had a big hat, and a white dress, and a kodak. Her hair was the colour of a rifle-stock in red sunlight, and Clunes, having learnt the expressions of her eyes off by heart, went over to the gate to refresh his memory. " Please may I come in? " asked William Rufus. Clunes glanced at Lankester. Then he fell, and said " Yes." Dipping is not a drawing room entertainment, and the dress of its votaries is elementary. Lankester's dungarees were faded and unconscionably dirty, and his heavy boots were muddy and carelessly laced. " Little's non-poisonous ' had left yellow finger marks on his brown arms, and much sunshine had taken the skin from his nose. He crutched the sheep along the dip swiftly, and kept an unending stream crawling forlornly up the stone steps to the drying yards. Three men in the near yard delivered sheep over to Clunes's tender mercies, and he forthwith ran them down the race to come under the ban of Lankester. Now, when Clunes went to open the gate for William Rufus the machinery immediately fell to pieces. Lankester dropped his crutch on a wether's neck, and sent it up the steps. Then he drew his hand across his wet forehead and spoke.

" Clunes ! What the devil are you doing? Feed 'em along, man."

William Rufus leaned over th Noarded side of the race, and her voice was suddenly sharp.

The devil that was in

"Mr Chines, who is that?" Clunes prompted his next move.

" That's our overseer. Here, Lankester, come and be introduced to Miss Popham."

It is not true that onlookers always see most of the

game.

Clunes saw only a disreputable man pulling off his battered wide-awake before a very pretty girl. Lankester saw a pair of brown, uninterested eyes, and felt vaguely that something was hurting him where he could not get at it. But what William Rufus saw history doth not tell. " Lankester," she said, in pretty puzzlement. " That name sounds familiar. Do you spell it with a 'k'? "

" And other letters .added thereto." Lankester was looking at her defiantly, because, being a man, he did not know that a girl can smile and smile, and yet want to cry.

"Really?" Then she turned to Clunes. "Help me over the dip, please. There is an ideal seat on that oil-can under the ngaio. And I desire that you continue your work immediately ! I mean to take some snap shots. I shall call one ' His brow is wet with honest sweat, his face is like the tan,' and it will go in my book."

The sheep slid into the dip monotonously, and Lankaster crutched on, with William Rufus's kodak and William Rufus's eyes burning into his backbone. And there were many things that he had to think of all at the same time. Did she know him? Had forgetfulness or cruelty put the nonrecognition into her face? Why, oh, why on earth had he been fool enough to stay when he knew she was coming ? And why was he trebly foolish enough to mean to keep on staying? The click of the kodak behind answered unintelligibly, and Lankester said some naughty words as he climbed into the dip to rescue the lamb he had half-drowned.

It needs the warm, close atmosphere, the grey, circling dust, the all-pervading scent of dip and crowding sheep, the

unquenchable babel which always attends the working of man among animals, and the polyglot colouring shown up against sun-yellowed hills and vivid blue sky to make such a picture other than a lifeless ghost.

But William Rufus appeared satisfied with her morning's work, notwithstanding that those 12 snapshots were forever hid from the eyes of men.

Before a week was past Cochrane affected a clean shave every day, and unblemished Clunes, in his desire to prove that no gentleman is ever rude to a girl, became watch-dog in chief to William Rufus, and silenced the evil tongues which muttered that Miss Popham was a bold young person, and needed either a chaperone or a husband. Holmer helped them to forget the vow spoken in the den, and William Rufushelped them to forget that buttonless shirts and holey socka are usually some of the advantages that pertain to bachelordom.

The shaky piano in the drawing room where once Clunes picked out scrappy music-hall airs was obedient to William Rufus, and spoke in tones that reached Lankester, correcting sheep tallies and wool returns in the den behind, and caused the corrections to be very much worse than the originals.

Winter came in with June, bringing eternal snow to cover green and yellow paddocks and new-made roads. There was carting of turnips and straw to fill the short, bitter days, wherein Poppy developed rheumatism, and a desire for warm corners.

Lankester, coming into the breakfast room one morning, &aw William Rufus sitting on the window ledge, where far white background outlined her slim roundness, and red sunlight met red firelight in her bright hair. Poppy, with his back to the fire, shivered, tried to defy her, and hailed Lankester with joy.

" I say, old man, is Weka road passable? I must get up to M'Phail's to-day. Poor Jack died in Tekara last night, and I must let his mother know."

" If you go," remarked William Rufus with peculiar distinctness, " men will say in a very few days, ' Poor John Popham died last night,' and you won't like that ! "

These 3turdy youngsters have surely long outgrown the supper pail of milk, but the force of habit brings them lowing to the stockyard rails as of old.

"Of course you mustn't think of it." Lankester spoke hastily. " Send a man with a note, or I'll go if you r d rather." " I'd much rather, only I don't like you to " William Rufus jumped up as the others came in. "A. certain man said to his servants, ' Gro ! ' and they went ! Leave it at that, John, and come along. Everything is getting cold." Lankester ate his breakfast in silence and soreness of spirit. His ride and his mission would be unpleasant, but William Rufus was more unpleasant than either. Events suggested that, knowing he desired her of old and had changed not, she was teaching him the fate of the moth who desired a star. But Lankester did not care for the learning of lessons, and he started on his 30-mile ride in wrath and a thick great ■coat. It had taken him four months to decide that he was not sure whether she knew him or not, and it was going to take him four more and several over to get at the truth.

If William Rufus had known the condition of Weka road in snow it might have given her pause. It was a half-formed track cut through living bush at an angle of 500 ft to the mile. Springs came down through fern, and nikau, and rotting undergrowth to churn the papa and road clay into six inches deep of soft yellow nameless horror. And a snow-wind dropping over the shoulders of the white mountains whistled up the gully with a breath that was not good for man or beast. Snow was piled in heavy drifts in the clearing, and dropped from the trees with soft, sliding noises. The roadmen's huts were empty graves, and the silence of death lay on all.

Poppy, remarking that Lankester was a " good old sort," collected every weekly paper the house afforded, and shut out the winter's day with the back of a cushioned chair.

William Rufus was penitent when snowflakes began to sit heavily on the brown jasmin stalks along the verandah; anxious, when the yellow sun went out in a blaze of primary colours, and the river-fog groped, white-fingered, through the flax and cabbage trees, and very cross when black night brought absolute silence and a hint of danger from Poppy.

" What's the time, Bill ? Six ! Good heavens, what can be keeping Lankester? Wish I'd sent Holmer. Lanky's such an ass ; he'd go and drum the whole district if Mother M'Phail asked him to."

" He's old enough to look after himself," said William Rufus tartly. " You won't find him trying to get back tonight."

" Jove, but he must though ! I'd forgotten. He has got to meet Leys in Clyde to-morrow morning. Leys is going to do some business at Home for him. Hum ! That's deuced awkward."

William Rufus left the room precipitately, cherishing a memory of youthful days wherein she used to derive much comfort from slapping Poppy.

But that joy being now unattainable, she played waltzes for Cochrane and Holmer, with a spiteful twinge to the notes that brought in Clunes, who was " swatting up " for his civil service in the den.

" Lanky's doing a perish to-night, I'll go bail," he remarked, toasting his feet contentedly. " ' Next morning, by the faithful hound, a traveller in the snow was found.' That right, Miss Popham? D'you think a greyhound would fill the bill? We've nothing better."

The wind came round the house with a long, shrill scream, and William Rufus, playing wrong chords loudly, answered not. The hours marched by monotonously, the snow fell, and William Rufus got her hair wet because she opened the side door very many times for no apparent reason whatever.

At 11 o'clock Cochrane jumped up. " There he is ! Come on, you fellows. I bet the poor old chap's frozen."

William Rufus shut the door behind them, and sat down on the hearthrug. She was diligently telling herself untruths when Poppy at long last returned.

" I told you he was an ass," he said, dropping into a chair and fingering his moustache. William Rufus's grip tightened on the poker.

"Well?"

" Well ! He's pretty nearly laid himself out, that's all ! Drove Mrs MThail over to Styx corner to catch the coach. She didn't want to wait till morning. Didn't want ! He's a fool ! That gave him 30 miles of Weka road as a bonne bouche after dark. Cochrane had to lift him off his horse, and they're putting him to bed. But he swears he's going to Clyde in the morning."

Lankester did go to Clyde in the morning, because, except in one little matter that occurred some years before, he always did what he meant to. William Rufus shunned him, and spoke to him under protest. This was because she was much ashamed, and possessed of other salutary sensations. But Lankester, being a mere man, did not understand this. He had gone through danger and discomfort at her wish, and considered the reward inadequate. He told himself that she was heartless, and watched unsympathisingly as the others dropped away from their allegiance to the den and its smoky comfort.

Clunes abandoned himself to the worship of William Rufus with a gentle persistency that would have roused mockery in Cochrane if it had not made him jealous. Holmer was her very good friend and comrade, Poppy her safety-valve, and Lankester the flint whence she struck her brightest retorts. Therefore William Rufus should have been happy, and it was only the old housekeeper of the tender heart and toothless mouth who knew that she was not.

When the voice of the young lamb was heard in the land, and the nor'-west wind drove the snow from the greening hills, Cochrane told himself that there was no earthly sense in being personable and rich, and altogether fascinating, if he did not take unto himself a wife with red hair and other desirable charms.

With this end in view he asked and obt ined leave to drive William Rufus to pay an afternoon call some 10 miles off, and departed stable-wards with an uplifted spirit.

Lankester was saddling his mare, preparatory to riding over three hills and a river to overlook some contract ploughing. He asked Cochrane questions, and received answers that made him whistle silently. When a man habitually speaks of a woman as " she " things are going to happen, and Lankester knew it.

William Rufus was angry, and her remarks were disparaging, for she had the power of expressing her thoughts in straight words. " I thought you could behave like a gentleman," she told the withering Cochrane, " or I shouldn't have come. You had no right to say this. You know I don't care for you a bit, and I'll have to go callir j and drive home with you now, whether I like it or not. "

And it was not only William Rufus who did not like it. Cochrane was very sorry for himself long before they turned homewards, and topped the cutting leading into the Arawati.

The nor'-west was wakeful that evening, and flung dead sticks and little stones at them with loud noise. The sun had stepped over the shoulder of Mount Heke, leaving heavy shadows athwart the desolate river-bed, where rising water snarled restlessly.

He swung into his saddle, and gathered up the reins. Then he spoke. " Don't be late back. It's going to blow like the dickens, and the Arawati comes down in no time at all."

" You can come and hunt us up if we're not back before dark," shouted Cochrane from the harness room; and he told Lankester's words scoffingly to William Rufus as they whirled along the level, white road to the Arawati cutting.

Marlborough and. Nelson rivers are known by three trade marks. In all, the shingle surface is about double that of the water. In all the banks are steep, and the descending cuttings more or less nasty; and all of them are extremely susceptible to the breath of the nor'-wester. This is because they are snow rivers, and are only full fed at the melting of the spring-loosened snows.

The stones in the Arawati vary in bulk from a walnut to a church; but it is the middle sizes that do the mischief. The water murmured sleepily among them as the tandem crossed the fords in the hot sunlight, and Cochrane confided to William Rufus his thoughts concerning the red-headed girl as they slowly wound up the steep limestone cutting to a tableland of yellow tussock and distant bush.

Jack Guard had a notable history. His father was Captain Guard of the whaler " Harriet," wrecked with her crew near Cape Egmont on April 29, 1834. Mrs Guard, her infant, and an older child were taken prisoners by the Maoris, who attacked the wrecked crew killing two of their number and carrying away the rest into captivity. Captain Guard, however, and the remaining eleven men managed to escape, leaving Mrs Guard and her children in the hands of the natives, where they remained for five long months. She was, however treated kindly, and when brought back to the Captain of H.M.S. "Aligator," was wrapped in the most beautiful feather mats. Captain Guard, who, with some of his crew, escaped, was able to effect his wile's release. The poor woman herself narrowly escaped being tomahawked, and saw her husband'B brother and the other members of the "Harriet's" crew who were killed in the attack, cooked and eaten. Two children were with Mrs Guard, Jack and an elder boy, whom the natives refused to give up even after they had surrendered Mrs Guard and the infant. Nor was it until the "Alligator" man-o'-war arrived from Sydney and landed a strong force, that Mrs Guard and her infant were surrendered

Cochrane spun down the cutting with a premonition of evil which grew to certainty when he pulled up at the bottom.

" Miss Popham ! I—cI — cr — don't like the look of this. If you don't much mind going back " William Rufus knew more about men than rivers.

" I'm not going back.

If you don't like it you can get

Cochrane dropped his whip on the leader's flank, and they splashed swiftly through three streams. At the fourth the leader turned and faced Cochrane reproachfully. Cochrane pointed to a half-submerged flax clump.

" That was three feet above water when we came over. If you particularly desire to drown me ; Miss Popham, I'll walk in; but I'm not going to break the horses' legs. Look at those boulders ! "

William Rufus watched them grating and rolling heavily in the muddy waves. Then she said shortly : " We'd better go back then. I'm ready."

Cochrane knew that the Arawati was readier, with its piled volume of water, but he did not say so. The shingle scattered round their heads as they tore back to find the two streams one, and a broad river flinging white arms gladly about, bending toi-toi and manuka. The wind roared against the Arawati, and Cochrane essayed to roar against both : " There's a fair-sized island — farther down — our only chance."

William Rufus sat grimly as they swung and bumped rapidly over bleached sheep skeletons and long-dead trees ; but she did not speak, even when Cochrane, leading both horses, scrambled after her up the sandy bank, and she read the fear in his face. He spoke hesitatingly :

" I don't know if the water will come over it ; but I'm certain I could swim Tambo over if you didn't mind getting up in front of me." "If I am going to be drowned," said William Rufus, " I'd sooner be drowned here. But I have no objection to your swimming Tambo over if you want to." Cochrane walked away seventeen yards one inch, that being the limit set him by the water. He told himself that he was going to be drowned because William Rufus was a fool ; then he cried out in desperation because he loved her, and he had made himself so impossible to her that she even preferred to die alone. William Rufus sat on a fallen cabbage-tree and stared up the river solemnly. There was yellow light beyond the very far hills, and purple-red shades on the near downs. But the depth of the river-bed was dark and full of strange noises, and behind her dead manuka sticks clattered unceasingly. Suddenly a cry came down the island to Cochrane. He wheeled swiftly, to see William Rufus standing on a sandheap, waving a flax-stick and calling " Guy " with much alacrity. Something dark and dripping rose up beside her. Cochrane recognised horse and rider, and his jaw dropped. " Well, I'm d- ," he said earnestly. Then remembering that Lankester would ask concerning his whereabouts, he ran forward to hear Lankester say : " It's all right, darling. Come up in front of me — quickly." " I w — won't." William Rufus was fighting unseen tears. Lankester looked at Cochrane.

" Put her up," he said ; " there's an almighty flood coming. " Don't be silly, Sybil ! You'll drown us both if you kick up a row. Come on, Cochrane, Tambo will follow the mare." He splashed away into the dusk with William Hufus on his saddle-bow ; and Cochrane followed, marvelling. The big boulders were merciful, and Lankester was possessed of a cool head and a firm seat. Thus it was that in due time three little humans, realising that they were very small in the world, crawled drippingly up to the white road where the nor'-wester swept vigorously. Then William Rufus spoke : " I wish I'd had my camera, for this adventure must go in my book." "All of it?" asked Lankester, unsteadily. She deliberated :

" I— l don't think I know all of it yet, Guy. And I'm ', too tired to-night." ] Lankester interpreted this according to a longing that i had lately come upon him. ' " To-morrow, then," he said eagerly, as Cochrane came to lift her down. " You won't be too tired to-morow, will you ? " " I don't know," she said. But in her own room, where the firelight lit up many luxurioiis garments, and warmed her toes soothingly, she decided with many tears that she did know. ]

" It's no good ! I can't marry a poor man. I can't — even if he does save lives and things, and — and — if he has stuck to one love for ever and ever, amen. Whatever am Ito say to him ? If only he wasn't so horridly poor ! Oh, why didn't I say I'd be too tired in the morning !" Lankester also was wrestling with doubt. He told himself several things with great decision; then a memory of the passing of the river came to upset carefully-drawn conclusions, and send him wallowing again in Uncertainty's pit.

At Part Hill the garden sloped directly away to a broad, brown creek, where trout lived. Thick nigger-heads lived there also, and high above twisted ngaios linked arms with broadleafs and koninis.

Here, swinging in a supplejack loop, and watching the flirtations of a couple of fly-catchers, Lankester found William Hufus. And though he had thought of much to say during his morning rounds, he suddenly realised that deeds are better expressors of feeling than words^ and promptly acted on the discovery. William Eufus fell out of the loop swiftly, and turned on him.

" Are you going to beg my pardon for that?"

" No, for you gave me the right last night, Sybil, dear little girl; you have known me all the time, and you knew I hadn't ceased loving you. But you chose to pretend that we were strangers until last night, and you have given me no end of a bad time. And now you have got to make it up to me ! Do you hear ? You know what you meant me to believe last night." " No, I don't ! Oh, keep off, Guy ! I can't marry you. I hate being poor ! It's so uninteresting and — and un-

s i? a> +3 o <x>< U' c 6 =n CD rd p» o CD o cv v «l-t v CD- +-> oS a- £ CD • +»• R s O o -1-3 O I .a * 1 r -A (D § s <v •tH . -§ CD OS A 4 ° S 1 o | Of s s o I eS eg CD o I m 1? o

becoming. When I was going to be drowned I thought love was best ; but now I'm sure it isn't : I want fame and money and pleasure and — oh, other nice things that you can't give me. Don't stare like that ! You make me feel so horid. I came out here to see things and to write about them, and I'm going Home again to be lionised and marry someone rich. I can if I like, and you've made things all disagreeable, and — and I can't help it if people do fall in love with me! They always have.' Lankester was standing very still. "Yes," he said; "you have inoculated a good many, I believe. So you thin\ that fame, and love, and pleasure can't go together? I'm not going to argue the point. To the best of my belief you'i-e right : a fellow might have a chance of getting too happy if they did." William Rufus turned her back on him because hei lips were trembling, and thought very hard of the English manor where dwelt her forefathers.

" Too much happiness is like to bring fat and arrogance in its train ! For the escape from such a fate you should give thanks. But you needn't do it here !" " I don't mean to. No ; I won't touch you, but I'm going to have the truth. Don't you love me at all, Sybil?" "No ! I—lI — I hate you when you look like that ! Go away ! I want to finish my book." Lankester jtTmped the creek without another word, and went up the garden, where daffodils nodded, while William Rufus sat on a bracken clump, and told herself that she was wise.

Cochrane was on the verandah with a paper, and he liailed Lankester eagerly.

" I say ! We're going to send a contingent to Africa, and Holmer and I are off to Christchurch to-night to have a try for it. There's no earthly sense in being rich and — the rest of it, if you can't give the old country a leg-up when she needs it." " I'll come too." Lankester spoke promptly. " Where's Pop? Back me up while I tell him." So it happened that William Rufus returned at sunset to find Clunes and Poppy utterly distracted, and the house breathing war and desolation. "Lucky beggars!" grumbled Clunes; "they can't chuck Holmer ; he's an all-round man. And Peter's got the constitution of an ostrich. Lanky's going on his own. Had a commission in the King's Own once, and will go in as a private if he can. Sails by the Ruahine to-morow. Oh, misere me !"

For many nights following, William Rufus, passing the •open door of the den, saw Clunes's boyish face above the station books, where Lankester's rugged one was wont to be and strangely enough, the sight was not productive of pleasure.

In due time her book was printed, so she went Home and was lionised. This was quite right and proper, and

it took her two full months to discover that fame was not the thing she desired most after all. When she knew this, she wrote to Lankester and asked him questions, whereto the answer came in one line of The Times for all eyes to see. "Private G. H. Lankester, 72nd (King's Own) Regiment: Killed." And if there was no one to tell William Rufus whether her letter came to Lankester before they put him away under the dry veldt grass, what does it matter? For she has fame, and money, and many luxuries, and she chose these before love in the little ngaio bush on Part Hill nearly a year ago. Finis.

On Christmas Eve.— The children at Bethlehe a are still told by their mothers that on Christmas Eve a choir of angels always sin^s above the place where Christ was born. Travellers say that on this evening scores, and sometimes hundreds, of children may be seen in the open air, looking up into the sky, waiting to hear the angels sing. What Worried Him. — Photographer (taking family group) : "Now, then, Mr Housefull. the expressions are all right but yours — try and look happy — remember that Christmas is coming." Mr Housefull (despondently) : " Confound it, man, that's just what I am thinking about !"

Giving an idea of the savage solitudes which the dredging industry peoples with a hardy population.

The intense frost has clothed the leafless willows and poplars with a glittering garment in lieu of their summer leafage ; and the utter stillness of the atmosphere leaves each delicate twig and branchlet transformed. Our picture shows the bridge over the Molyneux, flowing beneath the frost-laden willows.

: >«-?S3*

The examples of Maori art shown above, and headed by a peep at a furious geyser, photographed at Whatapoko, have been chosen for their fine execution, and adherence to the ancient canons of Maori art. No 1 shows a fine carved Tiki, the veneration for which approaches ancestor worship. No. 2 gives another of these figure carvings, with enormous eyes of Pawa shell. The lattice-like panels to the left of the wharepuni (council house) walls show the neatne33 of the reeded work carved out in the shining pale gold rods of the toi-toi grass. No 3 shows a very finely-executed barge board and post, embodying some of the oldest carving patterns, the upper stencil of the barge board showing the effective use made of Indian red and white pigments, compounded from earth and lavishly used in the bolder portions of ornamentation.