CHAPTER II

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, Volume 1, Issue 6, 1 March 1900, Page 30

CHAPTER II

A hot, depressing Saturday night ; about twenty thirsty tongues outside the Criterion; a short man, purple-faced and stout, behind the bar, assisted by a high, angular-faced, wooden image, the one-time bride of the purple-faced one. Dan's face was pale grey in the morning, red all the afternoon, and developed a richer, if less permanent, hue as the evening wore on. Mrs. Bargle's complexion was made of faster colour, and preserved its tawny brown throughout the rounds of the clock. Dan descends through the trap-door into the cellar, and, re-appearing with a bottle under each arm, looking like a waratah blossom on the point of bursting, he is greeted by the familiar features of Bill Maclise. " Evenin', boss ! Want any geese? " Now Mr. Barbie had not a heart of kauri, xl preference for crookedness of method is merely n fad in many people, and is not always allied to an unamiable nature, and he had been hauling in the cash hand-over-fist all the evening. Besides, he had cleaned out Bill's pockets that very afternoon, and then spurned him, ou principle, when he was in indigent circumstances. This was merely business. He could now afford to be generous and make up for his recent lack of justice. Dan's face was shining with the genial glow of the various " shouts " provided for him by his roystering clients during the evening ; so Dan Bargle did want geese, he wanted any quantity of geese — but he wanted them cheap. Bill had not much to lose, but he had all the gold mines in New Zealand to gain, Waihi included, and Dan took advantage of this circumstance to patronise Mr. William Maclise, Goose Merchant, to the extent of half-a-crown ; he also "chucked in " a pint of beer, to show that there was no suspicion of malice between them on account of his business-like behaviour a few hours before,

In a month's time that goose might be worth six shillings. This he said aside to his better half, who examined the bird carefully, to see if it was genuine, and then pushed her way masterfully through the group of bibulous "boys" who surrounded her, opened the back door, and, going across the yard, unloosed the door of a large unused poultry yard, shoved the bird in, closed the door,

ami returned to her spouse much satisfied with the result of their bargain.