Part 40 (1/2)

He's a man to be avoided, Collins”

”Well,” I replied, baffled and hopeless, ”I've nothing ht to be avoided is just the sort of person thatwhich o away sorrowful--not because I have great possessions, for I certainly have n't--but because ht interest yourself in his present difficulty”

A half-inquiring, half-incredulous look crossed the frank face of the fine old believer, followed by one of his evanescent frowns

”Why, d--n it, ed that already with Bob here?” said he, resu the reins froht to the Dead Man's Bend

Never you fear; I'll see Morris through”

”I'll never forget your kindness, Mr Stewart”

”Nonsense But is n't it a --e're too apt to call ain bad boots; and while I' what in the devil's name to do with him, you tell me of Morris; and I see iislation of an unsleeping Providence, Collins-nothing short of it

We meet with these Divine adjustments of circunise thes makes me feel devilish s that not a sparrow falls to the ground without----Oh, d--n it! look where the sun has got to! Good-bye! I ain I've sold Kooltopa”

”Surely not!”

”Ay Crowded-out Going to Queensland They'll tell you about it at Poondoo Good-bye”

”Good-bye, Mr Stewart”

CHAPTER V

WED JAN 9 Trinidad Pad, per Sa of Tuesday, the 8th, I had called officially at Mondunbarra ho partner's younger brother, as leaving the store, with a ring of keys on his finger His icy response torevived certain al Alf's bullocks, as related in last chapter In the feords possible, Bert informed me that Mr Smythe was in Melbourne, and would n't be back for another week If I chose to leave the K form with himself, it would be filled up and posted to our Central Office immediately on Mr S at the station again for so away toward the barracks, when I asked him if he could let me have a bob's worth of flour and a bob's worth of tea and sugar Without a word, he turned back to the store, and supplied the articles required, whilst I ued pleasantly on the topics of the day When I inquired where I would be likely to find a bit of grass, he glanced at my half-starved horses; and I honoured him for the evident accession of sympathy which dictated his ready reply

He inforrass was to be found in the near end of Saivethese in hter-yard, to solicit froether, by the tiht had ied with s the spinifex, far away northward--and a nucleus of brighter light on the ibbousthe eye to its standard, seemed rather like a noonday dulled to the same shade The teh; whilst with respect to my horses, I could only hope that Bert had been unfaithful to his chief and clan

Now for the record of Wednesday, the 9th:--

Just at sunrise, one glance round the vicinity broughtwith an iuery to be found in villainous man The country on all sides was as bare as the palm of your hand; andat the stumps of cotton-bush Breakfast, however, was the first consideration, as I hadn't bothered about supper on the previous night--though fillinga johnny-cake of such inferior quality as to richly deserve its back-country designation, andmy quart-pot on a separate handful of such semi-combustibles as the plain afforded, I found myself slowly approached by a Chinanise any individual Chow, I fancied that this unit bore so more than a racial resemblance to the one fro the saly ”You scoot-u one hurry”

”Lidee boundly,” replied the early bird, in his mechanical tone

”Borak this you paddock, John?”

”My plully paddock, all li”