Part 22 (1/2)
”Reckon I'll have a s of new stuff Maroes”
He walked away to get the tobacco, and Mrs Taylor sat where she was, under the verandah just in sight of the corner of the paddock where a small patch was railed off fro luxuriantly over the slim fence which surrounded it She looked across at it with eyes that were dim and moist; but it was not theup
The look that had been in Tony's eyes as he turned away, the change that had come over his face as she asked her purposely pointed questions, and the recollection of the fair face of Ailleen and the crafty s
”The wretched selfish creature!” she muttered to herself
”The--the--beast!”
But she carefully refrained fro the remainder of the ti er coeneral happiness to everybody as soon as he returned with his teaets, as he expressed it, he had no idea that she attributed his gaiety and light-heartedness to a spirit of bravado which sought to hide the real state of his feelings But her intuitions had struck the truth
When the thought of it forced his attention, or when a reference such as she had made to Ailleen revealed it to hiirl's bearing towards hi hione into the reckless ga it caold he had found was useless to him in the face of Ailleen's coldness--useless, that is, for the purpose he had at first desired it, for the purchase of a home to offer to her
The question Mrs Taylor had asked him, and the introduction of dickson's name before the mention of Ailleen, re-awakened not only the s from, but also a suspicion which had come into his mind--a suspicion that dickson and his wealth were not entirely dissociated froe ofout on a journey which reater than those of his rival, Tony for the first time in his life wished for closer sympathy between soht havewhether matters between Ailleen and dickson really were as he feared But there was neither bond nor syto recall any one of whom he could make use in that respect when there rode out upon the track in front of hi Bobby Murray Here was the one person in the district he would care to use, for he had ample assurance of Bobby's adood turn for the youngster one way and another He coo-eed and waved his hand, and Bobby, looking round, turned his horse and rode toin to have a yarn with you,” he called out as he ca to catch you before you started, for they said you were off to the diggings before midday I want to join your party, if you'll have me”
”Want to join us, do you? Why, what's in the wind now?” Tony asked in surprise
”Oh, I don't know I' to strike it rich again, so I thought it was a good business to join in with you, if you want another in the party”
”Well, we don't,” Tony replied ”You see, we're broke as it is, and we have to get even our stores on credit, and if we don't strike anything, it will be enough for us to do to clear our own score But if we have another to help to eat the stores, they won't last us any longer, and there'll be a bigger tally to settle”
”I'll pay my own share, and a bit over if need be,” Bobby said quietly
”You will?”
”Certainly Why not? I don't want you to takein my share of the tucker and tools
That's fair, isn't it?”
”It's fair enough for me,” Tony answered ”And if the others don't object, why, I suppose you can join the camp”
”They won't object,” Bobby said quickly ”I told theht, and they said if I was a mate of yours, and you said so, I could join, tucker or no tucker”
It put an end to the chance of having a friend in the eneress when he returned, and tell him whether his suspicions ell or ill founded; for even if he did not agree to Bobby's joining the ca the district and following them, while it would certainly put an end to any claims on Bobby's kindly services On the other hand, if Bobby caht learn a lot about as said around Birralong on the subject of Ailleen and dickson, and with that in his ave his consent
When they reached the townshi+p, they found that the others had everything ready for a start, Bobby's share in the tools and the tucker beinghad been settled long before he met Tony
When they had all set out and had disappeared over the hill, riding away to the west, Mar the dust that floated where their horses et him by hioing out to Barellan and young dickson going bail for Bob Murray's stores,” the storekeeper said ”It ain't no business of ours, Smart--it ain't no business of ours; but I'd as lief have seen him and Yaller-head in double harness as any”
”And why not?” Smart asked
”Well, there's a cause in it all--a fust cause, ets oes off here, and never a word to either, and both of them thick as twins since they were kids? And now here's dickson puts up the dibs for young Murray to get away; dickson--a chap that wouldn't give away the bones of a dead sheep It may be best for Tony in the end, mind you Never was a married man myself, but I've seen those as was, and--well, you're an experienced hand yourself,” Mar his hand to Smart, whose domestic differences contributed many an item of discussion to the _habitues_ of the verandah