An Outback Marriage

While Gavan Blake was conferring with his clients, a very different

sort of conference was being held at Kuryong. The return of Charlie

Gordon, accompanied by Carew, had been voted by common consent an

occasion for holiday; and although, according to theory, a bush

holiday is invariably spent in kangaroo-hunting, yet the fact is

that men who are in the saddle from daylight to dark, from week-end

to week-end, generally spend a holiday resting legs that are cramped

from the saddle, and arms that ache from lifting sheep over hurdles

or swinging the gates of drafting-yards.

Thus it was that, on the holiday at Kuryong, the Bachelors' Quarters--two

large dormitory-like rooms that opened into one another--were full

of athletic male figures sprawling on the beds, smoking black pipes

all day, and yarning interminably. The main topic of conversation

was Peggy's claim against the estate. They had all heard the rumours

that were going round; each had quietly been trying to find out what

Peggy had to go on, and this pow-wow was utilised for the purpose

of comparing notes. They had one advantage over Gavan Blake--they

knew all about Considine, which Blake did not.

On one bed lay Pinnock, who had come up to make arrangements for

carrying on the station till the will was proved. On another bed

sprawled Carew, who, by virtue of his trip out back, was looked

upon as a bit of an oracle by Poss and Binjie, who had never been

further than the mountains. Poss and Binjie had dragged an old

couch out of the next room and were stretched on that, listening

to the talk, and occasionally throwing in a word of such wisdom

as they had. Hugh sat in an armchair by the window, smoking and

dreaming.

Poss's voice cut knife-like through a cloud of tobacco smoke. He

spoke as one on the defensive.

"Well, I believe there's something in it, anyhow. Briney Donohoe

told me--"

Charlie Cordon's cold drawl interrupted the youth. "It's all rot,"

he said. "Briney Donohoe told you--what does he know about it? You

two boys and Hugh have been stuck at home here so long, you believe

anything. I tell you, they'll do nothing. It's all talk, just to

make themselves big people. They have nothing to do just now, so it

comes in handy as an excuse to ride from one selection to another

all day long and leave our gates open. We have Peggy's measure,

haven't we, Carew? That long-lost relation of yours, old Considine!"

"I wish you did have him," said the lawyer. "He might come in very

handy. With a big property like this to go for, they are nearly

sure to have a try at it."

Poss took heart at finding himself supported by this new champion.

"Yes," he said. "Red Mick and Peggy are down at Gavan Blake's

to-day. I saw their horses hanging up outside as I came through.

And Briney Donohoe told me--"