An Outback Marriage

"What do you think, Carew?" said Charlie, cutting Briney Donohoe

off again. "Don't you think that old fellow was telling the truth

when he said he married Peggy?"

"Sure he was," said the Englishman. "Never saw a fellow in such a

funk in my life."

"What about Peggy?" said Pinnock. "How did she take it?"

"Bold as brass! I thought she was going to kiss Charlie there, when

she found out who he was."

Pinnock laughed. "Funny thing," he said, "a woman like Peggy having

the chance to choose between two fortunes. Pity we couldn't induce

her to take the old bushman and be done with it. How much money

has he come into, Carew?"

"Oh, plenty of money. But of course there's an old place to keep

up, and the death duties are very heavy. Very expensive thing having

money left you in England, you know."

Charlie Gordon turned to Pinnock. "What you ought to do," he said

(the far-out man who has to shift for himself is always quite sure

he can settle all difficulties better than those whose profession

it is), "what you ought to do," he repeated, "is to send someone

to Peggy and tell her not to be such a fool. Tell her to stick to

old Considine. That's what you ought to do."

"Well, suppose you go and do it. You know the lady better than

anyone here, seemingly. But if she has been to see Blake, I expect

the fat's in the fire by this time."

"I don't think much of Blake takin' up the case," said Binjie,

"after the old lady asked him here. It's doing the black-snake act,

I call it. I don't suppose he'll come here any more after this."

Hugh still sat looking out of the window, smoking silently. "Here

comes Blake now, anyhow," he said. "He's just coming up the flat."

"Wants to see me, I expect," said Pinnock. "We'll know all about

it now. Must have heard I was here, and is come to declare war or

sue for peace. Someone had better go and meet him, I suppose."

"Dashed if I'll go," said Poss. "I don't care about a chap that

doesn't act white. I saw Red Mick's and Peggy's horses at his office

to-day, and now he comes up here as bold as brass."

"Let him go round to the front," said Hugh, "and then he can ask

the servants for whoever he wants. If we go out and meet him, we'll

have to ask him to stay."

The approach to houses in the bush is generally by way of the yard

where the horses arrive, and it is very unusual for anyone, except

a stranger making a formal visit, to be allowed to find their way

round to the front.