An Outback Marriage

While they were waiting for the great case to come on a sort of

depression seemed to spread itself over the station. The owner was

mostly shut up in her room with her thoughts; the old lady was

trying to comfort her, and Ellen Harriott, with sorrow always at her

heart, went about the household work like an automaton. No wonder

that as soon as breakfast was over all the men cleared out to work

on the run. But one day it so happened that Carew did not go out

with the others. The young Englishman was a poor correspondent, and

had promised himself a whole quiet day to be spent in explaining

by letter to his people at home the mysterious circumstances under

which he had found and lost Patrick Henry Considine. Ellen Harriott

found him in the office manfully wrestling with some extra long

words, and stopped for a few minutes' talk. She had a liking for

the young Englishman, and any talk was better than to be left alone

with her thoughts.

"These are bad times for the old station, Mr. Carew," she said.

"We don't know what is going to happen next."

Carew was not going to haul down the flag just yet. "I believe

everything 'll come all right in the long run, don't you know," he

said. "Never give up first hit, you know; see it out--eh, what?"

"I want to get away out of this for a while," she said. "I am run

down. I think the bush monotony tells on women. I don't want anyone

to fall sick, but I do wish I could get a little nursing to do

again--just for a change. I would nurse Red Mick himself."

Is there anything in telepathy? Do coming events sometimes send

warnings on ahead? Certain it is that, even as she spoke, a rider

on a sweating horse was seen coming at full speed up the flat; he

put his horse over the sliprails that led into the house paddock

without any hesitation, and came on at a swinging gallop.

"What is this?" said Ellen Harriott, "more trouble? It is only

trouble that comes so fast. Why, it is one of Red Mick's nephews!" By

this time the rider was up to them; without dismounting he called

out Miss! Please, Miss! There's been an accident. My uncle got run

agin a tree and he's all smashed in the head. I'm off to the Doctor

now; I'll get the Doctor here by to-morrow night, and would you

go out and do aught you can for Mick? There's no one out there but

old Granny, and she's helpless like. Will you go?"

"Is he much hurt?"

"I'm afraid he's killed, Miss. I found him, He'd been out all night

and the side of his head all busted. After a dingo he was--I seen

the tracks. Coming back from Gavan Blake's he must 'a' seen the

dorg off the track, and the colt he was on was orkard like and must

have hit him agen a tree. The colt kem home with the saddle under

his belly, and I run the tracks back till I found him. Will you go

out, Miss?"