Lady Bridget in the Never-Never Land: a story of Australian life

ch they ordinarily breakfasted. Finding, when she had dre

t there were signs that McKeith had got into hi

sage from McKeith that he had had his breakfast at the Bachelors' Quarters wit

the Chinaman had put up his master's lunch-if the water-bags were filled-what were to be the proceedings of the day. She had a hope that McKeith might say something co

was outside the store, where Ninnis was weighing rations for Harris, and McKeith's and the Po

et, but McKeith had his back to her and seemed

ted-and one or two of the old hacks that are spelling out there. Of course, her ladyship's horse mustn't be touched, and you'll see Mr Maule has a proper mount if he wants it-the gentleman who'll be here for a bit-a friend of her ladyship's from England-you understand. You'll keep on those new men for the tailing mob, though I'

ge of grouping, and McKeith strode out to the yard to look in

s one of them dashed organising chaps coming down now from the top sliprails.' And as

of a bushman claiming the usual hospitality, but McKei

unsaddle. I'd like firs

ons, and I've come to have a talk with your men....' He ran on with professional volubility. 'My object in goi

re's an organiser on this station already. I'M the Organiser

ve a talk with your m

on't,' sai

l my horse an hou

'll ride off my sta

he man, who seemed a poor-spirited creature. '

ven even to an enemy-provided he be white. McKeith called to the Chinaman to bring out

ock,' said McKeith. 'See those gum trees over

kly threatened as he hal

ou'll find yourself

what way, can

your grass is bu

nd I'll begin by shepherding you straight off my run,' sai

been standing, a majestic and interested onlooker. The Organiser-

've got no warrant-I've done not

said McKeith. 'I've offered one hundred pounds reward for the scoundrels who cut my horses' throats and r

about that,' sai

nspector. And I am a magistrate, and will have you arrested. Get on your horse, Harr

e saddle. Then McKeith looked at last towards the veranda where Bridget stood, w

ncluded his guest, turned his horse's head and rode in the direction

ielding look of his figure, as he sat his horse with the easy poise of a bushman who is one with the animal under him-in this

ted necessity for McKeith's abrupt departure-also

spent in housewifely business. They strolled about the garden, smoked cigarettes in the veranda, she played and sang to h

mself in the wrong. He left me in what-if he believed his suspicion to be true-must be a dangerous position for a woman-only it shall not be dangerous to ME. I know exactly how far I am going-exactly the amount of excitement I shall get out of it all. Neither Willoughby nor he d

p in him with the loftier type of savage, whose woman must be his wholly, or else deliberately relinquished to t

Apparently, he had got into quite the right set-a rather political set, she gathered. He told her that he had been pressed to stand for a well-nursed Liberal Constituency, and implied that but for the catastrophe of his wife's death he would now be seated in Parliament, with a fair prospect in the future of place and distinction. Of course, it was the money which had done it, she told herself, though he had undoubted cleverness, she knew, and, as he pointed out, his experience in a particular South American republic-very much to the fore just now in European d

threatenings of a socialistic upheaval; his individual aims and ideas-she recogni

ing out to Australia-why you did not st

may drag a man by force from the path he has mar

y, Mr

impetuously. 'It is absurd. Women nowadays a

I often think I nev

to me, latterly, about you and myself

miserable to think of her. You

out to Luke and help him a bit.... She told me about your marriage. She knew I could settle to nothing-of cou

nodded

f I could realise the impossibility, I might get over the longing.... But-Bridget, it's no use pretending-I did try to do m

t out of your head,'

cause she is married to another man, put her out of his

lessly. 'Eterni

the hammock, and jarred with the exotic memories he evoked. She had been called back to the varied emotional interests of her girlhood, and realised, in a rush, how deadly dull was life in the arid wastes of the Never-Never. Nothing more exciting than to watch the great

s if for breath. He seem

we went to Albano?-And our walk through the woods down

ou mustn't talk like that. It's not p

r at least, guess-how things have been between us?-Do you think I didn't notice yesterday that he suspected me-suspected us bot

d him with

iscuss my relations with my hu

the hammock, 'I beg your pardon,' he added hu

od, his back against

se I am a little off my balance, you must remember t

enly. 'I don't suppose you have much ide

an "out-back squatter."-I'm a bit of a rancher-had one in the Argentine-a bit of a doctor-a bit of a policeman-I was in charge once of a constabulary force out in Br

king for Mr Ninnis, t

was talking to Harris. Ninnis doesn't get on well with Harris-another point of sy

the Bachelors' Quarters, and I'll

h fires, he said. Otherwise, there appeared to be no elements of disquiet. Lady Bridget noticed with surprise that Ninnis seemed to defer to Maule, which was n