, 1879-12-04

is"
"Hullo! what on earth is the mat
ter There goes the tea all into the
fire !"
The cause of this exclamation is the
Englishman, who having leapt across tbs
fire, capsi2ing the billy en- route, and
snatching the paper out of his friends
hand.
"Mattcr enough p he exclaims, after
reading the advertisement through with
eager eyes and flushing face; " for | kap-
pen to be the fellow wanted"
"You p cxclaims the colonial, leapipg
to his feet "Come, no joking Are
you really in earnestp
"Yes, old fellow; Ned Stamford was
only an assumed name, for l thought my
own was q bit too honorable for this
Bohemian existence. You must forgive
the deception, for 1 had no idea things
would turn out like this9 Who on
earth put the advertisement in Ferris,
the solicitor, whose name is here, l sup
pose; and yet he is not the family man.
| I never heard of him before"
81 forgive the deception, as you call
it," replies his friend, 'but hardly the
extinction of the fire. | expended
much trouble, and my last match, over
that fire"
"Never mind, old fellow, l have
some more. and we'll soon repair the
damage"
A few minutes more and the fire is
alight again; the tea is re-made and
drank, and then Frank Merton, the col
onial, stretches himself out on his blan-
kets to hear the yarn he has demanded
from his friend. a .
The usual pipes being set going, the
fire built up, and the light tent under
which they slept set up, Sir Edward, as
his friend, in mock ceremony, persists in
calling him, begins his story:
'The facts of the case" he says, set
tling his stalwart limbs comfortably,
''are very simple I am an only son,
and now an orphan, for my mother,
Heaven bless her, died more than six
years ago. My father and I never
seemed to agree very well. In the first
place, L always had a passion for rowing
while he strongly wished me to go into
the church"
"Curious wish, considering you were
his heir" interrupted the colonial.
Yes, but he had reason for it. A
sentimental young creature of thirty,
who was the heiress of large estate ad
joining my fathers, had weakness for
the cloth, and would have welded your
humble servant in that guise, had he
adopted it. Now, as L had a weakness
for q sweet little cousin Of sixteen (who,
by-theby, would have the property, but
for my being in the way), vigorously
objected and one night my father and
/ had tremendous row, which ended in
his sending me the next morning a
check for e300, and short note telling
me that I had got all I would ever get
from him, so l might go, won't say
where he mentioned; but suffice it to
say, that, enraged by his irrational tyr
amy, l left the house that day, and,
after fond farewell to the innocent
cause of my banishment, L sailed to
America, thence here, and that is my
story"
Sand peculiar, though Short" says
Merton "did he never relsnt?"
"Never. For this is the first / have
heard of him, though for three years
the family lawyer knew of my where
abouts 1 suppose he made no will, so
that my cousin, who is no doubt married
by this time, might get the property,
while / might die out here, and never
know Of his DEATH
"The cousin will not thank you for
turning up" says Merton.
"No, but for the sake of the cid
name | must so. Will you come with
me, old fellow? I'm rich now, and we
can have fine time Of it at home,' re-
plies Sir Edward.
"No,. thanks England is too far. 1
love Australia too well to leave it lust
yet, and should not like to go with no
prospects. So, sorry and all as L shall
be to part with you, am afraid it must
be SO, old man" says Merton, somewhat
sadly, for the two are very dear friends.
They talk on for more than an hour
after this, and then, as night descends
over the great, silent forest, they spread
their blankets inside the tent, and 60 to