The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-01-31
BARBARA GOLDING.

into his affairs was his faithful sborig-
ina.l servant GonGi. But records and
history were only understood by Gongi
when they were restricted to the number
of heads taken in tribal battle. At the
same time he was A devoted slave to
the man who. at the risk Of his own
life, had rescued him from the murder
Gus spears of his aboriginal foes. That
was A kind OF archive within Gongi's
comprehension, from the contemplation
Of which he turned 10 speak Of Louis
Bachelor as That fellow budgery mar
mi b1ongin' to me-" which ia civilized
language, means my good master"
Gongi frequently dilated on this rescue,
and he would, for purposes Of ilustra-
tlon. take down from his masters wall
an artillery officers saber and show
how his sssailants- were dispersed.
From the presence Of this sword II
was not unreasouably assumed that
Louis Bachelor had at some time been
in the army He was not, however.
communicative on this point though he
shrewdiy commented on European wars
and ruinors Of wars when they occurred.
He also held strenuous opinions on the
conduct of government and the suppress
sion ~ public evils. based obviously upon
a military conception of things. For
bushrangcrs ne would have a modern
Tyhurn, but this and other tragic sug
gestions lacked conviction when con-
fronted with his veTdicts givCel as jus
tice Of the peace. He pronounced anath-
emas in a grand and airy fashion. but
as If he we're speaking by the card. 2.
Don QUiXotc whose mercy would he vast
or than his wrath. This was the impress
sion he gave To Field Osgood on the day
when tho young squattcr introduced him
self TO Railway, where he had come on
a mission to it's one official. The young
mans father had =. taste for many
thinEs; astronomy was his latest. and he
Ir mt 81
scope which. excellent i'm its day. had
been superseded by others Of later Off
cidl purchase. He had brought it 10
Wsndenong. had built a home for II. and
had got If into trouble He had then
sent To Brisbane for assistance. and the
astronomer for the government had re-
fcrrcd him To the postmaster at Rah-
way. "pToEuoStica tor of the meteorolOE-
zeal column in the Courier. who would
be instructed to give Mr. OSgood every
help. especially as the occultation of
Venus was near. Men do not send let
tors by post i'm new country when per-
sonal communication IS possible. and
Field Osgood was asked by his father to
go 10 Railway When Field wished for
the name Of this rare official the astronO-
mer's letter was handed over with q sar-
caste request that the name might be
deciphcred. but the sou was not more Of
an antiduary than his father, and he
had to leave without it, He rode 10 the
coast. and there took 2 passing steamer
- Railway
From the sea Railway looked tropi-
cal paradise. The bright green palisades
Of mangrove on the right crowded down
10 the waters edge: on the left was the
luxuriance Of a tropical jungle; in the
center was an arc Of opal shore fringed
with cocoa-palmS. and beyond these a
handful Of white dwellings. Behind was
n sweeping mOnOtOnN of Verdure stretch
ing back into the great valley of the
Popri. and over all the heavy IanCuor of
the south.
But the beauty was A delusion. When
Field OSgoOd's small boat swept up the
sands on the white crest of a league
long roller. how different was the scenel
He saw a group of dilapidated hutS, a
tavern called The Angels Rest, a black
fellows hut and the baroness of three
government offices. all built on piles,
that the white ants should not humble
them suddenly TO the dust. a fever-mak-
ing manErOVe swamp, black at the base
as the filthieSt mOat, and tenanted by
reptiles, feeble palms. and Slckly
breath creeping from the jungle TO min
gle with the heavy scent of the last con-
sigDment of sugar from the POpri val
Icy. II brought him to a melancholy
standStiIl. disturbed at last by Gongi
touching him ON the arm and pointing
toward the poStOflice His language to
Gongi was strong; ne called the place
by names that We're not polite: and even
on the threshold of the official domain
said that the devil would have his last
big muster there. But from that instant
his glibness declined The squatters are
the aristocracy of Australia, and rural
posunasters are not always considered
eligible for a dinner party at govern
ment house: but when Louis Bachelor
came forward to meet his visitor, the
young fellows fingers quickly caught
his hat from his head. and an Off-hand
a
At first the young man was aWed by
the presence OF the Grizzled gentleman
and he struggled with his language 10
bring il up To the classic level Of this old
Huguenot's speech. "Huguenot" is used
figuratively. though the young squatter
came TO know subsequently, that Louis
Bachelor was descended from a family
part Irish, part French. But there was
something more than Celt and Gaul in
the man. a steadying quality Of race or
discipline that made him. even in this
humble position, a little grand and more
than a little grave. Before they had
spoken a dozen words Field Osgood said
TO himself. What a quaint team he and
the maid of honor would make! It's the
same kind Of thing i'm both. with the
difference of sex and circumstances -
The nature of his visitors business
pleased the old man, and infused his
courtesy with warmth. Yes he would
go to WandenOnR with pleasure; the
government Ddu communicated Win MN
about it: substitute had been offered:
he was quite willing to take his first
leave in four years; astronomy was a
great subject: he had a very good and
obedient telescope OF his own though
not nearly so large that at Wande-
nong; he would telegraph at once to
Brisbane for the substitute to be sent on
the following day. and would be ready
to start I'm twentY-fOur hours: after
visiting WandenOng ne would go to
Brisbane for some scientific necessaries
and SO on through smooth parentheses
Of conversation. Under all the bluntness
Of the bush. young OsgOod had a refine
ment which now found expression in an
attempt 10 make itself agreeable. not a
difficult task. since. thanks to his fathers
tastes and year or two at college, he
had a smattering Of physical science.
He soon won his way TO the old mans
heart and laboratory, which in this
desOlate spot had been developed
through years Of patience and ingenious
toll
Left alone that evening i'm Louis Bach
elor's situng-rOOm, Field OsgOOd's eyes
We're caught by portrait on the wall,
the likeness OF a beautiful girl Some
thing about the face puzzled him. Where
had he seen it? More than a little of
an artist. he began to reproduce the
head on paper He put II i'm different
poses: he added to it.; he took away
from it; he gave it a childs face. pre-
serving the one striking expression: he
grave woman. Why. what was this?
aHarawar liz