Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-01
PART I.

9Ahl l.
Halo, Jack. Look alive there. The
manager wants ye.'
Bother the manager" was the prompt
reply. given in no very amiable tone. ! was
Jack. Tom, our new storekeeper, owned
the stentorian voice which had just sum-
noned me, and the fact that 1 was at the
moment seated in our hut trying to drink
pannikin of rather hot tea for breakfast
explains the tone of my reply.
Station managers. however, are necessary
evils in Australia, and as long as you are
station it is quite as well to keep in
with them not. so l finished my tea and
walked across to the store, some fifty
yards away.
That you, Jack?" The voice came from
the end of the station storehouse that was
divided off for office, and it was that of
Macallister, the manager
Yes, sir; did you want me?"
Yes Come here youngster." I opened
the door and found the manager standing
beside the open safe with small leather
bag in his hand.
Look here. Jack" he said, this has got
to go to Maroona today, and since Bob has
gone end twisted his blasted ankle. you're
the only hand I've got that 1 trust to
take it, so you'll have to go. You've been
to Maroona, haven't you?"
Yes. sir i know the road all right
enough. but / don't think L could get there
in one day
No But you can get to 'Hutchen's' to-
night and you'll be there before , o'clock
tomorrow. l daresay the hands will have
done shearng by that time, and they'll be
wanting to move on.
Its money, is it?'' 1 said, looking a little
dCubtfully at the bag.
Money? i should rather say Ii was
twelve hundred and fifty pounds in notes
and gold and twenty in silver. that's ALL
so you'll have to look out you don't lose IT.
/ looked at II doubtfully. Hadn't l bet
ter take a revolver" / asked
The manager laughed "A revolver" he
repeated; bless your heart, youngster.
that sort of things played out years ago.
Do you fancy you're back In the old bush
ranging times? No. Take good horse
hitch this onto your belt underneath your
coat. and I'll warrant you safe enough
from all the hushrangers you'll meet be-
tween here and Naroona."
All right, sir" l said. christening my
belt and slipping 1t through the loop on
the bag. which was sealed up
Let me see" he said, what horse are
"Firefy, this last fortnight. but his off
fOIt's a nit tender"
''All right, then. take Cossack: he's do
ing nothing. and if he's bit lively all the
Ice tter-nirety miles'll take that out
of him. Now. youngster.'' he added. you
he off, and mind yourself. I'll look for
you back on Saturday"
As l stepped of the office I felt lust
little proud Oaly eight months on the
station and trusted with a job like this
There was nothing. of course. in riding to
M4roOna; anybody but very new hand
could do that: but there was q good deal
In being trusted with nearly thirteen hun
cred pom ds for fhe shearers' wages. Cos
sack WAS in the stable. and in five minutes
L rad Sdddlcd him and started across coun-
try at a smart canter. 1t was early spring
the only season when Australia is to be
seen at her best. The rains had been plen-
t+fui. and now the weather had set in
warm The country. as far as the eye
Gould reach, was sreen-the strange metal
lie bronze green of the native grassland it
stretched before me to the far horizon lire
in long. softly tinted pillows, sleeping un-
der the haze of the golden sunshine ! kept
the track, for on both sides the grass rose
tall and rank. as high my horses girths
Its heavy dropping masses lighted here and
there at the edges by bright splashes Of
color where gorgeous Wild flowers peeped
through the tangle and swayed gently in
the morning breeze.
The air was full of the life of the
spring Myrfads of insects filled the at
mosphere with their musical hum or whir-
red past me In their headlong flight. Even
the dim recesses of the forest, through a
patch of which / had to pass were cheer
full for once with the chatter of parrots
ard the loud, exultant screams of golden
crested cockatoos. Cossack had been live
W enough at first, as the manager had ex-
bected, but when he saw that real business
vas meant he settled down to the long.
stretching canter with which the Austria
Ian horse will cover seven miles an hour
through the broiling heat of a long sum-
Eler's day.
Hour after hour he kept it up with the
steady endurance Of his race. The ride
was lonely one, but eight months of sta
ton life had made solitude seem to ne
like a second nature. 1 couldn't miss my
way. for | was steering for an outlyin;,
spur of the Australian Alps which now
rose rugged and gray before me. i knew
nd m Ha -
where the Cinna-gulla creek comes out into
the open. and / should be within about
twenty miles OF Huthen's accommodation
house on the dividing range. where 1 was
to put up for the night. On. and on-over
the long. rolling waves of the plain, with
row and then a glimpse of tall gray
Kangaroo that bounded off to right or left
through the waving grass. or little furry
blndicoot that would scud with a quick
rush. half jump and half run, into the i'm
penetrahle shelter of the tall heritage
twice had stopped at the streams We
had crossed to give Cossack a drink and
once to give him feed from the nosebag
L carried at the pommel of the saddle and
now as the sun was westering and begin
ming 10 throw long shadows from the range
across the plain I reached at last the end
of the spur for which i had been steering
sc long. The sharp tinkling gush of the
stream made Cossack prick forward his
ears as We descended the slope into the
broad bottom where the Cinna-gulla creek
dashed over Its flashing bed of polished
white pebbles.
The long shadow of the range had fallen
dark and silent over the plain and the
light was dying very low in the western
sky before | rode up to Hutchen's. The
place hadn't much to recommend II TO the
faStidious, but year in Australia had eff
fectually removed me out CT that class and
L was well pleased to let the stableman
take charge of Cossack while / walked into
the rough and ready common room of The
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