Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-05-30

'Then y0u II oblige rs Dy Keeping tne
articles belonging TO him." l begged
''But don't suppose you've had your
breakfast yet Il you 60 back TO your
camp and get il now--you mightn't
care about eating it here-we'n have
everything ready in half an hours
time.
"Pll send Savile along TO give you .
hand remarked the squatter and went
over to his own camp.
We chose dry, sandy spot for tho
grave. and Jack. taking the shovel in
his hands. worked steadily. Then Savile
came, a great strapping. quiet looking
individual. with round. good natured
face. He took the shovel forcibly from
Jack, who was too much astonished st
this summary mode Of procedure to ex-
press dissent. "You sit down. mate. :"
be cried to me; ''you'r not looking too
spicyw had been cropping simlessly
around To Jack he said: "Well. IL you
will work. you can get sheet OF bark
I've got some rope"--this for the bush
coffin.
In less than an hours time every
thing was ready. Then we placed the
supposed John Farquharson on the sheet
| of bark ready to be rolled round his
poor body when we lowered il into the
grave. and now we saw Mackenzie Of
Tsrragong coming among the trees, ac-
companied by his daughter. girl who
I supposed would be about 10 years Of
age. and with her fair. fresh. pleasant
woman who was evidently some few
years older.
For a year or two / had not seen
| many women. In fact, they were few
and far between in that gulf country.
| and such women rs there were-well.
the less said about some Of them the
,etter IL was little wonder therefore
.inst Norah Mackenzie--I had heard her
| father mention her name-should have
filed me with peculiar interest. She
was slightly built and wore a well fit
ting riding habit that suited her neat,
trim figure to perfection. On her head
was gray, broad brimmed felt hat,
caught up at one side and held by .
| small old fashioned Celtic silver brooch.
Underneath her large dark eyes looked
out from delicately nodded face that
| reminded me Of some old Italian or
Spanish picture. Her complexion was
| of a warm olive tint, and, what with
her dark eyes. heavily fringed eyelids,
and the light brown color OF her hair,
she represented type Of Australian
womanhood that for subtle. attractive
power will hold its own with any in
the world. II was the Saxon type mod
| fled by the healthful, outdoor life OK a
subtropical climate. Her face was OF
TOO patrician cast 10 compare 10 that
Of gypsy's. but apart from its natural
self possession there was something so
alien from conventionality in her man.
ner thas the comparison was suggested
J saw Jack look at her steadily. then
abruptly turn away his head / could
not see his face Then the. other man
came up and one Of the black boys
The little gfoup gathered round the
grave The squatter. taking his daugh-
ter by the hand. lifted corner OF the
blanket and looked upon the peaceful
white face Then the girl placed a
wreath Of wild flowers. which she had
carried in her hand. upon his breast.
and il seemed 10 me as il tears stood in
her ewes. When for the first time | saw
the face of Norah Mackenzie. il struck
me that there WAS not much would
escape her observation. nor was ] mis-
taken. She only looked for moment
upon that cold mask Of clay. and then
involuntarily. as it were. turning round.
gazed in strange. puzzled fashion at
Jack. The likeness had struck her and
evidently made her think.
Have You Book OF Common
Prayerf" the squatter asked. "lll read
the burial service. being the Oldest. II
you don't mind. adding in an under
tone, I'm not an Episcopalian. but
that decent matter.
And here something occurred which
shows how at times into the most sacred
and solemn offices touch Of the ludi-
crous will creep. / glanced at Jack, and
Jack returned the compliment | sup
pose both of us must have presented
such shamefaced and guilty appear
ance that when looked up and caught
Miss Mackenzie's eyes, while Jack STAN
mered out something about ''being
afraid he had forgotten to fetch his
prayer book along with him, there was
an amused expression in them for sec
ond. indicating quick appreciation OF
the situation. In another instant. how
ever. it had died away, and the squat
ter himself came TO the rescue.
'Oh, well, if you haven't one handy,
don't mind" he remarked. IL put
mine in my pocket in case Of accidents. "
And now in the shade Of that great
bloodwood tree the solemn words OF
the funeral service commemorative
most beautiful and solemn words OF any
like service in the world.
Then clearly and distinctly came the
words, spoken in a manly, earnest voice,
81 am the resurrection and the life. =
II was indeed solemn scene. / had
seen many funerals at sea, when those
whom / knew well were committed tc
the deep, and fully realized the solem'
nifty Of the situation. but there was
something tragic about the fate Of hin
who lay in the sheet of bark. now folded
round his poor. blood stained body,
that was unspeakably pathetic. What.
ever the faults or passions Of this man
may have been a sheet Of bark and si1
feet of sandy soil in that far Australian
forest were all that pertained to hin
now. Within year or two, such is the
changing nature Of all things tropical
even the place where he slept would bt
q matter Of conjecture. Perhaps the
fever had made me somewhat fanciful
for / remember IL flashed upon me sud
senly what strange spice Of mockery
there was in this burial after all. II
were not dreaming the night before
and was half inclined to think had
been, or that il was some trick OF ths
brain arising from the fever-I hst
seen Jack take from this man wha'
simply obliterated his identity and left
him with that which gave him falls
one. He was being buried under th'
name Of q man who at that momen
was assisting at his burial For coult
not but suppose that my mate Jack wa
the same John Farquharson to whom
the letters which the squatter had takeI
from the corpse had been addressed
and who for some reason or other wishet