The Philipsburg mail., 1899-07-21
CHAPTER ILL

lovely stretch of country which, at the
first glance, a stranger would imagine
to be one vast plain. 1t is beautl-
fully undulating country in reality,
with low hills and wide-spreading val
leys, belts and clumps of shea-oak and
pine, and large lagoops, which, when
filled by the winter rains, are the re-
SOL of the various wild-fowl with
which the country abounds.
Some of the valleys contain vast
stretches of dense scrub, whilst others
present tempting pasture for the
herds of kangaroos. In some parts
where dams have been made to save
the water, there are huts and sheep
yards, and far-away out-stations where
solitary men dwell. tending the floclls
committed to their care, seeing no liv-
ing soul for months together, and
wishing to see none. These "hatters,"
as they are termed, frequently go raw
ing mad, and the generality Of them
are moody, crack-brained creatures
who have almost lost whatever hu-
manity they once possessed.
Facing these great plains, and nest
ling under the brow of lofty hill on
the Barrier Ranges, was station con-
sisting of comfortable dwelling
house, built from the boulders which
lined the creek close by, number OF
mems huts, wool-shed, sheep and
cattle yards and paddocks-the last
stretching out from the Range for sew
eral miles into the plains.
To the weary "swagsman," who had
skirted the Range from the last station
for over twenty miles on a blazing
hot day, with his roll of blankets
slung across his shoulder and his "bil-
ly" in his hand, the sight of Redmount
Station was most welcome one in
deed. The tall blue gum trees which
marked the irregular line of the creek
as it debouched from the gully in the
hills were visible for great distance,
and, to the sore-footed traveller toiling
on towards them, it seemed as if they
were never to be reached, But, when
once those trees were gained, the
knowledge of the certain food and rest
to be obtained beneath them cheered
the fainting spirits, and the hard days
tramp was soon forgotten in the COM
fort Of the travellers hut and the stim-
ulating draughts of smoking tea.
Mr.. Charles Hall was the owner of
Redmount, and lord not only of hun
dreds Of square miles Of country sur
rounding 1t, but of the countless flocks
and herds which grazed thereon. Here
he lived with his wife and family, per-
fectly happy and contented, and far
away from all excitement, political or
otherwise, their lives passed whole
somely among the rural pursuits and
interests with which they were sur
rounded. What was it to them that
there was change of government in
England, a fortune lost or won upon
the Derby, or new plot against the
czar? What did they care about the
life Of the old world? Less than moth
ing! A good lambing season, a heavy
clip" rise in wool, an occasional
run down to Melbourne or Sydney,
them than all the squabbles or rejoic-
ings of the people of the old country.
The owner of Redmount had left
England, with his young wife, nearly
twenty years previously, and, after the
usual amount of struggling inseparable
from colonist's life, had settled down
and prospered. His family consisted
Of two fine grown lads and a girl, who
were rapidly becoming more and more
useful to him. The elder son, Jack,
though only just nineteen, already
stood to his father quite in the place
Of an overseer on the run" the
younger, George, was still at college in
Sydney
shearing had commenced and every
body on the station was hard at work.
Mrs. Hall had been busy the whole day
long cooking for the men, for they had
been unfortunate enough at this sea-
son, of all others, to lose their cook.
Mr.. Hall had been absent from home
for the past two weeks. Business had
taken him away to Melbourne, but
that night he was expected home. The
day had been exceedingly hot, though
It was only the middle of November,
and Mrs. Hall was so thoroughly tired
out with her exertions that she was
resting on a lounge chair in the ver-
anda, anxiously watching the track
round the fo.,' of the Range in the
hope of seeing her husband in the
distance. From where she sat the
prospect was lovely indeed. From the
house a spacious garden full of shrubs
orange and lemon trees. and English
flowers, mingled with exotics
stretched down the hillside to a bub-
bling stream. Higher up the gully
large gum trees waved their feathery
foliage in the evening air, and grand
background Of precipitous hills formed
q splendid contrast to the plains
across which Mrs. Hall strained hel
eyes in vain.
The sun had just gone down behind
the hills, and only the brows Of the
dark peaks were tinged with it's last
IVNN- o1