, 1905-11-30

Iuc S0UnGs Of liccaQiily t.onted in ut
first. Long before he finished the last
wheels had ratified, tie last brawler
WAS removed; We alone broke the quiet
of the summer night.
NO, obey do yOu very well, indeed.
Iou pay for nothing but drinks, so
II speak, but I'm afraid mine We're
cf Il comprehensive character. l had
started in Il hole. | ought really to
have refused the invitation. Then we
ali went to the Melbourne cup, and L
had the certain winner that didn't win,
and that's not the only way you can
play tie FOOL i'll Melbourne. l wasn't
the steady Old stagcr | am now. Bun
ny. My analysis was Il confession i'll
it'eif. But The others di Int know how
h@.Il ~ | WAS. ana | sworc they
shouldn't. l tried the Jews, but they're
extra GT out there. Then | thought Of
Il kinSman Of sorts. a second cousin Of
my fathers whom none of us knew
anything about except that he was sup
posed to be in one or ether of the
colonies. If he was q rich man, we'll
and good. ! would work him; If not.
there would be no harm done. | tried
to got on his tracks. and, a luck would
AAN u 4 FuN''N'ANNl Nl 'll''a--Ail = Ae'N'
at the vcr,v M when | happened
to have Il few days to MYSELF. | was
cut over on the hand. just Earora the
big Christmas match. and coultu't
have bowlcd = ball if they had played
me.
The surgeon who fixed me up hap
pcnCd to ask me if | was any relation
of l3liics Of the National bank. and
the pure luck Of it almost took my
breath away. a relation who was II
high official in one of the banks, who
would finance ne on my mere name
could anything be better? J made up
my mind that this Eallcs was the
y l wanted IL WAS awfully sold
to find next morning that he wasn't
4 high Official at all. nor had the doc
tor so much as met him, but had mere
ly read of him in connection with Il
small sensation ut the suburban branch
which my namcsakc managed. An
armed robbcr had been rather pluck
lily bcaten Off. with Il bullet in him,
by this ~I.atiles, ana the sort Of thing
was so common out there that this
WAS the first | heard of IL. y sub
urban branch My linanc.cr hal
faded into One excellent fellow with
Il billet to lose if he ca!ic! his soul
his own. still. Il manager was Il man
aSer. and | said | would soon see
whether Ibis was the relative | was
looking for If lie would be good enough
to give me the name of that branch.
"'I1l do more say the doctor. I'll
get you the name of the branch he's
been promoted to. for | thini. | heard
they'd moved him up one already
And the next day he brought me the
name OF the township Of Yea, some
fifty miles north of Melbourne. but
with the YaEuencss which character
lied all his information he was unable
to say whether l should find my rela-
tive there or not.
Hes Il single man. and his initials
ere W. f. said the doctor. who was
certain enough of the immate"ial
points. He left his old post several
days ago. but it appears he's not due
at the new. M till the new year. No
doubt he'll go before then to take
things over and settle in. You might
find him up there IL you might not.
II l were you l should write
"'Tiat'il lose two days said |. and
m3:c il lie isn't there for I'd grown
CI!tc Keen on this up country manager.
and l felt that if | could get ut him
While the holidays were still on n
little coavivlality might help matters
considerably.
Then said the doctor, I should
get Il quiet horse md ride. You needn't
use that hand
Cant | so by train?'
" go, nal ,,. w.. .-II
still have to ride. l suppose you're 4
horscman?'
Yes
"'Then l should certainly ride all the
way. It's IL delightful road, through
Whittlcsea and oven the Plenty ranges.
It'll give you some idea of the bush,
Mr.. Iatllcs. and you'll see the sources.
of the water supply of this city. sir.
You'll see where every drop of it comes.
from. the pure Yam Ycan. | wish | had
time to ride with you
But where can | get II horse?'
THE doctor thought for Il moment.
"'Ivc 4 mare of my own that's us
fat as butter for want of work said
he. 1t would be II charity to me to sit
on her back for II hundred miles or so,
and then | should know you'd have no
temptation to use that hand
YOU'RE far too good | protested.
"'iou'rc A. ]. Rallies he said.
And If ever there was Il prettier
compliment or Il liner instance of even
colonial hospitality | can only say.
Bunny. that | never heard of either
He slipped his whisky. threw away
the stump Of his cigarette and lit an
other before continuing
Well. | managed to write II line to-
w. L. with my own hand. which, as.
you VIII gather, was not very badly