Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-08-27
CHAPTER V.

CHAPTER V.
Hes beauty! He isn't a patch on
Bertram Charters in looks, but he's a
brick and good class which, between you
and me, Delda, Bertram isn't"
The occasion was a Sunday morning
several days after Mr.. Robertson's arrival,
and the Beresfords were going to church.
Angus Robertson had won golden opin-
ions at the Rectory in the short time that
he had passed there since his arrival. He
had slipped at once into the family circle,
yet without presuming on his intimacy.
There was nothing snowy or superficial
about him. He talked very little, being
naturally of silent, reserved nature, but
what he had to say was worth hearing.
Few men had travelled as much as he had
done. There was no trouble in entertain
| ing him; he was perfectly content with
book and Lulu's chatter, although the &C.
casional light that shone in his eyes and
the lines in his big, fair, tanned face
seemed to denote that he was not natural
| ly of a placid, unenterprising nature.
| He had no pretensions to good looks
| His features were without distinction.
and there was a decided rudy tinge in
his thick hair, but he had a wonderfully
sweet smile, perfect teeth, and an express
| sion that made Moyra decide at the first
| glance that he was a man to be trusted.
| He had been intensely amused to learn
| they had expected a small schoolboy, and
had astonished the Rector by divulging
that his mother had been the cousin whom
Alec Robertson mad been forbidden to see
Before he had gone abroad his father
had paid his love a stolen visit. and the
outcome of it had been that she had left
her home, joined him in Glasgow, and
they had been married before leaving the
country.
"Of course, her family disowned her ut
terly, but in spite of poverty and hard
| times she never repented her marriage.
! Her death when 1 was five years old was
an awful blow to my father. He wor-
SHIPPED the ground she trod and it has
| always been an added grief to him that
| it was the hard life for which she was
totally untitled that killed her. Since
then he and have wandered all over the
world. He cannot settle; he has the
| spirit of unrest in him'-with his quick
| smile. When | was sixteen / went to
an American university for Two years,
while he was gold-prospecting in Alaska
| Then | joined him in Melbourne. and we
| have been in Australia ever since Eight
months ago he determined TO revisit South
| America, where he was interested in a
| rancho, and as he seemed likely to stay
| there some time I determined to visit the
Only country l did not know"
Moyra did not think that in this cease
| less travel and trying of new ventures
| the Robertsons had acquired wealth He
| always spoke as If poverty was we'll
known thing to him, never as if money
was plentiful. His belongings were of
the simplest and plainest order. and once,
talking to Moyra and Bride as they sew
ed he said. speaking of his first voyage
TO Australia, that he had worked his pas
sage out.
But why?" Bride asked
Because 1 could not have got there
otherwise" he answered, laughing. The
| chief''-he often spoke so of his father
had sent me no money. and l had none.
l got pass over the railway. and sold
everything l could, but in the end had
to ship as a handy-man. 1t was a new
experience" he added placidly.
"A very horrid one, should say"
Bride answered. Il should have waited
for some money from my father"
''Not when my father told me to go to
him at once - he said. HE is the chief
and must be oheyed. Woe betide any one
| who ventured TO wall -
Bride looked astonished, and Angus
| eyes twinkled. He admired her frankly,
but Moyra felt no anxiety concerning him
on her account. Brides color was never
heightened by his presence. 1t was only
| Bertram Charters who could make her
flush shyly, who could bring the timid
light into her childish eyes. And for the
| present Bertrsm had passed from her
Robertson liked the service at the hand
some modern church with its suggestion
of oid-world transeptS aud far-reaching
| columns that was the pride of the Rec
tors heart. He sat behind the Rectory
bench with Gerry. and, although he show
ed conspicuous reverence and attention
| the school boy noticed that his eyes wan
/ dered during the sermon from one face
/ to another aud finally rested on the three,
| directly before him-Bride placid and
lovely. Lulu with bright eyes telegraph
ing divers greetings to friends scattered
around and Moyra with her sweet. grave
4
| Moyra he looked longest. Gerry notice.
/ The sermon. an unusually brief one. CINE
to an end. and the congregation found
1 itself dismissed some ten minutes earlier
than usual II was clear day--suore
like February afternoon than De
cemher morning-and the sun shone with
a warmth and brslliancy that were most
unreasonable but very pleasant. The
river lay very stia. tapping on the firm
sand With child-like murmur. Here
and theri was TO be seen the far-of
smoke OF a steamer far down the estuary
but for the .aoSt part all was bathed in
Sabbath quiet and rest and illumined by
4 golden haze that showed the distant
| city ah1 dock walls under t-ansfigur-
ing influences.
-One of the most important cities of
the world is within two miles OF US"
Angus suddenly exclaimed. as the Others
ran down to he waters edge. leaving
him alone with Noyra. yet we might be
on the edge OF the Australian bush-it