on our selection-第10节

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ree　when　it　rained。　　As　a　dealer；　he　was　a　hard　nut；　never　giving　more　than　a　〃tenner〃　for　a　twenty　pound　beast；　or　selling　a　ten　pound　one　for　less　than　twenty　pounds。　　And　few　knew　Donovan　better　than　did　Dad；　or　had　been　taken　in　by　him　oftener；　but　on　this　occasion　Dad　was　in　no　easy　or　benevolent　frame　of　mind。

He　sat　down；　and　they　talked　of　crops　and　the　weather；　and　beat　about　the　bush　until　Donovan　said：

〃Have　you　any　fat　steers　to　sell？〃

Dad　had　n't。　　〃But；〃　he　added；　〃I　can　sell　you　a　horse。〃

〃Which　one？〃　asked　Donovan；　for　he　knew　the　horses　as　well　as　Dad　didperhaps　better。

〃The　bayFarmer。〃

〃How　much？〃

〃Seven　pounds。〃　Now；　Farmer　was　worth　fourteen　pounds；　if　worth　a　shillingthat　is；　before　he　took　sickand　Donovan　knew　it　well。

〃Seven；〃　he　repeated　ponderingly。　　〃Give　you　six。〃

Never　before　did　Dad　show　himself　such　an　expert　in　dissimulation。　　He　shook　his　head　knowingly；　and　enquired　of　Donovan　if　he　would　take　the　horse　for　nothing。

〃Split　the　difference；　thenmake　it　six…ten？〃

Dad　rose　and　looked　out　the　window。　　

〃There　he　is　now；〃　he　remarked　sadly；　〃in　the　gully　there。〃

〃Well；　what's　it　to　besix…ten　or　nothing？〃　renewed　Donovan。

〃All　right；　then；〃　Dad　replied；　demurely；　〃take　him！〃

The　money　was　paid　there　and　then　and　receipts　drawn　up。　　Then；　saying　that　Mick　would　come　for　the　horse　on　the　day　following；　and　after　offering　a　little　gratuitous　advice　on　seed…wheat　and　pig…sticking；　the　Donovans　left。

Mick　came　the　next　day；　and　Dad　showed　him　Farmer；　under　the　bushes。　　He　was　n't　dead；　because　when　Joe　sat　on　him　he　moved。　　〃There　he　is；〃　said　Dad；　grinning。

Mick　remained　seated　on　his　horse；　bewildered…looking；　staring　first　at　Farmer；　then　at　Dad。

〃Well？〃　Dad　remarked；　still　grinning。　　Then　Mick　spoke　feelingly。

〃YOU　SWINDLING　OLD　CRAWLER！〃　he　said；　and　galloped　away。　　It　was　well　for　him　he　got　a　good　start。

For　long　after　that　we　turned　the　horses　and　cows　into　the　little　paddock　at　night；　and　if　ever　the　dog　barked　Dad　would　jump　up　and　go　out　in　his　shirt。

We　put　them　back　into　the　paddock　again；　and　the　first　night　they　were　there　two　cows　got　out　and　went　away；　taking　with　them　the　chain　that　fastened　the　slip…rails。　　We　never　saw　or　heard　of　them　again；　but　Dad　treasured　them　in　his　heart。　　Often；　when　he　was　thoughtful；　he　would　ponder　out　plans　for　getting　even　with　the　Donovanswe　　knew　it　was　the　Donovans。　　And　Fate　seemed　to　be　of　Dad's　mind；　for　the　Donovans　got　into　〃trouble；〃；　and　were　reported　to　be　〃doing　time。〃　That　pleased　Dad；　but　the　vengeance　was　a　little　vague。　　He　would　have　liked　a　finger　in　the　pie　himself。

Four　years　passed。　　It　was　after　supper；　and　we　were　all　husking　corn　in　the　barn。　　Old　Anderson　and　young　Tom　Anderson　and　Mrs。　Maloney　were　helping　us。　　We　were　to　assist　them　the　following　week。　　The　barn　was　illuminated　by　fat…lamps；　which　made　the　spiders　in　the　rafters　uneasy　and　disturbed　the　slumbers　of　a　few　fowls　that　for　months　had　insisted　on　roosting　on　the　cross…beam。

Mrs。　Maloney　was　arguing　with　Anderson。　　She　was　claiming　to　have　husked　two　cobs　to　his　one；　when　the　dogs　started　barking　savagely。　　Dad　crawled　from　beneath　a　heap　of　husks　and　went　out。　　The　night　was　dark。　　He　bade　the　dogs　〃Lie　down。〃　　They　barked　louder。　　〃Damn　youlie　down！〃　he　roared。　They　shut　up。　　Then　a　voice　from　the　darkness　said：

〃Is　that　you；　Mr。　Rudd？〃

Dad　failed　to　recognise　it；　and　went　to　the　fence　where　the　visitor　was。　He　remained　there　talking　for　fully　half…an…hour。　　Then　he　returned；　and　said　it　was　young　Donovan。

〃DONOVAN！　　MICK　Donovan？〃　exclaimed　Anderson。　　And　Mother　and　Mrs。　Maloney　and　Joe　echoed　〃MICK　Donovan？〃　　They　WERE　surprised。

〃He's　none　too　welcome；〃　said　Anderson；　thinking　of　his　horses　and　cows。　Mother　agreed　with　him；　while　Mrs。　Maloney　repeated　over　and　over　again　that　she　was　always　under　the　impression　that　Mick　Donovan　was　in　gaol　along　with　his　bad　old　father。　　Dad　was　uncommunicative。　　There　was　something　on　his　mind。　　He　waited　till　the　company　had　gone；　then　consulted　with　Dave。

They　were　outside；　in　the　dark；　and　leant　on　the　dray。　　Dad　said　in　a　low　voice：　　〃He's　come　a　hundred　mile　to…day；　'n'　his　horse　is　dead…beat；　'n'　he　wants　one　t'　take　him　t'　Back　Creek　t'morrer　'n'　leave　this　one　in　his　place。。。Wot　d'y'　think？〃　　Dave　seemed　to　think　a　great　deal；　for　he　said　nothing。

〃Now；〃　continued　Dad；　〃it's　me　opinion　the　horse　is　n't　his；　it's　one　he's　shookan'　I've　an　idea。〃　　Then　he　proceeded　to　instruct　Dave　in　the　idea。　A　while　later　he　called　Joe　and　drilled　him　in　the　idea。

That　night；　young　Donovan　stayed　at　Shingle　Hut。　　In　the　morning　Dad　was　very　affable。　　He　asked　Donovan　to　come　and　show　him　his　horse；　as　he　must　see　it　before　thinking　of　exchanging。　　They　proceeded　to　the　paddock　together。　　The　horse　was　standing　under　a　tree；　tired…looking。　　Dad　stood　and　looked　at　Donovan　for　fully　half…a…minute　without　speaking。

〃Why；　damn　it！〃　he　exclaimed；　at　last；　〃that's　MY　OWN　horse。。。You　don't　mean。。。S'help　me！　　Old　Bess's　foal！〃　　Donovan　told　him　he　was　making　a　mistake。

〃Mistake　be　hanged！〃　replied　Dad；　walking　round　the　animal。　　〃Not　much　of　a　mistake　about　HIM！〃

Just　here　Dave　appeared；　as　was　proper。

〃Do　you　know　this　horse？〃　Dad　asked　him。　　〃Yes；　of　course；〃　he　answered；　surprisedly；　with　his　eyes　open　wide；　〃Bess's　foal！of　course　it　is。〃

〃There　you　are！〃　said　Dad；　grinning　triumphantly。

Donovan　seemed　uneasy。

Joe　in　his　turn　appeared。　　Dad　put　the　same　question　to　him。　　Of　course　Joe　knew　Bess's　foal〃the　one　that　got　stole。〃

There　was　a　silence。

〃Now；〃　said　Dad；　looking　very　grave；　〃what　have　y'　got　t'　say？　　Who'd　y'　get　him　off？　　Show's　y'r　receipt。〃

Donovan　had　nothing　to　say；　he　preferred　to　be　silent。

〃Then；〃　Dad　went　on；　〃clear　out　of　this　as　fast　as　you　can　go；　an'　think　y'rself　lucky。〃

He　cleared；　but　on　foot。

Dad　gazed　after　him；　and；　as　he　left　the　paddock；　said：

〃One　too　many　f'　y'　that　time；　Mick　Donovan！〃　　Then　to　Dave；　who　was　still　looking　at　the　horse：　　〃He's　a　stolen　one　right　enough；　but　he's　a　beauty；　and　we'll　keep　him；　and　if　the　owner　ever　comes　for　him；　wellif　he　is　the　ownerhe　can　have　him；　that's　all。〃

We　had　the　horse　for　eighteen　months　and　more。　　One　day　Dad　rode　him　to　town。　　He　was　no　sooner　there　than　a　man　came　up　and　claimed　him。　　Dad　objected。　　The　man　went　off　and　brought　a　policeman。　　〃Orright〃Dad　said〃TAKE　him。〃　　The　policeman　took　him。　　He　took　Dad　too。　　The　lawyer　got　Dad　off；　but　it　cost　us　five　bags　of　potatoes。　　Dad　did　n't　grudge　them；　for　he　reckoned　we'd　had　value。　　Besides；　he　was　even　with　the　Donovans　for　the　two　cows。




Chapter　XI。



A　Splendid　Year　For　Corn。




We　had　just　finished　supper。　　Supper！　dry　bread　and　sugarless　tea。　　Dad　was　tired　out　and　was　resting　at　one　end　of　the　sofa；　Joe　was　stretched　at　the　other；　without　a　pillow；　and　his　legs　tangled　up　among　Dad's。　　Bill　and　Tom　squatted　in　the　ashes；　while　Mother　tried　to　put　the　fat…lamp　into　burning　order　by　poking　it　with　a　table…fork。

Dad　was　silent；　he　seemed　sad；　and　lay　for　some　time　gazing　at　the　roof。　He　might　have　been　watching　the　blaze　of　the　glorious　moon　or　counting　the　stars　through　the　gaps　in　the　shingles；　but　he　was　n'tthere　was　no　such　sentiment　in　Dad。　　He　was　thinking　how　his　long　years　of　toil　and　worry　had　been　rewarded　again　and　again　by　disappointmentwondering　if　ever　there　would　be　a　turn　in　his　luck；　and　how　he　was　going　to　get　enough　out　of　the　land　that　season　to　pay　interest　and　keep　Mother　and　us　in　bread　and　meat。

At　last　he　spoke；　or　rather　muttered　disjointedly；　〃Plen…tyto　eatin　the　safe。〃　　Then　suddenly；　in　a　strange　and　hollow　voice；　he　shouted；〃　THEY'　RE　DEADALL　OF　THEN！　　I　STARVED　THEM！〃

Mother　DID　get　a　fright。　　She　screamed。　　Then　Dad　jumped　up；　rubbing　his　eyes；　and　asked　what　was　the　matter。　　Nothing　was　the　matter　THEN。　　He　had　dozed　and　talked　in　his　sleep；　that　was　all；　he　had　n't　starved　anyone。　Joe　did　n't　jump　up　when　Mother　screamednot　altogether；　he　raised　himself　and　reached　for　Dad's　pillow；　then　lay　down　and　snored　serenely　till　bed…time。

Dad　sat　gloomily　by　the　fire　and　meditated。　　Mother　spoke　pleadingly　to　him　and　asked　him　not　to　fret。　　He　ran　his　fingers　uneasily　through　his　hair　and　spat　in　the　ashes。　　〃Don't　fret？　　When　there's　not　a　bit　to　eat　in　the　placewhen　there's　no　way　of　getting　anything；　and　whenmerciful　God！every　year　sees　things　worse　than　they　were　before。〃

〃It's　only　fancy；〃　Mother　went　on。　　〃And　you've　been　brooding　and　brooding　till　it　seems　far　worse　than　it　really　is。〃

〃It's　no　fancy；　Ellen。〃　Then；　after　a　pause〃Was　the　thirty　acres　of　wheat　that　did　n't　come　up　fancy？　　Is　it　only　fancy　that　we've　lost　nearly　every　beast　in　the　paddock？　　Was　the　drought　itself　a　fancy？　　Nono。〃　And　he　shook　his　head　sadly　and　stared　again　into　the　fire。


Dad's　inclination　was　to　leave　the　selection；　but　Mother　pleaded　for　another　trial　of　itjust　one　more。　　She　had　wonderful　faith　in　the　selection；　had　Mother。　　She　pleaded　until　the　fire　burned　low；　then　Dad　rose　and　said：　　〃Well；　we'll　try　it　once　more　with　corn；　and　if　nothing　comes　of　it　why　then　we　MUST　give　it　up。〃　Then　he　took　the　spade　and　raked　the　fire　together