In Strange Company

way from the presence of his beloved one; and yet, curiously enough, when in later life he comes to look back

filling the canvas like great balloons, and driving the good ship, homeward bound, for all she is worth, do you think the thought of her he will soon hold in his arms, whose lips he will soon kiss, into whose eyes he will gaze with so fond a rapture, will cross his mind? Or, if his ship's head be turned away from home, hasn't he the sweet knowledg

l'amour ce qu'e

petit, il all

and Hong Kong, crossed the Pacific to San Francisco, thence round the Horn to Rio; finally returning, via New York, home. By that time, as may b

, and I remember well the cabman's expression of surprise when he realized that instead of his legal fare of eighteen-pence I had given him five shillings. Summers, the same ancient butler who opened the door to me on the day

ys that I almost hesitate to narrate it-that was, nevertheless, destined to alter the whole current of m

was nothing for it but to behave like commonplace mortals, but I promise you I was not grateful to him for his presence. To say that Maud looked prettier than when I had left her last would perhaps be hardly the truth (though to my eyes she

rom that moment I became furiously jealous of him. I must, however, do him the justice to admit that he was a fine figure of a man, tall

conversation, through the mazes of which the gallant captain led us. When he rose to depart another relay of fashionabl

me Captain Welbourne must needs put in an appearance, bringing with him the peculiar air of being the tame cat of the house I had noticed on the previous occasion. I fancy Maud must have had some idea of what was in my mind, for she became painfully embarrassed, and noticing this,

hot-headed, nothing would suit me then but I must call upon Maud while under the influence of my anger. Naturally enough she resented the terms in which I couched my remarks, and I left the house in high dudgeon, more than

eme I put into practice, with the result that, after much jobbery, I obtained a situation in a ship-chandler's office in Port Adelaide, retaining it until my employer's fraudulent insolvency threw me on the world again. Then, a new gold-field breaking out inland, off I tramped to it, imbued with the intention of making my fortune, and returning to the mother

n it. Added to all this, or perhaps I should say as the result of all this, I grew exceedingly despondent. Indeed the horrors of that period I am loth to dwell upon, save that it gave

as far as the famous silver-mining town of Broken Hill, just over the New South Wales border. Here, in the midst of barbaric waste an

sible but very pleasant, so I had no concern about lodgings; that, however, was only a minor matter, for I was starving. Oh, how bitterly I regretted having forsaken my old profession! No one will ever know the agony I endured. I c

ng place on the outskirts of the town, when a sudden faintness seized me. The whole

ng over me, and when my eyes opened he seemed to regard it as a matter for considerable satisfaction. I tried to collect

ger. Dunna tha' try to talk, or tha'll be maakin' thas

and immediately fell asleep again. When I woke it was broad daylight, and my friend had just returned from shift. He hastened to put food before me, talking incessantly the while. From him I learnt that he and his mate had discovered me lying insensible beside the road, not

also the most exacting of nurses-I soon made visible improvement, and in a week was so far recovered a

tor said to me one day, "t

ut your care, John Trelsar, I don't know where I

fa' thee than tha'd do fa' me, I

And now, I wonder what's the best thing for me to do. I can't stay idle here; there's no wo

all alive

ow there in Adelaide, look see-working in the Fire Brigade-tha' must go to he, and sa

tired of discoursing. They were Townies, that is, they hailed from the same place in the Old Country; and as it

? I haven't a red cent to my name, and I don't think I can screw the

wants a pound or two, to see thee on tha way, why not come to th

pen, and a bottle of ink were obtained, and a letter

e whom I should have known anywhere for the man I sought, came to the door and inquired my business. He was a good-looking, well set-up fellow, and when he spoke, I noticed he had none of the Cousin Jack dialect so conspicuous in my benefactor's

ich, he

n't loo

illness, and this led me on to narrate how I came to meet his

ou've been

y, for I had a certain delicacy in letting people know that I had shown myself su

u that there is a vacancy here. We want another hand, and, as perhaps you know, we prefer sailors. If you can qualify, I don't doubt for a moment but that the superi

endent's room. Once there, I stated my business, making the best

en to sea," he sai

years,"

hat s

mes of the vessel

ty did you serv

" I said, feeling it would be the

my answer, and looked

billet don't exactly answer the description of the man I want. I suppose you're aware we're considered a crack brigade? If

note to the doctor, who would examine m

action as possible, and risk my life in the interest of the city and the reputation of the Brigade as often as opportunity occurred. All things considered, it was by no means an unpleasant life, and until the

g was one enormous blaze. The fire had originated, so it was said, in a small store cupboard behind the bar, and had spread all over the ground-floor, thus practically cutting off the escape of those lodged in the rooms above. According to the manager's statement, nearly every bedroom was

ladder round, I mounted to her side, and before she could carry out her purpose had taken her in my arms and borne her safely to the ground. As w

ld enemy, Captain Welbourne, the man w

f this latter supposition were correct, what could have induced her action? I must leave it to my readers to imagine what agonies of self-reproach I suffered after this discovery. I saw plainly that I had wrecked my whole life by one little foolish exhibition of jealousy, and

ter a time. So it chanced that when I had been employed therein nearly eight months, a friend heard of a situation as store-keeper, on a Darling Rive

en I had given it a good trial, I discarded it in favour of another as cook to an Overlanding Party. In this capacity I wandered far afield,

son to her that she deserved. Poor old lady, I never knew how much she was to me until I had lost her. Her death, and the thought that I should never see her loving face, or hear her gentle voice again, seemed to sever the one remaining link that united me to my old life. Could I, I asked myself, be the same person as the little boy she took to s

. My mother was gone, nothing could bring her back to me. It behoved me now to look after my

eadily bearing me on towards a certain goal, took me in hand again, and by permitting me to overhear a certain conversation, led me into a track that was fraught with much danger to my future peace. The speakers were the owner of

eard my qualifications, he engaged me at once; and so it came about that next day I w

t we arrived safely at our destination, and having taken a diver aboard, at once set sail again, this

ting, the memory of those glorious latitudes rises and sends a thrill through me. There is a saying, that the man who has once known the Himalayas never forgets their smell; I say that the man who has once heard the thu

he was anxious that I should take a holiday, and then set sail with him again. I resolved to think about it, and in the meantime to stre

ause you've seen the Japanese you know the Island. Why, man

est, for I was wearied to death of the Lizz

"Orient" Hotel. Knowing this house to be the resort of mail-boat skippers, schooner-owners, and high-toned gentry of that class, and to have a fleec

tention at once. She was not exactly the most beautiful woman-I mean as far as refinement went-that I had ever seen, but she was cer

ay-Madame

I cannot say; I only know that when I left the "Orient" and stumbled out into the starlit night again I had forgotten Maud, forgotten my ow