Chinkie's Flat and Other Stories

d on the red, rocky, and treeless side of Melton Hill, overlooked the waters of Clevela

n untenanted. In a few hours it was generally known that the newcomers were Mrs. Trappème, Miss Trappème, and Miss Lilla Trappème. There was also a Master Trappème, a lanky, ill-looking, spotted-faced yo

er the leader) informing the public that "Mrs. Lee-Trappème is prepared to receive a limited number of paying guests at 'Magnetic Villa.

to the advertisement, "so 'Magnetic Villa' is turned into a hash house, eh? Wonder who they a

in the Barcoo from Sydney with them, does-at least he

t wa

e pegged out he left the old woman a couple of thousand. His name was Trappem-John Trappem, but he was better known as 'Old Jack

id the drummer give t

nder. But he

rs good

face, long nose, long feet, long conceit of herself, and pretty

it! The

paless girls,' &c. She's a pushing old geyser, however, and has alread

overcrowded dog-kennel, entitled the 'Royal' Hotel-save the mark!-and I'm game even to try a boar

s feeds her boarders on anything cheap and nasty; the toilet jugs have no handles, and the floors are as dirty as the kitchen

afternoon and inspect 'Magnetic Vil

ould try it, anyway. I'm batching with Battray, the police inspector, and three ot

that," said the editor of the Champ

nock announced another visitor, and Grain

hands warmly with him. "This is a surpri

gain; so she is leaving in the next steamer. But all the hotels are packed full, and as the steamer does not leave for a week, I

e's Flat, the rush to the Haughton, Black Gully, and other places Townsville is off its head with bibulous prosperity, and lodgings of any kind fit

ead waiter a sovereign to let her have it to herself for a

ld Grainger of

my sub tells me, I daresay Miss Grainger could manage with them for a week. I know the house, w

took out his pipe, "will three o

me about Chinkie's

resh; same

eyes towards the ceiling. "Just listen to the man, O ye gods! 'The same old th

as he lit his pipe and crossed his strong, sun-tanned hands over his knee.

s than one year from the auriferous wealth of Chinkie's Flat, amounts to ￡16,000

e better than that, Mallard; I'm not the man to do that sort of thing. I could float the concern and make perhaps a hundred thousa

ever lived. But I did really think that you would be going off to England soon, and that we-I mean the other real friends be

ictoria, and died soon after the bank foreclosed on him. The old station, which he named 'Melinda Downs,' after my mother, who has the good old-fashioned name of Melin

yours

ur; and then, when Chinkie's Flat is worked

gar, lit it, and the two men smoked t

lla

old

spaper grind is pre

o the 'Day Dawn' Reef at Chinkie's Flat-I've made

ditor of the 'leading journal in North Que

y, you have been a

Queensland who stood to me when I began to employ Chinese labour. That ruffian, P

ately the Champion is my own 'rag,' and not owned by

t heavil

at the end of that time they came back to me, and I refused to insert their ads. at any price. I consid

ek that white men would not do at all-no matter what you

mselves hoarse in your praise. And the revival of Chinkie's Flat, and the new rushes all round about it, have added very materially to the w

-built girl of nineteen, looked u

uccess

ot the people. He's coming here at three, and we'll all go and in

like him-in fact, I liked him before I ever s

at Mr. Thomas Mallard has a very st

him still m

. "He is a good fellow, Myra. I th

nly expec