Chinkie's Flat and Other Stories

with her she had lived for the last five years. The two, however, did not agree very well, and Sheila being of a very independent spirit, and possessing a few hundred pounds

to her she wrote asking her if she could help her to obtain a situation as a gove

hy did you not wri

t you and your Aunt

remember as a girl t

not going to write

o us. Be my childr

verness for them-bu

mother's friend and

eceive ￡100 a year-

160-it does not me

but the daughter o

that Minerva Downs

you will have to ri

les-but that will

'wid Oirish blood i

l on Mr. Mallard,

friend of ours (I'v

on to another fri

at a mining town c

ere, and Mr. Graing

efraud my children

with the mailman fo

ps be useful (it is

y husband and all m

s and rougher girls

e

ely yours, m

a Fa

nclosed a cheque for

smiled to herself as she thought how very much she had stimulated the curiosity of

ng hilariously at some story which was being told by one of their number-at once made a lane for her to approach the office, for ladies-especially young and pretty ladie

, Miss Grainger at the 'Queen's.

who, booted and spurred, took off his hat to her in an aw

kind of you," and, escorted by the burly

her guide to her respectfully, as he

lan," she replied, tr

ter Minervy Downs. Here's the 'Queen's,' miss, an' there's the boss and his sister and Mr. Mallard on the veran

,'" and then, without another word, he marched off again wi

as at the 'Royal 'asking for Mr. Mallar

d risen and extended his hand. "I had not the slightest idea you

ouring some champagne into a glass with some crashed ice in it. "My brother is the proad possessor of

quite a lot of walking about to-day. I have a letter to you, M

said Mallard. "I would have met you on board, but, as a matter of f

Farrow," Sheila explained, "

taying, Miss Car

ecured a room at 'Magnetic Villa,' on Melton Hil

ovely! I shall be there for a week, and my brot

informed me," said She

head, crossed his hands over his chest, and bowed in such an exa

ined family circle' for dinner," said Myra to her brother. "It is now six o'clock; our luggage has gone up, and so, if you will come b

ard and I will contrive to exist until then,"

an who may happen to see it and who knows Ted come and introduce himself to me. Oh, this is a very funny country! I'm afraid it rather shocked you to see me drinking champagne on an hotel verandah in full view of passers-by. But, reall

f I would 'moind acceptin' a wee bit av a stone,' and he handed me a lovely specimen of quartz with quite two ounces of gold in it. He told me he had found it on the Shotover River, in New Zealand. I didn't know what to say or do at first, and then he paid me such a compliment that I fairly ting

early every one of my brother's men at Chinkie's Flat gave m

t they call a 'round robin,' and asked if he would let them have a concert in the steerage, and i

people, among whom were three commercial travellers, who were doing what is called 'painting the place red'-they were all half-intoxicated. As I came in wet and dripping they leered at me, and one of them said, 'Look at the sweet little ducky-poor little darling-with her pitty ickle facey-wacey all wet and coldy-woldy.' Ted was not near me at the time, but Scott heard, and ten minutes later, as I was changing my clothes, I heard a dreadful noise, and the most awful language, and then a lot of cheering. I dressed as quickly as possible and went out into the dining-room, and there on t

t laugh when he pointed to you, and said in his big, deep voice, 'There they a

, for I feel as if I knew you well. Mrs. Farrow-I spent a week at Minerva Downs-told me you were coming, and that she was longing to see you. I am sure you will be very, very happy with her. She is the most lovable, sweet woman in the world, and when she

"that is Irish; and I am sur

ad said, wildly excited, suddenly moved he

just dying to tell you of something. Within this last hour I have become engaged to Mr. Mallard! Even Ted doesn

eila, looking into the g