Settling Day

nd the galvanised iron roof was torn at the ends by wind and rain. A small verandah in front was reached by five rickety steps, and some of the piles on which the h

two or three sheds hurriedly run up, a heap of refuse, a dirty old dog kennel, home ma

chased it in the rough from the Government and obtained it on ea

miles round, but he was more feared than respected. No one seemed able to understand him. He

,' was the Swam

' said Dr Tom, 'that half of you are

has 'em bl

the dirt off 'em, never mind

e little chap lay gasping on a camp bedstead

en brought up on a mission station. She was not a

me she

man who begot her. She lived with the blacks on the station for several years. She grew up in wild, unrestricted freedom.

l cheeks, a forehead well set on, small ears, thickish lips, and a mass of dark curly hair that neve

and to spend the money others had made for

quite the contrary, they took the girl

her body when she died would go to regions far away. If she happened to be good her soul would revel above the blue sky in unrestricted freedom

s. She saw much in the conduct of her preceptors which caused her to wonde

ed people. She had a mind and a will of her own. The former suggested to her that she ou

compound of black and white, a study in unharmonies. Half tame, half wild, reasoning yet unreasoning, knowing good from bad, yet undecided on which side lay happiness. The chief of her trib

er and saved h

he shape of a half moon-and on this plate was written the 'order of the garter' of his tribe. King Char

and food was scarce, when the wandering camp

ed, half dead, to the foot of the steps of Jim D

othed limbs and pillowed her blac

it would soar to that bright blue, hot, pitiless sky above. Then she fell asleep, and whe

se or swear or tell th

sleeping woman. He carried her on to the verandah-he was a big, powerful fell

menced to make three-year-old remarks, such as 'Who's th

and moistened her lips. T

she saw Jim Dennis before her with the child in his arms. She rubbed her e

nd look after the li

nd, weak as she was she stretch

ter a moment's hesitation

n devoted to the little boy. In her wild, half-ta

ery movement of the little face, every quiver of the body. Each moan from his lips pierced her like a knife. The c

o any torture could she by so doing

m Dennis was absent she felt as tho

elp was at hand. She did not leave the bedside to look out, she would not have done that for worlds. When Dr Tom came

essed it

's alive. I'll pull him throug

child's life, and the dark woman and

me over the child. It was as though the co

nabeen, and at the end of that tim

elapsed, Jim

than my own life. I shall never forget it. There may come a time when I can be of s

ut even his hard, rough-used nature

that child's life than I ever experienc

d, 'Swamp Creek thinks

mp Creek

hard

inst you in my presence,

re he is out of d

ssary medicine and tell Sal what

d on Jim Dennis's fa

where is the

tell you on-'

n?' aske

g Day,'