An Outback Marriage, page 1 by Andrew Barton (Banjo) Paterson
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Station V. The Coming Of The Heiress VI. A Coach Accident VII. Mr. Blake's Relations VIII. At The Homestead IX. Some Visitors X. A Lawyer In The Bush XI. A Walk In The Moonlight XII. Mr. Blake Breaks His Engagement XIII. The Rivals XIV. Red Mack And His Sheep Dogs XV. A Proposal And Its Results XVI. The Road To No Man's Land XVII. Considine XVIII. The Wild Cattle XIX. A Chance Encounter XX. A Consultation At Kiley's XXI. No Compromise XXII. A Nurse And Her Assistant XXIII. Hugh Goes In Search XXIV. The Second Search For Considine XXV. In The Buffalo Camp XXVI. The Saving Of Considine XXVII. The Real Certificate XXVIII. A Legal Battle XXIX. Races And A Win
CHAPTER I.
IN THE CLUB.
It was a summer's evening in Sydney, and the north-east wind that comes down from New Guinea and the tropical islands over leagues of warm sea, brought on its wings a heavy depressing moisture. In the streets people walked listlessly, perspired, mopped themselves, and abused their much-vaunted climate. Everyone who could manage it was out of town, either on the heights of Moss Vale or the Blue Mountains, escaping from the Inferno of Sydney.
In the Cassowary Club, weary, pallid waiters brought iced drinks to such of the members as were condemned to spend the summer in town. The gong had sounded, and in ones and twos members shuffled out of the smoking-room, and went in to dinner. At last only three were left talking at the far end of the big, empty smoking-room, like three small stage conspirators at the end of a very large robbers' cavern.
One was a short, fat, red-faced man, who looked like a combination of sea-captain and merchant, and who was the local representative of a big English steamship company. His connection with the mercantile marine had earned him his nickname of "The Bo'sun." By his side sat Pinnock, a lean and bilious-looking solicitor; the third man was an English globe-trotter, a colourless sort of person, of whom no one