The Emu's Head. A chronicle of Dead Man's Flat

Front matter

a Cbronicle of IDeafc Man's jf lat W. CARLTON DAWE AUTHOR OF "MOUNT DESOLATION" "THE GOLDEN LAKE" ETC IN TWO VOLUMES VOL. II LONDON WARD & DOWNEY 12 YORK STREET CO VENT GARDEN 1893. PRINTED BY KELLY AND CO. LIMITED, GATE STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS, VV.C, AND KINGSTON-ON-THAMES. TO MY FRIEND, JOHN STEWART, Es a., OF MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, THIS BOOK IS INSCRIBED IN TOKEN OF THE MEMORY OF OLD DAYS. CONTENTS. CHAP. PAOK I. — Mr. Logan's Solicitude . . . 1 II.— Delilah 22 III. — Husband and Wife .... 41 IV.— Gone ! 59 V. — The Redemption of Kitty . . 84 VI.— Delilah Pays 110 VII.— The Cipher 132 VIII. — Morgan's Last Jaunt . . . 159 IX.— Hall's Plant 179 X. — Into the Great Beyond . . 201 XI. — Which Concludes the Chronicle . a Cbtonicle of 2>ea£> Æban'e fflat.

Chapter I

mr. logan's solicitude. In the afternoon Kitty appeared, having passed through a night more wretched than any she had ever known. Her eyes were red and swollen, her cheeks puffed ; indeed her whole face bore a look of indescribable misery. She returned her estimable hus band's salutations with a cold stare, and when he upbraided her for her unwisely spirit she told him to go and mind his own business. And away he went, thinking much of the strangeness which had come upon her, and wondering what quantity of VOL. II. truth the statement of Mr. Smith contained. That Kitty had liked George he was well aware, but that there was anything serious in that liking he never for one moment imagined, for to him she was a woman so proud that he did not fear she would con descend to stoop to any unworthy act.

Yet he had determined to test her. Smith had asserted that a jealous woman would stop at nothing. Well, he would see. If her jealousy served his turn he might find it in his heart to forgive even her falseness. Yet, truth to tell, he did not glow with hope ; though, knowing her impulsiveness, he did not doubt that once the idea got the mastery over her it would sweep away all opposition. If he could only corrupt her sufficiently he knew that victory was assured. And all this time the object of his thoughts went on with her work, mute, unless it was to snap. That her thoughts were anywhere but with her beer-taps the least observant of her patrons could see ; that there was some trouble in her heart, some pain-giving thought in her mind, all who took the trouble to look at her (and there are few men who would not have done so) felt assured.

Consequently the inquiries respecting the state of her health were numerous, but these, instead of soothing her vanity, sounded like so many impertinences and but aggravated her the more, so that she was not a little relieved when Edith came to announce that tea was ready. The young girl slipped an arm round her cousin's waist and kissed her. " I was afraid you were very7 ill, dear," she said, " and I wanten so much to come to you. But do you know, Kitty, I was really7 afraid." " Were you really ? ' " Was it not silly of me 'i But you are better now, dear ? IU " Oh, yes. It was merely a headache." " Why did you not come to me last night? "asked the girl. "I had so much to tell y7ou." " It was rather late when I went to bed. I was afraid of disturbing your — dreams." The girl raised her cousin's hand to her lips and kissed it.

Kitty winced, and made a pretence of drawing it away, and yet she could not. So hand in hand they entered the little sitting-room, and Kitty, seating herself at the head of the table, began to pour out the tea. " Now," she cried, in a tone of affected gaiety, " tell me the news. All yrou were to have told me last night." " Well," said the girl, blushing deeply, " George — that is, Mr. Vincent " " Oh, call him George," laughed Kitty, coldly, " we all do." " George has asked me to marry him." Kitty winced again, the action making her spill some of the tea on the nice clean cloth, but she replied without raising her eyes, " And you, I presume, said ' Yes ' ? " The cirl bowed her head. For a moment or two there was a deep, oppressive silence between the two women. Kitty stirred her tea quietly, staring into the cup as though it possessed some mag netic attraction.

" Well, I hope you will be happy7," she said at last. " George told me all about it last night. You think you like him ? " " Oh, Kitty, I love him, or I should never think of marrying him." " That, at least, is extremely satisfactory. But tell me, Edie, dear — for you know I am both cousin and guardian, and must there fore take a practical view of the case — how does he propose to keep you ? " " I'm sure I don't know," replied the girl, looking quite crestfallen. " I never thought of that." " You can't live on love, you know," laughed Kitty coldly. " He is strong — he can work," began the girl. " No doubt — but you don't want to live in a canvas tent down the creek ? I'm afraid you would find it even more trying than the bar. But there, I suppose George has a tidy little sum saved up ? " " He had some I know, but it was stolen last night."

" Stolen ! How was that ? " " Some robbers broke into his tent, rifled his box and carried off a lot of gold. But he doesn't mind that, for he'll be rich pres " She pulled up quickly, remem bering that she was stepping upon forbidden ground, and blushed. This sudden stoppage and confusion did not escape Mrs. Logan. "How — rich? What do you mean by that?" she asked. But Edith only blushed more, looking more confused. " Is it a secret between you ? " The girl bowed her head. " Oh, very well, then, don't divulge it for the world." " You are not angry, dear ? It was his wish." " Not I, indeed. Of what consequence is it to me one way7 or the other ? " Before Edith could reply, and to her inexpressible relief, a gentle tap was heard at the door and Mr. Logan entered, a winning smile on his fat face.

" May I be permitted to indulge in a little light refreshment ? " he asked, pointing his fat forefinger at the teapot. Kitty looked at him sullenly. Then she said, " You may, if you don't mind putting on your coat." " Coat," said Logan with a smile, " I'm much more comfortable as I am." " No doubt." " Well, upon my soul, Kit, y7ou're a cool one. No one would ever think that you had seen your father carving the Sunday dinner in his shirt-sleeves." " I had no authority over my father," she said, the blood rushing in darker torrents to her already flushed face. " Besides, he was not a gentleman like y7ou." " I shouldn't think he was," grinned her spouse. " Fancy old Tom being a gentle man. Oh, it's too funny7, Kit, it is reelly." And, laughing heartily, the worthy landlord waddled off in the direction of the bar, returning a moment or two after with his coat on.

" There," he said, " I suppose you think I'm a gentleman now ? " " Do you think I'm a fool ? " " I think she's in a precious bad humour, don't you, Edith ? " " She has been very unwell," replied the girl. " Poor old Kit. The diggings a bit too hard for you, eh ? Well, when we've made our pile we'll pack up, go down to Mel bourne and buy a house at St. Kilda. Or, if y7ou like, we'll take a trip to England. I've often thought I should like to take a run over and have a look at that blooming country. It would be mighty interesting to see the place which produced Dick Turpin and Jack Sheppard." " They are not the only7 great men it has produced," said his wife severely. " That's true enough. There's Blueskin, and Jonathan Wild, and Claude Duval — and heaps of 'em. Ah, take my word for it, England's a great country."

And as if to further emphasise this statement he lifted the little cup to his lips, and solemnly swallowed its contents. At the same moment Edith caught his eye, and, acting on the suggestion which sparkled therein, rose and quitted the room. For quite five minutes husband and wife sat without uttering a word, she evidently occupied with a series of none too agreeable thoughts, he alternately sipping the tea and watching her. Presently7 he spoke. " When do the young people propose to marry ? " She looked blankly7 up from her reverie. He repeated the question. " I don't know," she answered shortly. " You know, he's a lucky dog," con tinued Mr. Logan with a soft chuckle, which might mean either of two things ;—satisfaction at her tone and demeanour, or at the prospect of the youthful alliance, " an exceedingly7 lucky dog.

Why7, there's not a man on the Flat who wouldn't spread his gold-dust beneath her feet if she'd only look at him. And some of them have got it pretty thick in their pockets, too, I can tell you. I suppose she's clean gone on him ? " " No doubt," " And he on her ? " " No doubt." " My pal Smith was, but then he always had a weakness for the women. Not that he's any great chop in the beauty line ; but I'm told they7 like 'em ugly." " Then yrou ought to be in great demand." " I didn't say I wasn't," he replied with a knowing smile. " But you don't expect a fellow to blow his own trumpet, do y7ou ? Modest is as modest does, Mrs. Logan." " And to what does all this modesty tend ? " she asked coldly. " 'Gad, you're as cutting as a hailstorm, Kit ; but y7ou're a sensible woman for all that, Now what's y7our candid opinion of this marriage ?

" " My7 opinion," she laughed a little ex citedly7. "What is it to do with me? If they have determined to marry, what earthly power can stop them ? " " Marriages have been stopped, y7ou know," suggested her husband in a low, meaning voice. " And, between ourselves, Kit, I think we ought to try and stop this one." " Why should we ? " she asked, turning her searching eyes full on his face. " My dear Kit, we can't let the girl marry a pauper." She laughed oddly. " You have grown mightily interested all at once." " I am growing fond of the child. But is my interest in this business stronger than yours ? " " I'm afraid I do not quite under stand you," she said coldly7, for there had been a certain insinuating ring in Mr. Logan's voice which had not entirely escaped her. "Ought it to be stronger?" he asked, this time with a frankness which was charming.

" You are the girl's cousin, guardian, only7 friend. You really must not allow her to throw herself away7 on a diggerchap — a fellow who hasn't a pound-note to his name." " But he can work, and he will make money7. Only this moment she told me some nonsense about his being on the road to fortune." " Not such nonsense either, Kit, take my word for it. It's a fortune of twenty-five thousand pound. Once he gets it, the wedding's a moral." " Well, and why not ? " Her voice was cold and low, but her eyes belied her tone, and Mr. Logan, who was not ignorant of nature's writings, read the lines quite easily. " Because, Kit," he said slowly, " I'm not altogether sure that Vincent would make the girl a proper husband. You see, his morals are a bit off, and the idea of entrusting one who has twined herself about my lonely heart " — here he looked reproach fully at his wife — " to a fellow of no moral principle, goes clean against the grain.

Besides, Kit," he asked with no little dignity, " how could I allow my wife's cousin to go and live in a hut at the camp ? " " But since your wife's cousin is a woman and her own mistress, I should like to know how you propose preventing her doing what she wishes ? " " If you wouldn't mind trying to ask a question without sneering, I wouldn't mind telling you a very effi — what's that bloom ing word ? — a very good way of doing it. In the first place, Vincent has no money." " Granted." " Then it must also be granted that we cannot allow our dear cousin to mate her self with a pauper. The man who marries her must be able to keep her in a manner befitting her station." '• What nonsense," said his wife. He smiled with his funny little eyres. " Will he think so ? Will she ? " " But what about this fortune — this twenty -five thousand pounds ?

A man with such a sum as that, or even with the prospect of it, cannot very7 well be set down as a pauper." "Now that's argument, Kitty," said her husband admiringly, " that's the head that won my heart in the old Bunyip days." Kitty winced, as she always did at the mention of that fatal period. The word Bunyip referred to the name of her father's hotel — a memory of the most painful nature. "Ah, they were happy times, Kit," he went on, perhaps not altogether unconscious of the irritation he caused her, " such times as I shall never see again. You were as sprightly as a kangaroo rat in those days, and had a face as bright and cheerful as a bit of new pewter. And look at you now. You've never got a pleasant word for me, and your face is as black and glum as a pot of stale porter. When I think of what you are to me, and what you were when we went away7 to Geelong for our honeymoon, 1 feel as though I could he down and die."

And though Mr. Logan did not exactly suit the action to the word, he nevertheless blinked his eyes in the most remarkable manner, and wobbled on his seat like a sympathetic jelly-fish. Kitty's brows drew close together, and her beautiful full mouth curled up con temptuously7. It was evident that she did not appreciate her husband's eloquent out burst. " You will be good enough to stop that drivel," she said, " if you wish me to listen. Moreover, I have no wish to be reminded of what I am eternally striving to forget." " Well, you take it, Mrs. Logan. Any body would think you wasn't proud of the name you bore." She laughed disdainfully. "I ought to be." " Yes," said he impressively7, though his little eyes shone angrily through their ridges of fat, " you ought. It's a good name and an honest one, and belonged to the kings of Ireland, too."

" I never knew an Irish name that didn't." " Nor I," replied her husband with a laugh, " which is more than you can say for the English, anyway. But y7ou were suggesting that George Vincent could not be poor with the almost certain prospect of getting twenty-five thousand pound. No more he could. But if by any chance he should lose that prospect ? " " Well, suppose he did ? " Her voice quivered in spite of her determination. " Not that I hope he will," added Logan, " for you can easily overlook a man's morals when he heaps twenty five thousand pound beside 'em." " This is supposing he gets the fortune ? " VOL. II. " He's sure to get it — unless he loses the paper," the man added indifferently. " The paper — what paper ? " " It's a bit of paper written in cipher. It tells where the twenty-five thousand pound is hid."

" You don't mean Ben Hall's Plant ? " " Yes, my girl, I believe that is what they call it. I wish I only had his chance. I'd settle ten thousand on you, Kit, that's what I'd do, and you shouldn't live with me, old girl, unless you liked. But of course, theyr'll get it instead. George will pack up his swag and toddle off to Melbourne, buy7 a viUa at the seaside — though I wouldn't mind Collingwood Flat with such a girl — become a regular toff, and forget that there was ever such a place as Dead Man's Flat." "Does he know y7ou know he has this Mr. Logan felt his blood thrill, but masking his delight answered indifferently, " Bless you no. He thinks we're as green as he pretends to be." "Then how did y7ou know it was in his possession ? " Peter was a little taken aback at this question, but cocking up his head like a dog, he said with a tantalising smile, " How do I know that he carries it in his waist belt ?

Never y7ou mind, my dear. It's a secret between me and the little bird that brought it." And with the same tantalis ing look on his face he wagged his head sagaciously, rose from his seat, and waddled from the room. Once outside the door, he stopped for a few moments listening intently, then going down on his knees, an elephan tine movement, but one which he accom plished noiselessly, he peeped through the keyhole. One quick glance seemed suffi cient. Arising with a look of intense satisfaction on his ugly face he waddled to- 17* wards the bar, muttering, " The devil's got her fast, we'll have some fun by-and-by." For a long time after her worthy spouse had quitted the apartment Kitty sat with her cheek in her hand, a prey to a thousand racking thoughts. Her husband's insinuations had found a ready entrance into her breast, whence they issued to her brain, blurring her sense of honour and self-respect.

Now was she equal to any undertaking, no matter how despicable or daring ; and now again the softer and purer side of her nature would uprise and drive back the legions of false and foul thoughts which encompassed her. Passion ate and wilful by7 nature, ill-trained ; brought up by a father more passionate and ill-trained than herself, it is not sur prising that she should have been one whose life was a constant rebellion against restraint. Neither is the atmosphere of the bar-room one in which such natures imbibe humility, the meekness of the dove. Ever since she was old enough to be noticed she was praised for her beauty ; as a woman, flattery rang incessantly in her ears ; when she spoke it was to be obey7ed, when her beautiful mouth curled in anger, men shrank back as they would from a scourge.

But she was proud, proud as Lucifer ; a vain and ignorant pride to be sure — devilish, obstinate as death. With proper training she would have been a grand and stately lady, one in whom all people would have seen that curious phe nomenon known only to the initiated — the mark of noble birth. You see it in queens and their satellites, but never in the thousands of beautiful stars which illumine this earth with their glory. If ever there was a star-woman it was this daughter of the tap-room. Beautiful, inscrutable ; like a star in brightness, indifference ; but most like a star in her fire.

Chapter II. Delilah

All the next morning Kitty went about with a strange haunted look in her eyes. Her husband's veiled suggestions had found a ready road to her envious heart, and though at times her sense of honour shrank from subterfuge or deceit, her passionate nature revolted at the thought of a tame submission. To her it seemed no wrong that she should envy her cousin the love of this young man, for was she not loveless and more miserable than any woman beneath the sun ? She was not a false woman ; she had not sought him. He came bringing sunshine into her life, and she dreaded the threatening gloom. It was death to her, and who loves death so DELILAH well that he will not part with it ? Her sense, it is true, strove hard with her de sire. She knew she had no right to look upon this young man ; knew that her very hope, if gratified, would bear an everlasting anguish.

And yet she could not help but look. How many of us, 0 my brothers and sisters, know nothing of this longing ? Once only Edith spoke to her that day7, and when she kissed her lips she found them cold and hard. Glancing up into her cousin's eyes she was terrified at the look she saw. If eyes can devour, and we have often read of them doing so, Kitty's were certainly7 feasting gluttonously on the girl's face. There was a look of wonder, of yearning, and trying-to-see. She held Edith's head between her hands and stared into her face with an intenseness almost terrifying ; every hair of that pretty head she took in, every7 feature, every curve. Then with an odd little laugh she turned aside, while the girl, more than fearful, hurried off to her room, convinced that her cousin had gone mad. There was still another member of this strange household to whom the eccentrici ties of Mrs. Kitty seemed to afford no end of speculation.

Mr. Logan watched her all through that morning with unremitting zeal, satisfied, yet furious. That his seeds of suggestion had not fallen on barren ground, his wife's pre-occupied air and eccentricity of manner fully justified him in believing, which, though undoubtedly gratifying, was none the less exceedingly provoking, for to him it proved conclu sively7 that her affections were lavished on another. Now Mr. Logan was not one of those whom we could call extremely fastidious, but even the most depraved of mortals have feelings, and sentiments too, when their own skin is in danger, and if this vulgar creature had ever loved any7- DELILAH. 25 thing it was himself. And if we go still further and admit that there is a universal similarity in human nature, we shall under stand why he fumed so boisterously7 at the better half of himself turning its back, as it were, upon himself.

In other words, the worthy landlord was jealous. He had taken this girl to his bosom (in a moment of weakness it is true), and once a man has done that sort of thing he cannot altogether forget what has been. He may hate her, despise her, wish her to the devil every7 hour of his life,; but he can never forget that she is and has been a wife to him, and that fact alone will make her different from all other women. Now the excellent Boni face could do much to suit his ends, as we have seen, and shall see more ; he would have objected to very little, by way of experiment, but that she should, virgin-like, lock herself against him while her whole soul yearned for another, was what no reputable husband could be expected to tolerate. Neither would he — he'd see them dashed first. I am afraid, though, that he did not confine himself to this simple epithet.

At times the most desperate resolves whirled through his brain, and if only one or two of them had been put into execution it would have gone hard with Mr. George Vincent. But luckily for that y7oung man, Mr. Logan had some solid reasons for not appearing himself upon the scene of any action which might lead to an investigation ; besides which, was it not a much more clever and palatable thing to play off the woman against her lover ? Once let the young man know what Kitty really was, and there would be no more to fear from him. And as the landlord watched his wife from out the corners of his little eyes, marked the gloom of her brow, the sullen light in her eyes, he felt as though he were indeed two persons, one DELILAH. 27 half of him being full of hate, the other of joy- In the afternoon Kitty went out alone, an unusual occurrence, and one which made poor Edith feel exceedingly7 miser able ; but Mr. Logan, who watched his wife sail forth, went back to his cigar with a grim smile, and for the rest of that afternoon proved himself the j oiliest land lord imaginable.

He did not see her on her return, but when she appeared in the bar that night, he marked her altered looks and wondered much what she had done or was doing. In an aimless way she attended to her duties, acknowledged the many salutations with a stiff bow or a vacant look, and on more than one occasion astonished her interrogators by replying to their queries in a way they little expected. But about half-past eight Vincent entered. At his approach she began to tremble violently, and her pale face flushed crimson, but with one of those great efforts, of which only such natures as hers are capable, she repressed the strange quivering in her breast, gulped down the lump that rose in her throat. " Ah, Mrs. Kitty," he cried, extending his hand, his face aglow with life and hope, " how is the world using you ?

" " Pretty7 much the same," she said, looking into his happy face, and thinking she had never seen more fearless eyes, a more manly-looking man. " And what may that be ? " "Not worth the trouble of talking about," she said a little wearily. " But yrou look the picture of impudent health." " And I am impudent. Do you know, I carry my head like a drum-major and strut like a turkeyr-cock. When I walk the ground seems elastic, and there isn't a man on the Flat I couldn't knock out inside of five rounds." DELILAH. 29 " You are light-headed, George." "Yes. I must be very careful or I shall go off like a balloon. But where is she?" " She ? " " You know." He smiled in a sheepish sort of way, just like a big, overgrown boy. The corners of Kitty's mouth dropped, but she nodded towards the pri vate parlour and he disappeared with alacrity.

What her feelings were during the next two hours of courtship it might not be very difficult to imagine if we set ourselves the task. All through that period, which seemed like an eternity7, she paced the limits of her bar mechanically, smiling, talking, working — yet, above all, thinking, thinking, till her poor brain reeled. And, as there are no limits to imagination, it may easily be conceived that the brain drove many a shudder in upon the heart, and that despair, like the upas, sprang up, a darksome growth. And during the whole of this time her worthy spouse, in his shirt-sleeves, lounged in his favourite corner of the bar, smoked strong cigars, and drank enormous quantities of rum. And his little ey7es beamed like newly-polished beads, and his fat cheeks curled up about his eyes in the most singular manner, and his fat fingers, on which glistened three beautiful diamond rings of doubtful value, twined themselves lovingly around each other, or patted with brotherly solicitude the backs of his fat hands.

An exceedingly sociable Boniface was Mr. Logan that night — one who would have stood his worst enemy7 a drink, or kissed his mother-in-law. It must have been quite half-past ten, if not later, when Mr. Vincent emerged from the sacred precincts of the " private par lour " and appeared in the little snuggery at the back of the bar. His face was DELILAH. 31 flushed, his eyes radiant with joy ; indeed, so happy did he look that poor Kitty was forced to the subterfuge of wiping her mouth, in order to hide the quiver of her lips. " Well," she said, with a strange, excited little laugh, " is it still such a serious matter ? " " Still," he repeated. " It's more serious than ever." " And the happy day is fixed ? " " No — not exactly. The fact of the matter is this. As yet I'm scarcely in a position to set up housekeeping."

" But you soon hope to be ? she asked naively. " It will not be longer than I can help, you may be sure." " But is not gold-digging a very uncertain business, and may you not work for y7ears without striking a patch ? " " I shall not." " You are not wanting in confidence." " I think I have a right to feel confident, Mrs. Kitty. I will tell you all about it some day — say when you come down to Melbourne to stay with Edith and me." " You are very7 kind." Her beautiful mouth quivered painfully7, and once more her handkerchief was brought into requi sition. " You say it as though you hardly meant it," he said. "Do I ? What makes you think that ? " Her eyes sought his full of fire and pain. He turned his face away7, feeling quite embarrassed. " I don't know," he said with an awk ward laugh. " I suppose I'm a bit of a fool.