The bushranger's sweetheart : an Australian romance

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Contents

THE ORIGINAL SUNDOWNER EXPLAINS HIS SYSTEM, STRIKING THE FOREHAMMER, . ‘ - F : Out oF EDEN, .

A WIFE PROVIDED, WITF A GOOD BILLET THROWN IN, THE FINANCIAL DIVER, .

Tae MAJESTY OF THE PRESS, . 3 : ° SANDY MACINTOSH GETS A COMMISSION, STRINGY BARK FALLS A VICTIM TO CUPID, CAPTAIN RAINBOW APPEARS,

Chapter II. My Parting With Lydia

THERE was a little more in that codicil, not much, veiled up in the legal phraseology which troubles an unprofes sional listener to comprehend in its full meaning. Yet the words which left me a beggar were plain enough; also, I was able to grasp that the heir was a distant relative, whose name and existence I had only heard about remotely, a half cousin of my dead uncle, to whom this sudden change of fortune would take as much by surprise as it did me.

Having never experienced the want of money, for a few moments after the solicitor had ceased speaking, and while he and the old servants were regarding me with pitying glances, and a strange silence brooded over the library, I sat perfectly motionless, with a half-smile on my lips, without a sensation either of surprise or regret at my unexpected loss. Poor old man! it was just like what he would have done in his explosive state, write down the name of a man whom he abhorred in order to punish me for my contradiction. How savage he must have felt at the moment, and how he would regret it afterwards !

During these few moments of passive amusement, I was looking upon the mental picture of my uncle making that codicil without meaning it to be his final arrangements. Of course he had altered it all, and the lawyer had yet to turn over the leaf and read some more.

“Go on, Mr Sampson; you have some more to read, I suppose?” I remarked, with a smile.

“No, Mr Mortimer, I am sorry to say that this is the whole.”

“What !”

I leapt to my feet, with open mouth, as the awful thought flashed on me like a streak of lightning. I was a beggar, or worse, for during the past fortnight I had borrowed to

MY PARTING WITH LYDIA. 9 the extent of five or six hundred pounds, besides my card IO U’s at the club as yet unredeemed ; cut off with a pittance of twenty-five pounds per quarter for one year only, and this load of debt upon my shoulders, debts of honour, which, if I did not clear, would leave me branded as a blackleg amongst all the fellows I knew.

A red, wave-like blood rushed over my eyes, while a fury which I had never experienced before filled and thrilled my whole being with absolute hatred towards the man just laid in his grave, the old man who had brought me up so luxuriously, so uselessly, to cast me upon the world dishonoured and a vagrant.

I will not repeat the anathema which my lips uttered over that newly-buried uncle. As the servants heard it, they stopped their ears with their fingers, and ran frightened and shocked from the room. The lawyer alone stood rigid through it all, as if curses were pretty much in his ordinary line of business.

“Where are you going, Mr Mortimer?” he asked quietly, when at length I ended, at the same time placing himself between me and the door.

“To the devil, of course, to find that monster, my uncle,” I replied, with a wild laugh. ‘Where else can a useless hound like myself go?”

“Well, Mr Mortimer, there are lots of other places where you might learn to be useful, if you are not now. America or Australia, for instance.”

“With twenty-five pounds due three months after this, Mr Sampson.”

“I don’t mind advancing you that money at once. In fact, without any disrespect to the wishes of my late client, seeing that he did not consult me about this unfortunate codicil, I do not at all mind advancing you the hundred pounds, on condition that you leave the country with it.”

His words had a soothing effect upon my weak mind, so that I sat down and prepared to listen to him, for I had known him since my childhood, and respected him as an honest man.

“‘T may say candidly, Mr Mortimer, that I never was so much astonished, nor felt more afflicted, in my life than I did when I opened this will and read the codicil. Honestly,

10 THE BUSHRANGER’S SWEETHEARY.

I believe that if your uncle’s spirit could order me at this moment, that he would order me to tear off that codicil and destroy it; but as this is not likely to happen, we must face the inevitable, and resign ourselves to the most unjust and most unpremeditated act of foolish—nay, criminal—passion that ever mortal committed, and repented.”

“Thank you, Mr Sampson, for your sympathy,” I replied, stretching out my hand to him, which he took and pressed in a fatherly fashion. ‘TI feel better now, and but for one thing could ask the dead to pardon my late hasty words.”

‘And what is this bar to your penitence ?”

“‘T owe in cash and debts of honour over a thousand pounds.”

“Ah! well, candidly, Lucknow, I am not sorry to hear it, for as you cannot satisfy your creditors, the Jews, and those fast club friends of yours with one hundred pounds, there is only one other course left open for you at present.”

“‘ And that is death ?”

“Oh dear, no, nothing half so romantic. You must just let those debts lie over for the present, until you have made enough money to repay them, and meantime drop out of sight,—go abroad, where there are lots of chances for a tall, strong, accomplished young fellow to return with a fortune, or— Yes, you may try that first.”

“Try what, Mr Sampson ?”

‘Wait here until the heir comes to take possession, and throw yourself upon his generosity ; he may get you into some gentlemanly billet.”

‘“No, not that, Mr Sampson ; I couldn’t swallow pride far enough to ask a favour from a man who takes from me what I was brought up to regard as my own. Besides, » from what I have heard about him, he is a miserly and usurious old curmudgeon, whom no fellow of any pretensions to spirit would consort with ; at least so I have heard my uncle say.”

‘Then he is old?” asked Mr Sampson.

“I don’t know, but I expect so,” I replied carelessly.

‘‘ Married, and has a large family, perhaps ?”

“That also I am ignorant about.”

“Well, Mr Mortimer, my advice to you is to stay where you are until this curmudgeon comes to take possession of his property. I shall write to him to-morrow, so doubtless

MY PARTING WITH LYDIA. 11 he will be here soon enough ; meanwhile, get your own property together and sent over to my place as quickly as possible, and leave the rest in my hands. Ii I can see my way, without lowering your pride, to make some arrangement—dignified arrangement, of course,” he added blandly, observing my impatient movement, ‘I will do my utmost to secure this. If it fails, then I shall take out a passage for you in the first outward-going ship, so keep your mind easy.”

In this way the family lawyer took his leave, having put me into a much more charitable frame of mind than I could have believed possible. There were yet a few days before me, during which I could enjoy good eating and drinking, and play the master, without the necessity of thinking too seriously upon my future réle as an outcast.

Yes, I had still a few days left to me before the evil hour arrived, and now that the first shock was over, I was young enough and easy enough in my disposition to be able to shove back the anticipations of evil, and, besides these few golden days, I felt that I had the love of the girl, for whose sake I had lost fortune, to console me. I would see Lydia Crimp, pass the remainder of my time in her sweet company, and afterwards go out to the colonies and make a fortune there, of course.

T felt as sure of making that fortune as I felt certain of the truth and affection of Lydia, as I had also felt positive of being my uncle’s heir.

I went from the library up to my bedroom to wash my hands and face before going down to the village inn, and as T looked at myself in the mirror, while brushing down my hair, I smiled grimly at the reflection before me, which was that of a young man not yet twenty-two, tall and strong enough to make a good backwoodsman, provided the inclination for exertion could be forced up—it had never been yet, but perhaps necessity might stand in as my friend in this respect—dark complexion, with rich enough colour, brown eyes with heavy lids, regular enough features, good teeth, and that delight of young manhood, a tender moustache of the same ebony tint as my abundant head-thatch.

Nature had been kind enough to me in personal gifts if my uncle had not. I was in no difficulty what to do with my hands and feet; my clothes were cut up to date, and my wardrobe was ample enough to serve me for a considerable time, even if the worst came to the worst, while as for trinkets, such as watches, rings, pins, etc., they represented a considerable sum in stock. Mr Sampson was quite right, there was plenty of time for despair yet awhile.

I dressed myself carefully and walked over to the inn, which my charmer adorned with her temporary presence. When I got there, however, I could see by that fine shade which landlords can adopt so easily towards their customers, that the news of my uncle’s will had travelled before me. Mine host was polite enough, certainly, served and joined me in the quart of beer which I ordered and paid, willingly, but he was not so servile as he had been in the past.

‘¢ Lydia in, Simon?”

“Yes, Mr Lucknow, but she aint well to-day; a ’eadache, or summat o’ that sort. She’s been lying down most of the afternoon.”

“Ah!” Icould have sworn that I had seen Lydia in the bar as I came within sight of the inn, but perhaps I had been mistaken.

“Then I suppose she will not be visible to-night ?”

“No; think not.”

The landlord left me at this point to attend to some of the other customers, and not caring to stand before these curious fellows, with a friendly nod to them I passed out, making the best of my way home again, feeling just a little discomposed at my non-success. In former times I should have been asked effusively into the bar-parlour. “ Ah, well, I suppose I must get used to that sort of thing.”

The next day was Saturday, and again I was unsuccessful in seeing Lydia, so had to amuse myself as best I could packing up my belongings, and going amongst my favourites, the horses and dogs. From what I had heard about the heir, I had not much hopes of being treated over generously in the matter of mementoes, so I was taking my farewell of all my dumb friends about the place. My hunter—ah, there would be no more use as far as I was concerned, for him. Poor old fellow, he seemed to know this as he laid his velvet nose against mine. Jenny, my own beloved mare, which my uncle had given me last birthday ; well, I had not ridden her much, so could bear to part with her without too much pain, She would always bring me something to my

MY PARTING WITH LYDIA. 13 slender fortune, so I gave orders to the stableman, Jim Wood, to have ber sold as early as possible.

The servants knew that I was going, and showed their sympathy, as well-bred English servants who are old retainers will do, quietly. They were doubly respectful, and showed themselves eager to obey my slightest wish. Altogether, I think that this unusual consideration made me feel more depressed and miserable than even the boorish incivility of the pot-house landlord, with the unexpected silence of his niece, Lydia Crimp.

After all, when a man is hard up, it is much more bracing to be snubbed than pitied; he can always laugh at the snubbing, it is the sympathy which demoralises his pluck and makes him limp.

Bernard, my dog, a fine young Cuban bloodhound, however, was a great comfort to me; he knew nothing about my change of fortune, and I knew that it would not matter much whether he had comprehended it or not, so far as his feelings were concerned. I had bought him as a puppy, and brought him up constantly beside me, and whatever he cost me in the form of passage money, I resolved that we should be mates. <A fine young fellow he was, just over his baby troubles, and growing staid and reliable, well-trained and affectionate; he could do pretty nearly everything except speak back to me. At least he did not disappoint my expectations. 3

During the afternoon one of the lads took over my packed and roped boxes to Mr Sampson’s, and brought a message from the lawyer. He had heard from Mr Thomas Mortimer, the heir, informing him that he would be at the Hall to take possession on the Monday. I had, therefore, only another clear day of repose before me.

On Sunday I went to church and listened to a funeral sermon from the Rector, who preached pointedly on the virtue of resignation to Providence, while the congregation watched me closely through it all. The good man gave me his hand at the door after the service, with a fine blending of severity and condescension, which did me a world of good. His living depended upon the heir, and as I was no longer of any consequence to him, he showed it to me as plainly as only these wise shepherds can do towards their flock. I was a poor, therefore a blackened, sheep.

Lydia Crimp was at the church with her aunt and cousin, but she hurried out without looking in my direction, yet I could see her back as she walked quickly down the churchyard path. ‘Therefore, hastily shaking off the flabby hand of the Rector, I made after that disappearing back as fast as my long legs could carry me, determined to get this business settled at once.

“Good morning, Lydia,” I said quietly, as I reached her side, touching her arm; for although she must have heard my feet behind her, she had not turned round.

“Oh, my gracious, Mr Mortimer, how you startled me!” she exclaimed nervously, giving me her hand, but without meeting my eyes with hers, while her aunt and cousin went on before us, after bestowing upon mea very curt salutation.

‘“‘T trust you are better to-day, Lydia?”

“ Better? Oh, yes—that is, not quite. The shock, you know.”

“Yes, it was a shock, Lydia; and now that I am going away, I thought you would like to see me.”

As I spoke to her, I was watching that white, plain face, and wondering what had bewitched me in it.

“You are going away, Mr Mortimer—for good?”

Her eyes were still kept resolutely fixed upon the grass at her feet, and her voice, although shaky with nervousness, was utterly lacking in the quality I had expected.

“That will depend upon you, Lydia.”

‘‘ How can it depend upon me, Mr Mortimer?” She looked up to me now with a cold look in her green eyes, having braced up her courage at last, I suppose. “ They tell me that you have no money, and no prospect of getting any.”

*‘ No, Lydia, not much, unless I make it myself.”

“Then what can you expect?”

I did not reply, but looked at her steadfastly, while she grew crimson and then vicious, as her class will when they want a quarrel.

“You did not expect a girl like me to keep to you now that you are turned out, did you—after all your fair promises coming to nothing? There, I call you nothing less than an impostor !”

“T did not expect much Lydia,” I replied gently. “T

ON BOARD THE VANBUROUGH. 15 only thought it my duty to see you before I left, and give you back your liberty if you wanted it.”

“Of course I do; but I wouldn’t ask your permission to break off this ridiculous engagement—a piece of impudence you expecting such a thing. And, of course, you'll be mean enough to ask back the presents you gave me; it would be like you if you did.”

“No, Lydia, I don’t intend to ask back any presents I gave you.”

“And I wouldn’t give them if you had, there. What Pve got I intend to keep, all except your photograph, which I don’t want. I have it with me, so take it.”

She put her hand into her pocket, and drawing out the portrait, flung it insolently at my feet.

“Good-bye, Lydia Crimp,” I said, holding out my hand, which she took and dropped quickly, turning away and muttering,—

“‘ Good-bye, and a good riddance, too.”

So ended my first love romance. It was about as prosaic as | was myself, I must admit; but, like the clergyman’s parting, it was decidedly wholesome.

I stood and watched that thin back until it vanished round a turn of the lane, with more of amusement than sorrow in my mind. So violently had love consumed me before, so quickly it died out, without even a trace of the fire. Those parting words had blown it all away, leaving the ground clear, if a trifle dry.

After she had gone from sight, I stooped and picked up my poor photograph, and then turned my face towards the kennel, where I knew I should find a hearty welcome from my dog Bernard.

Chapter III. On Board 7he Vanburough

Monpay morning came quickly enough, and brought a goodly number of letters to me from club friends, requesting immediate payment for the I O U’s which I had given so freely, at the same time pretending ignorance of my uncle’s will; from the money-lenders, Messrs Moses & Co., calling me, as Lydia had done, an impostor, and threatening immediate proceedings.

They were furious, these gentry, and their spluttering letters made me laugh while I sat with my old friend Mr Sampson at breakfast, waiting upon the coming of the heir. How quickly a man may descend from the pedestal of dignity, pride and honour! Already, seeing how useless it was to fight against my fate, I was prepared to dodge my creditors. The treatment of the Rector, followed by my dismissal from the false divinity I had set up, had made me somehow see things in a different light. And now, as I sat listening to the sage advice of my legal friend, honour, pride and dignity appeared to dwindle from colossal statues into tattered waxworks before the grim and brooding goddess Necessity.

“You will leave all these demands with me to answer and stave off for you until you are ina position to take them up and meet them, Lucknow.”

“You are very good, Mr Sampson.”

“Yes, I am very good, for a lawyer, because I haven’t quite given up hopes of you; but we shall soon see what the first move is to be.”

We were not kept long in suspense as to the heir’s intentions. He had written to say what train he would come by, and so the carriage had been sent for him, while we waited on his arrival passively.

As we waited, my hound Bernard lying at my feet, and Gyp, a little black-and-tan terrier, half foxhound half English, made himself comfortable on the easy-chair. This was my late uncle’s favourite dog and companion, and which had, since his death, attached himself to me whether I would or not.

At twelve o’clock the carriage returned from the station with Mr Thomas Mortimer, the future master. We went out to the hall door to receive him, and found there a hardfeatured, thin man of about sixty, with a decided stoop in his shoulders, and a frosty, ill-natured expression. The icy look he threw in my direction as he descended boded badly for any chance that I had with him.

‘You are Mr Sampson, I presume?” he asked the lawyer abruptly.

“Yes, Mr Mortimer,”

ON BOARD THE VANBUROUGH. a by’

« And this is your clerk, I suppose?”

“No, sir; this is Mr Lucknow Mortimer.”

“Oh, the heir-presumptive!” he snarled, turning from me with an ugly laugh, and walking into the house, where we followed him.

“ Took here, Mr Lucknow Mortimer, or whatever they call you, I expected you to have cleared out of my premises before this, and unless you have any business to transact with me, I’d advise you to make yourself scarce now, as [ have business to talk over with my lawyer, and my time is precious.”

‘Thanks, Mr Mortimer, for your hint. JI have no business to transact here that I know of, now that my things have been removed, excepting the removal of my horse from your stables.”

“Your horse, my bold beggar; I shall have to know something more about it before you remove a single stick from this house, far less one of my horses from the stables. Who gave you that horse you claim ?”

“ My uncle gave it to me last birthday.”

“Then I suppose you can show me writing to that effect, can you?”

He was beginning fair, this relation of mine. As he uttered the words in a loud, coarse voice, and fixed his icy eyes upon me, I was divided between the desire to laugh at him and the itching in my foot to kick him, old as he was. The desire to laugh won the day, so I burst out laughing, Mr Sampson sitting like a stoic through it all.

“What are you laughing at, eh?” »

“Well, I was laughing at you, Mr Mortimer,” I said at length. “Amongst gentlemen we do not generally produce documentary evidence to ratify a gift.”

“ But you are not a gentleman.”

“Sir!” The kick was coming uppermost as I stepped forward, while Mr Sampson laid a restraining hand on my arm.

‘Pooh, touch me and I will clap you into jail before you know where you are. Indeed, my fine fellow, it is probable that I shall do so very shortly without your assaulting me, unless you can redeem these bonds, for you are my property until you do so, as much as that chair is,”

He kicked the chair in question, and produced from his

B pocket three of my Jew bills, to the amount of six hundred pounds.

“Oh! so you are ‘Moses & Co.,’ are you?” I asked sarcastically, as I recognised the papers.

“Yes, I am ‘Moses & Co.,’” he replied harshly. ‘‘ Now, are you prepared to pay, or deliver up what goods you have taken from this house?”

“T youch for Mr Lucknow, Mr Mortimer,” said Mr Sampson quietly.

“Oh, you do, do you, very well,” snarled the usurer. “ All the same I must know what he has removed from the house.”

“JT will send you an inventory as soon as I can make it up,” I said, as I prepared to leave this wonderful heir to my uncle’s money.

‘Yes, do, or it will be worse for you; and see that you leave that horse alone.”

“ All right, Mr Mortimer ; good morning.” I turned and whistled on the dog Bernard.

“ Morning,—halloa ! what do you mean by calling that dog; he belongs to the house, doesn’t he 1”

‘No, Mr Mortimer, he also belongs to me.”

‘¢Can you prove it, sir?”

“No, Mr Mortimer, not by writing.”

‘Then leave him where he is.”

T moved to go out, with another laugh, for no man could feel angry at anything such a pitiful object could say or do. He did it all so perfectly unconscious of his own absurdity ; even the grave Mr Sampson had a twinkle in his eye, and as I walked out Bernard and Gyp followed me naturally.

“Send back those dogs, do you hear?” the heir shouted to me as I got to the door.

“Oh, you cannot expect me to be your servant, Mr Mortimer ; but if you want Bernard and Gyp, that is their names, call them back yourself, perhaps they will obey you.”

‘Bernard, Gyp, come here, good dogs.”

But although he used his most coaxing tones, neither of the dogs seemed to fancy the cajoler; they showed him their teeth, and treated him to low growls, after which they followed at my heels.

‘‘T shall put in costs against you for these animals, purebred prize dogs, remember,” he shouted after me, at which I

ON BOARD THE VANBUROUGH. 19 only laughed again, and went forth from the home of my boyhood, burdened with two faithful retainers, and without one idea as to what I was to do next.

I walked through the grounds, and when a little way from the front gate I sat down on a stile to smoke a pipe and wait for the coming of Mr Sampson. The world was before me now, certainly, to open and swallow as best I could.

It seemed awfully funny this home-coming of the heir. What a revenge my poor uncle had had, and no mistake. “Moses & Co.” in possession of the property, cutting it up into building lots and selling it, felling the timber which had been his pride, clearing out the stud,

“ By Jove, I am sorry he has got it, for poor uncle’s sake,” I murmured, as I thought over these probabilities, while Gyp, my uncle’s dog, came fawning about me, and licking my hand.

After a while, I saw coming up the road the stable-boy whom I had commissioned to sell my horse. When he came up to where I sat, he stopped.

“Morning, Mr Lucknow; I sold ’im for ye.”

‘You have, Jim ?”

“Yes ; got fifty on im, as I knew ye wanted cash prompt.”

“Bully for you, Jim. Keep ten for your commission, and fork out the rest.”

“* No, master, I won’t take commission this turn; but I tell ye what, they say as ye’re going out to Australia, and I want to go too ; let me go with ye.”

“Well, Jim, I don’t object, and so far as I can speculate on your new master, I don’t think any of you will be kept long at the Hall.”

“Right you are, sir; I seed ’un this morning when he arrove ; ordered the porters about right and left, without giving them a tip. He’s dirt mean, that’s wot he is, and I'll only serve, gentlemen if I serves at all.”

* But you'll easily get a place.”

“TT don’t want a place; I want to see foreign countries, so, if you don’t object, Pll go with you.”

“Tt must be as my mate, then,” I said, “for I have no money left to play the gentleman.”

“Right you are, mate or servant, it’s all one to me.”

So Jim Wood and I settled the question, and while we waited on Mr Sampson, discussed wavs and means. He had managed to save his passage money, and having no one to leave behind, being a workhouse waif, he had, like myself, no need to say good-bye or shed any tears.

Already I was rich beyond my deserts, having three friends to start with ; no wonder they call me Luck Mort.

By-and-by Mr Sampson came out of the gate with a flushed face ; for the first time in his easy life he had been badgered considerably.

That night Jim and I slept at the opposition village inn, and early next morning took our seats in the train bound for Liverpool. Mr Sampson gave me good advice; asked me to write regularly to him, made light of the debt I had burdened him with, saying,—

“Tt’s a speculation, my boy—a pure speculation. The miser is an old man, unmarried, and you are the next-ofkin, so who knows when you may be recalled. Go out and get some colonial experience, keep me posted up as to your whereabouts, and leave the rest to me.”

He forced on me not only the hundred pounds left to me, but an extra hundred as a loan from himself.

‘Keep your record as clean as possible, as I know you will, Lucknow, and all will come right in time ; never forget that your father was a soldier and a gentleman, only get away quietly meanwhile.”

Good sage advice, which I resolved to follow as far as I could. Whether I was able to do so or not, the sequel must prove.

At Liverpool we managed to secure berths on board a sailing vessel, Zhe Vanburough, bound for Melbourne. Jim took steerage, and I took second class. I had not yet learnt the value of money, and thought it best to come down gently in the sliding scale. The dogs, Bernard and Gyp, I managed, by private arrangement with the captain, to take with me.

From the extensive knowledge which I have since acquired of the world in its under current, it would have been better for me to have kept the extra passage money in my purse, and gone along with Jim into the steerage, for when a man has to take a dip, it is always best to plunge boldly into the water, rather than dally at the side testing its temperature with his toes.