United States or Venezuela ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Have you heard anything of the Mayfords lately?" said Jim. "You know Ellen is married?" said Sam. "No! Is she?" I said. "And pray to whom?" "The Squire of Monkspool," he answered. "A very fine young fellow, and clever withal." "Did old Mrs. Mayford," asked Jim, "ever recover her reason before she died?" "Never, poor soul," said Sam.
When they had ridden up and dismounted, Mrs. Buckley presented Frank. "My dear," said she, "the Dean is honouring us by staying at Baroona for a week, and proposes to visit round at the various stations. To-morrow we go to the Mayfords, and next day to Garoopna." Mary bowed respectfully to Frank, and said, "that she felt highly honoured," and so forth.
He said one short prayer, but that towards the end was interrupted by the wild current of his thoughts. Was there any hope? They, the devils, would have been drinking at the Mayfords', and perhaps would go slow; or would they ride fast and wild? After thinking a short time, he feared the latter. They had tasted blood, and knew that the country would be roused on them shortly....
Troubridge have taken up their country to the south-west, and as soon as he has got our house built, we are going to live there." "It is not far, I hope," said I. "A trifle: not more than ten miles," said Miss Thornton; "they call the place Toonarbin. Mary's run joins the Major's on two sides, and beyond again, we already have neighbours, the Mayfords.
Two of us may search the river between this and the hut, and two may follow it towards the Mayfords'. Sam, you have the best horse; go down to the hut, and see if you can find any trace across the river, on this side, and follow it up to the ranges. Take some one with you, and, by-thebye, take your dog Rover." They were all quickly on the alert.
"Oh!" said she to Major Buckley, "you must think me very wicked to think of such things at a time like this, but I cannot help it. There is something so shocking to me in such a sudden BOULEVERSEMENT of old order. Yet, if it shocks me to see my piano broken, how terrible must a visitation like the Mayfords' be. These are not the times for moralizing, however.
I am going down to look after Ellen." During these few moments, Sam had stood stupified. He stepped up to the Sergeant, and said, "Would you tell me which way they went from the Mayfords'?" "Down the river, sir." "Ah!" said Sam; "towards Captain Brentwood's, and Alice at home, and alone! There may be time yet." He ran out of the room and I after him.
By this time Tom was set at supper, and between the business of satisfying a hunger of fifteen hours, began asking after old friends. "How are the Mayfords?" he asked. "Poor Mrs. Mayford is better," said Mrs. Buckley. "She and Ellen are just starting for Europe. They have sold their station, and we have bought it." "What are they going to do in England?" asked Tom.
The river, as it left Major Buckley's at Baroona, made a sudden bend to the west, a great arc, including with its minor windings nearly twenty-five miles, over the chord of which arc Sam had now been riding, making, from point to point, ten miles, or thereabouts. The Mayfords' station, also, lay to the left of him, being on the curved side of the arc, about five miles from Baroona.
Buckley, my dear, would be the best person. But she is at the Mayfords', I am afraid." "Mrs. Hawker must be told at once, father, by some of us. I do so dread her hearing of it by some accident, when none of her friends are with her. Oh, dear! oh, dear! I never thought to have had such times as these."
Word Of The Day