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Presently suddenly, it seemed to our drowsy senses two of the shearers and the bagman commenced arguing with drunken gravity and precision about politics, even while a third bushman was approaching the climax of an out-back yarn of many adjectives, of which he himself was the hero. The scraps of conversation that we caught were somewhat as follow. We leave out most of the adjectives.
Dave, Jim, and Andy held a consultation in camp over their pipes after tea, as a result of which Andy next morning rolled up his swag, sorrowfully but firmly shook hands with Dave and Jim, and started to tramp Out-Back to look for work on a sheep-station. This was Dave's theory drawn from a little experience and many long yarns with old diggers:
Another reason for not delaying the marriage was that the Leichardt's Land government was expected to go out of office on a Labour Bill, and that an appeal to the country would certainly follow its defeat. In that case McKeith's re-election would have to be considered, and an electioneering honeymoon in one of the out-back districts was an inspiring prospect to Lady Bridget.
Some of the older ones patronised the flowing beards and sartorial styles "all the go way up in Ironbark," yet if put Out-Back would have been as much new chums as city people, and were wont to regard honest unvarnished statements of bush happenings as "snake yarns"; while the youths of these parts combined the appearance of the far bush yokel and the city larrikin, and were to be seen following the plough with cigarettes in their mouths.
'Oh, I'm fairly well acquainted with life on big pastures, he answered lightly, taking her cue. 'You would be surprised, perhaps, at the list of my qualifications as an "out-back squatter." I'm a bit of a rancher had one in the Argentine a bit of a doctor a bit of a policeman I was in charge once of a constabulary force out in British Guiana.
Ashes are used by the natives for healing wounds, and I found them very efficacious in cases of sore backs amongst camels. Nothing but an entire change of diet and way of living can cure the "Barcoo"; constant washing, an impossibility "out-back," being essential.
Bill scratched behind his ear, and blinked at the dog. The dog woke suddenly to a flea fact. 'Yes, drawled Bill, 'he's mine. 'Well, I'm going Out-Back, and I want a dog, said Jim, gathering the cards briskly. 'Half a quid agin the dog? 'Half a quid be ! drawled Bill. 'Call it a quid? 'Half a blanky quid! 'A gory, lurid quid! drawled Bill desperately, and he stooped over his swag.
Instead of that, she was deliberately pulling down the barrier of rank and social position which should exist between Lady Bridget O'Hara and the Factor's son, the Out-Back squatter Colin McKeith.
All afternoon brass-band selections, comic songs, and variety items, blared out with ceaseless reiteration; and as the men-folk smoked and talked cattle, and the wee baby a bonnie fair child toddled about, smiling and contented, the women-folk spoke of their life "out-back," and listening, I knew that neither I nor the telegraph lady had even guessed what roughness means.
And now, after hauling the reader pretty well all over Australia from mountain-station to out-back holding, from cattle-camp to buffalo run we must ask him to take a seat in the Supreme Court at Sydney, to hear the trial of the "great Grant Will Case." Gavan Blake had made no effort towards compromise. He knew the risk he was running, but he had determined to see it through.
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