Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
If "Barbara Heathcote's Trial" has no leading motive as strong and as universally interesting as the author's former book, "Not Like Other Girls," it is, to our thinking, quite as pleasant and readable, and will no doubt enjoy its predecessor's popularity.
There had been a tone in Heathcote's voice when he gave his parting warning as to the fire in Medlicot's pipe which the sugar grower had felt to be intentionally insolent.
The improvement in Francis Heathcote's condition in the days which followed was, so the doctor and nurses declared, phenomenal. Robert Gale ceased to tug at his beard in angry perplexity, and melted into something which might almost have been called jocularity, as he watched the man gaining in health and strength. "Splendid! Splendid!" he would say, rubbing his hands together in satisfaction.
Heathcote's prediction, the committee overtook them two days later at a way-station, and Harley saw at once that strenuous days were ahead, because the committee had a full sense of its own largeness and importance, a fact evident even to those less acute than Harley; and it was led by Mr. Goodnight and Mr. Crayon themselves.
The Indians had by this time gained command of the whole of Mark Heathcote's possessions, with the exception of the block-house; and as their first act had been to apply the brand wherever it might be wanting, the roar of the conflagration was now heard in every direction.
When the fight was quite over, and Heathcote's party had returned to their horses, Medlicot for a few minutes was faint and sick, but he revived after a while, and declared himself able to sit on his horse. There was a difficulty in getting him up, but when there he made no further complaint. "This," said he, as he settled himself in his saddle, "is my first Christmas-day in Australia.
"Gentlemen," he said, "you do not yet know the full, the awful truth; I accidentally heard Heathcote telling Jeffreys about it." "Why, what can be worse?" asked Harley, and he was in earnest. "Mr. Heathcote's man his valet, do you understand arrives to-night. He is to have a place in the car, and to travel with us, in order that he may wait on his master." "King" Plummer uttered an oath.
I'll let you know my business pretty quickly." "It's that fellow, Medlicot, from the sugar-mill," said Joe; "the man that Nokes is with." "I thought you was a horse of another color," continued Jerry, who had been given to understand that Medlicot was Heathcote's enemy. "Anyway, I won't have my grass fired. If God A'mighty chooses to send fires, we can't help it.
'For all these services, and they were not, as I have said, few or valueless, I have received little more reward than liberal promises; you have told me often that this should be mended I'll make it easily done I'm not unreasonable I should be contented to hold Heathcote's ground, along with this small farm on which we stand, as full quittance of all obligations and promises between us.
"You like too much to be governor over all," said the German, as he stooped over the fire in his own hut in his anxiety to boil the water for Heathcote's tea. "Somebody must be governor, or every thing would go to the devil," said Harry. "Dat's true only fellows don't like be made feel it," said the German, "Nokes, he was made feel it when you put him over de gate."
Word Of The Day