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It was perhaps two weeks later that a serious shake-up occurred in the office force, of which no one seemed to know the cause. There was a mad scramble for advancement all along the line, in which Kirk took no part. But unexpectedly Runnels summoned him to his office. "How would you like an inside position?" said the Master of Transportation, eying him keenly. "So soon?"
Shortly after this we left the highway, and, turning westwards, passed through a dense jungle towards the eastern shores of the Murchison Creek, cut by runnels and rivulets, where on one occasion I offered, by dumb signs to carry the fair ones pick-a-back over, and after crossing a second myself by a floating log, offered my hand.
"'Follow, follow, he said; 'I go to bring up the people. "It was two days before Scrag stopped running. "From the Grass Flats on to the Islands it was all one reed-bed where the water gathered into runnels between hummocks of rotten rushes, where no trail would lie and any false step might plunge you into black bog to the shoulder.
"I heard your infernal pounding; that's what woke me up." Runnels calmed his excitement, which Kirk now observed was intense. "Where did you go after I left you last night?" "I came here, of course." As the memory of the previous night swept over him he scowled. "Did you stay here?" "No. I went out again, and was out nearly all night trying to walk it off."
One May evening the three had been out on some such expedition; the country side still looked gray and bare, though the leaves were showing on the willow and blackthorn and sloe, and by the tinkling runnels, making hidden music along the copse side, the pale delicate primrose buds were showing amid their fresh, green, crinkled leaves.
On the side opposite to that by which we had descended, the hill rose long and lofty, covered with mighty timber-trees standing in open ranks and overshadowing a rugged and unequal surface, covered with whortleberry, wintergreen, and cranberries, the latter growing only along the courses of the little runnels, which channeled the whole slope.
At the very moment when I was promising his daughter to help cover up his criminality, he had been deliberately plotting to make me his scapegoat. "I need a lawyer, of course," I told Runnels; and then I made the first and worst of a long series of wretched mistakes. "Send word to Cy Whitredge and tell him I'd like to see him."
He still pursued his calling, leading the sheep, when the hot sun had burnt the short wiry grass of the hill-slopes, down to the boggy ground where runnels of water furrowed their courses through the peat and kept the herbage green. But go where he might, he could not escape from the sound of the wallers' tools.
It's hard work to be uncomfortable, and I don't like hard work, you know." Runnels shook his head doubtfully as if questioning the genuineness of this attitude. "I'm afraid you're a poor business man," he said. "Rotten!" Kirk admitted. "But I've an idea I can make good if I try." "If you feel that way, I certainly will help you," said the other, warmly.
But sleeping I had seen roaring torrents; waking, I beheld a quiet stream. The little river, as blue as ever, and shrinking from all thoughts of wrath, showed nothing in its pure gaze now but a gladness to refresh and cool. In many nicely sheltered corners it was full of soft reflection as to the good it had to do; and then, in silver and golden runnels, on it went to do it.
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