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The Toll of The Bush

Chapter XXII Striking the Blow

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Chapter XXII Striking the Blow

The boys on the station were getting the big shed ready for a dance, for it was Christmas Eve. The wool, gum, and lumber had been shifted out the day before, and buckets of hot lime, boiled with chopped hide, brushed on the roof and walls. The shed had a solid floor of narrow planks, well laid on heavy blocks, and was spacious enough to accommodate the largest band of dancers likely to be drawn together in the district. The whitening and scrubbing being over, a stable-lad was busy suspending large kerosene lamps from the rafters, while another young man, under the direction of Eve, was engaged in looping up garlands of 'waiwaikoko' or owl's-foot moss, together with branches of Christmas tree, aflame with their blood-red flowers. An air of mirth prevailed in the building; jests and laughter passed from lip to lip, and echoed from the walls of the hollow shell. Geoffrey stood by Eve, now holding her in conversation, now encouraging the man on the ladder to renewed efforts.

'It's all very fine, Mr. Hernshaw,' said the latter at last; 'but when you've got to prop the stuff up page 237with your head and hammer it in with your teeth, you can't get an artistic effect every time.'

'You're doing first-rate,' replied Geoffrey. 'That's magnificent if you can manage to keep it like that—don't spare the nails.' Then he resumed his low-toned conversation with Eve.

A large heap of greenery was piled in the centre of the room, and a number of well-dressed Maori girls were rapidly twisting it into garlands. The floor had been powdered with ground rice and was already becoming slippery from the constant trampling of the workers as they moved to and fro. Also, Charlie Welch and Jack Wilson, the best dancers of the station, locked in each other's arms, were waltzing slowly and elegantly round the building, and had being [sic: been] doing so without intermission for the last twenty minutes. When they passed the girls they addressed one another languishingly in ladylike tones. Occasionally one of them would back his companion solemnly down the room and pound him heavily against the wall; then, with a fresh grip, they would circle gracefully and largely for a further five minutes.

'Look at those two,' said Eve, her eyes twinkling.

Geoffrey watched the couple benevolently for a few moments, then he turned to the girl, the blood quickening in his veins:

'The first waltz and the last, and how many in between?'

'I shall have to dance with every one so far as I am able; and I have other duties to perform. All you have to do is look about for pretty partners.'

'I can be happy only with one.'

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The dancers circled slowly by. Miss Welch was understood to say that her 'Ma' was wondering at her and that she really must stop.

Eve gave a little sunny laugh at their absurdities, and the gentlemen, encouraged by the sound, stepped out and waltzed blindly into Major Milward, who, coming in at the door, saved his cigar from destruction only by a characteristic alertness.

The young men drew back in horror, but the Major never turned a hair. 'Ha!' he said, 'busy? Mr. Hernshaw, can you spare a few moments?'

'Certainly,' said Geoffrey, and at once accompanied his employer to the office.

The two young men looked reproachfully at one another, to an accompaniment of tittering from the girls.

'Why couldn't you look where you were going?' Miss Welch inquired in deep masculine tones.

'Ah, well!' said Jack Wilson, recovering himself, 'the boss took it in good part, so it's all right. We'll have to get those sheep in; they want two up at the house. I'll give you a race to the stables.'

At the stable they provided themselves with horses, and opening the yard gate, took the dry, slippery hills at a rush, the dogs scouring ahead of them. The speed and dash of their horsemanship recalled to their minds the thoughts which at that time engrossed the youth of New Zealand, and they began speaking of the latest reported exploit of their countrymen in South Africa.

'Our chaps are doing great things over there,' Charlie Welch began.

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'They are that. I reckon old Kruger's feeling pretty sick now. You mark my word, the boys 'll nab him sure as eggs.'

'Shouldn't wonder. That Captain Milward's a holy terror. You can't beat the New Zealanders; they're just on top the whole time. The Boers can't shake 'em off.'

'And they're good men too, the Boers,' Jack reflected. 'If our boys can beat them they can lick anything.'

Mr. Welch signified his assent. 'What beats me,' he said, 'is the cheek of our chaps. They don't take more account of a Boer than they would of a bullock. The way that they seized this Pretoria fair lays me over. Here was the place fair bristling with guns, a reg'lar Gibraltar, so they say, and Boers inside thick as fleas in a bush whare. Then our chaps come along. "Surrender!" says they. "Surrender be damned!" says Kruger; "who are you?" "First New Zealand Mounteds," says our boys, grinning a bit. Then Kruger turns to Steyn, De Wet, and them. "It's all up, chaps," he says. "Get along out of the back; these men have got to come in." And in they did, right enough.'

'They're a rare lot,' Mr. Wilson agreed enthusiastically. 'The British army wouldn't be much without them.'

'You bet it wouldn't. Not but what it must be a bit encouraging to know that there's a couple of hundred thousand men close behind you, even though they may know more about piano tunes than straight shooting,' Mr. Welch allowed magnanimously.

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Geoffrey was a little surprised at Major Milward's request, because of late that gentleman had shown a tendency to avoid private intercourse with him. His daily visits to the store were hurried, and, whether by accident or design, it usually happened that Sandy was present at the time. This change in manner had followed on the return of the ledger, accompanied by a list of the outstanding debts, and the persons from whom they were due. Major Milward had glanced through the list at the time, paused sharply, and closing the book gone away without remark. He had not since alluded to the subject and, indeed, manifested some uneasiness when the conversation seemed to trend in that direction. Now, however, he had the paper in his hand, and as he seated himself at the desk, he passed it to Geoffrey with instructions to apply for payment of the various amounts.

'I see you have struck out some accounts,' Geoffrey said, running his eye down the list.

The Major was reading the correspondence before him and did not immediately reply. 'Eh? Yes, that is so. There are one or two that it would be useless to apply for, and others that should not have been included.—"Trust that in consideration of this payment you will——"'

'There is one here, sir,' Geoffrey said quietly, 'which can hardly be included in the former category.'

'Then no doubt it belongs to the latter, my boy—to the latter. Yes.'

'Will you allow me to discuss that point, sir?'

'No, I will not,' said the Major sharply. 'Kindly comply with my instructions.'

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Geoffrey was silent, and the Major, frowning portentously, completed the examination of the letters. 'H'm! Nothing here.' He rose to his feet, glanced at the young man, whose eyes were still intent on the paper, and walking to the window gazed out along the river.

There was nothing to see beyond the blue water and a strip of sandy beach, with a solitary black-coated horseman advancing along it, and after a moment spent in identifying the figure, the Major turned back to the room.

'Well,' he said irritably but not unkindly, 'I suppose you are entitled to have your say if you must.'

'I was made aware of the facts by an accident and with no intention of prying into what does not concern me,' Geoffrey began.

'Exactly—it does not concern you.'

'I must think that a father's debts are the concern of his son.'

'This was no debt; it was a gift.'

'As it happened. Originally, I think, the ledger proves otherwise.'

'You are persistent, Mr. Hernshaw,' the Major said somewhat stiffly.

'Not impertinently so, I hope, sir. No one could be more fully conscious of your generosity than I am, but I would ask you to allow me to remove this blot from my father's good name.'

Major Milward shrugged his shoulders and paced up and down the little office, evidently a prey to strong feelings. His was a fine, deep-chested figure for all his great age, and Geoffrey, watching him with kindly eyes, did not wonder page 242at the love and honour in which the county held him.

'There never was a woman for whom I had a greater respect than Mrs. Hernshaw,' the Major said abruptly at last, and in his tones there was the ring of something greater unsaid. 'Robert, I think, would understand the reluctance I feel in reopening that page of the account book after all these years. But you have put your case so forcibly that I do not well see how I can dispute your right to do as you please.' The Major paused and looked frowningly out of the window. 'And,' he resumed briskly at last, 'there is another matter we had better clear up while we are about it. I have been in correspondence with your uncle for some time past—since before you came here, in fact; and he has finally made me a proposal I am half disposed to consider.'

Geoffrey, suddenly enlightened as to the origin and intention of many chance remarks dropped by his employer during the past few months, which had hitherto puzzled him not a little, looked with interest at Major Milward as he returned and seated himself at the table.

'Your uncle, in the first place, asked me to acquaint him with your movements and assist you in any way I might find possible so long as you were determined to stay in the country. His general idea was that I should take an interest in you, and I did so gladly. I was able to assure him that life was supportable even here, and that a man might do worse, from an educational point of view, than pass a few years in a British colony. Finding that you had no desire to return home, I suggested page 243that he should make an effort to establish you here in such a manner as would give you a chance of earning a good income, and among other more or less feasible propositions, he has proposed to buy an interest for you in Wairangi.' The Major paused and smiled drily. 'Now, Wairangi's not exactly short of capital,' he resumed; 'there may be a matter of a hundred pounds or so that I can't squeeze into it any way I try, but I've been thinking the thing over, and yes, there are points about it I rather like.'

Geoffrey's thoughts leapt quickly ahead, and his heart beat more rapidly.

'It's getting fully time,' the Major went on, 'that I stepped aside and let the next generation have a try, and that being admitted, the only point to consider is the terms on which the next generation are to come in. All my sons, except Sandy, are amply provided for elsewhere, and to him the homestead will fall naturally, and with the homestead goes the business as a matter of course. It has grown into a good business and will go on growing, and I have always found it various enough to be interesting. It could employ all the activities of two masters, and so my idea, in the rough, is that Mr. Hernshaw should buy you a half share, and that you and Sandy should run the business in common.'

'It would cost a good deal of money, I suppose?' Geoffrey said.

'It would cost money, but the money's worth would be there. The goodwill would be only trifling, because the business depends mainly on the brains and determination that are put into it, and page 244those you would have to provide yourselves. The secret in business is to let no man pass you, and to achieve that you must keep moving. But, yes, it means money—money in timber, money in sheep, money in gum, and money ready to go in if required; but I gather your uncle is fully aware of what is needed and is prepared to find it. I have mentioned the matter to Sandy and he raises no obstacles; now the question is, How does it strike you?'

'It is very good of you, Major Milward, to consider it.'

'Not at all. This—if it is anything—is a business deal, and in that light you have to look at it. I may be more kindly disposed towards you than to those who have gone before you, and it's not every man, certainly, to whom I would make such an offer, but I propose to sell at full value and if possible a trifle over.'

Geoffrey felt a little foolish.

'Well,' said the Major, rising, 'there is no hurry. Turn the thing over, and let me know when your mind is made up. Thrash it out with Sandy, if you like, or take the books and go into it for yourself. Draw out a balance sheet, and see what the profit has been under the present management for the last four or five years—that will give you an idea and me too. You might have to thank me for advice now and again, but for the rest, it would be, as I say, a business deal, even though your uncle were indisposed to find the whole amount and I had to lend you a part of it myself.'

The Major turned suddenly at the sound of a step in the store beyond, and Eve stood in the door-page 245way. Her face was cold and white, with but a spot of colour in either cheek; her eyes shone with an unnatural brilliance. She looked only at her father, though her attitude indicated subtly a knowledge of the other man's presence. Geoffrey, watching her in startled silence, was conscious of a chill of apprehension at his heart.

'Father, Mr. Fletcher is waiting in the house to see you.'

'Fletcher! Tut, tut! I thought the boys had set fire to the shed with their pranks'; and vastly relieved, Major Milward accompanied his daughter to the beach.

Geoffrey, every vestige of interest in the late conversation struck from his mind, followed them to the doorway. Major Milward had his arm round the girl's waist, and was looking at her smilingly. Suddenly he loosed his hold and they both came to a standstill. There was a sharp exclamation from the man, a low-toned reply from the girl; a moment of silence and they resumed their way to the house, Major Milward talking eagerly, the girl moving forward with downcast face. They passed through the gateway and disappeared.