An Outback Marriage

An Outback Marriage, by
Andrew Barton Paterson

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Title: An Outback Marriage
Author: Andrew Barton Paterson
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AN OUTBACK MARRIAGE
By Andrew Barton Paterson
Author Of "The Man From Snowy River," And "Rio Grande's Last
Race"

CONTENTS

I. In The Club II. A Dinner For Five III. In Push Society IV. The Old
Station V. The Coming Of The Heiress VI. A Coach Accident VII. Mr.
Blake's Relations VIII. At The Homestead IX. Some Visitors X. A
Lawyer In The Bush XI. A Walk In The Moonlight XII. Mr. Blake
Breaks His Engagement XIII. The Rivals XIV. Red Mack And His
Sheep Dogs XV. A Proposal And Its Results XVI. The Road To No
Man's Land XVII. Considine XVIII. The Wild Cattle XIX. A Chance
Encounter XX. A Consultation At Kiley's XXI. No Compromise XXII.
A Nurse And Her Assistant XXIII. Hugh Goes In Search XXIV. The
Second Search For Considine XXV. In The Buffalo Camp XXVI. The
Saving Of Considine XXVII. The Real Certificate XXVIII. A Legal

Battle XXIX. Races And A Win
CHAPTER I.
IN THE CLUB.

It was a summer's evening in Sydney, and the north-east wind that
comes down from New Guinea and the tropical islands over leagues of
warm sea, brought on its wings a heavy depressing moisture. In the
streets people walked listlessly, perspired, mopped themselves, and
abused their much-vaunted climate. Everyone who could manage it was
out of town, either on the heights of Moss Vale or the Blue Mountains,
escaping from the Inferno of Sydney.
In the Cassowary Club, weary, pallid waiters brought iced drinks to
such of the members as were condemned to spend the summer in town.
The gong had sounded, and in ones and twos members shuffled out of
the smoking-room, and went in to dinner. At last only three were left
talking at the far end of the big, empty smoking-room, like three small
stage conspirators at the end of a very large robbers' cavern.
One was a short, fat, red-faced man, who looked like a combination of
sea-captain and merchant, and who was the local representative of a big
English steamship company. His connection with the mercantile marine
had earned him his nickname of "The Bo'sun." By his side sat Pinnock,
a lean and bilious-looking solicitor; the third man was an English
globe-trotter, a colourless sort of person, of whom no one took any
particular notice until they learnt that he was the eldest son of a big
Scotch whisky manufacturer, and had £10,000 a year of his own. Then
they suddenly discovered that he was a much smarter fellow than he
looked. The three were evidently waiting for somebody. The "Bo'sun"
had a grievance, and was relieving his mind by speech. He walked up
and down between the smoking-room chairs, brandishing a telegram as
he talked, while the attorney and the globe-trotter lay back on the
lounge and admired his energy.

"I call it a shame," he said, facing round on them suddenly; "I could
have got up to Moss Vale for a day or two, and now old Grant of
Kuryong wires me to meet and entertain a new chum. Just listen to this:
'Young Carew, friend of mine, on Carthaginia. Will you meet him and
show him round; oblige me--W. G. Grant.' I met the old fellow once or
twice at dinner, when he was in town for the sheep sales, and on the
strength of that he foists an unknown callow new chum on to me.
People are always doing that kind of thing."
"Leave his friend alone,