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TO IT. IT ROSE IN WHIRLWINDS TO THE TOPS OF THE GUMS. WE WERE SIMPLY SMOTHERED. BUT WHAT A COUNTRY THIS OF OURS IS FOR SIZE! YOU HAVE ONLY TO GET AWAY FROM THE SEA-BOARD AND TRAVEL ACROSS IT, TO BE STAGGERED BY ITS VASTNESS. - AND EMPTINESS. MILE AFTER MILE OF BUSH, WITHOUT THE TRACE OF A SETTLEMENT. AND ANY TOWNSHIPS WE COULD SEE FOR DUST, VERY SMALL AND MEAN.

ED THAT NIGHT TO GET MUCH IDEA OF THE PLACE, BUT NOW THAT I HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF DAYS TO LOOK ABOUT ME, I CAN HONESTLY SAY I AM DELIGHTED WITH IT. TO BEGIN WITH, I AM MOST COMFORTABLY LODGED; MY BED IS GOOD, THE TABLE PLENTIFUL, LANDLADY VERY ATTENTIVE. IT IS A LARGER AND MORE SUBSTANTIAL TOWNSHI

BE A REAL ACQUISITION. I THINK I CAN READ BETWEEN THE LINES THAT SOME WILL NOT BE DISPLEASED TO SEE THE LAST OF RUMMEL. HE IS BY NO MEANS THE UNIVERSAL FAVOURITE I SHOULD HAVE IMAGINED. BETWEEN OURSELVES, I FANCY HE TAKES A drop TOO MUCH. HE IS STILL SEEING PATIENTS, BUT INTENDS LEAVING IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. THE CHEMIST SAYS I SHOULD EASILY DO EIGHT HUNDRED TO A THOUSAND PER ANNUM. AND RUMMEL HIMSELF TOLD ME HE HAS HAD AS MANY AS A HUNDRED MIDWIFERY EASES IN A YEAR. THERE ARE THREE OR FOUR NICE FAMILIES, SO YOU, MY DEAR, WILL NOT BE ENTIRELY CU

AND I HAVE AN IDEA- AND I THINK A BRILLIANT ONE. THERE'S A FINE OLD ODDFELLOWS' HALL HERE, WHICH IS IN DISUSE AND UP FOR AUCTION. IT'S OF BRICK- LOOKS LIKE A CHAPEL- AND IS SIXTY FEET LONG BY TWENTY BROAD. WELL, MY PLAN IS TO BUY THIS, AND CONVERT IT INTO A DWELLING-HOUSE. THE BODY OF THE HALL WILL GIVE US SIX SPLENDID ROOMS, WITH A PASSAGE DOWN THE MIDDLE, AND WE CAN ADD KITCHEN, SCULLERY, OUTHOUSES, ETC. I WOU

OU FOR YOUR PART MUST AT ONCE SEE AN AGENT AND PUT THE HAWTHORN HOUS

E TOLD YOU WILL PROVE TO YOU THAT THIS IS NO WILDGOOSE CHASE, BUT THE VERY OPENING OF WHICH I AM IN SEARCH. IT DISTRESSES ME MORE THAN I CAN SAY, WHEN YOU AND I DO NOT SEE EYE TO EYE WITH EACH OTHER. NOW TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR DEAR SELF, AND KISS THE CHICKS FOR ME. FORGIVE ME, TOO, ALL MY IRRITABILITY AND BAD TEMPER O

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UT YOU POURING COLD WATER ON EVERYTHING I SUGGEST. OF COURSE, AS YOU ARE SO DOWN ON MY SCHEME OF REBUILDING THE ODDFELLOWS' HALL, I WILL LET THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR A BARGAIN SLIP, AND DISMISS THE IDEA FROM MY MIND. PERH

WILD RUMOUR. NOR IS WHAT I SAID ABOUT PEOPLE BEING GLAD TO GET RID OF RUMMEL A PRODUCT OF MY O

HIS TERMS. I REPEAT ONCE MORE, IT IS THE BEST HOUSE IN BARAMBOGIE. SIX LARGE ROOMS, ALL NECESSARY OUTHOUSES, A SHED FITTED WITH A SHOWER-BATH, AND A FINE GARDEN- WE MIGHT INDEED CONSIDER OURSELVES LUCKY TO GET IT. RUMMEL LIVES IN A REGULAR HOVEL; THE PARSON IN A FOUR

PLACE LIKE THIS, WHERE THERE IS ONLY ONE STANDARD OF LIVING, IT WOULD RENDER US MOST UNPOPULAR. BUT EVEN SHOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND, MY ADVICE WOULD BE, NOT TO COME FOR AT LEAST THREE MONTHS. BY THAT TIME I SHOULD KNOW BETTER HOW THE PRACTICE WAS SHAPING. OF COURSE THINGS MAY LOOK BRIGHTER FOR ME WHEN RUMMEL GOES, AND I BEGIN TO GET SOMETHING TO DO. I'VE BEEN HERE NEARLY A FORTNIGHT NOW, AND HE SHOWS NO MORE SIGNS OF LEAVING THAN AT FIRST. HE IS STILL ATTENDING PATIE

SECOND OPINION TO FALL BACK ON. - I DON'T NEED YOU TO TELL ME, MY DEAR, THAT A HUNDRED CONFINEMENTS IN THE YEAR WOULD BE STIFF WORK. BUT THEY WOULD ALSO MEAN A PRINCELY INCOME. HOWEVER, I HAVE NO INTENTION OF DRAGGING YOU HERE

TO BEAR YOU COMPANY. I AM SORRY TO HEAR YOU HAVE HEARD OF NO LIKELY TENANTS. WE OUGHT TO GET A RENT OF AT LEAST TWO HUNDRED, WI

TO-DAY. I HAVE CONSTANTLY TO FL

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THER PARTICULARS, IN ORDER TO GET MY APPLICATION IN BEFORE FRIDAY. AFTER SPENDING CLOSE ON THREE WEEKS HERE, I HAVE DECIDED ONCE AND FOR ALL THAT IT WOULD BE INFINITELY MORE SATISFACTORY TO MAKE AN EXTRA COUPLE OF

A HEAD, AND FOUND MEDICINE. I MEAN TO TENDER SEVENTEEN-AND-SIX, WITHOUT PHYSIC. GRAVES, I KNOW, WON'T LOOK AT THEM UND

FOR THE MAN AT TURRAMUNGI. SO YOU SEE RUMMEL IS NOT PERSONA GRATA EVERYWHERE. HE IS STILL ABOUT, AND AS MUCH IN MY WAY AS EVER; FOR AS LONG AS HE IS ON THE SPOT, PEOPLE WON'T

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TO UNDERBID OTHERS, AND TO ASK HOW I MYSELF SHOULD ONCE HAVE CHARACTERISED SUCH A PROCEEDING. (PERSONALLY, I THINK YOU MIGHT KEEP REMARKS OF THIS KIND TO YOURSELF.) WHAT I DO IS DONE FOR YOUR SAKE. IF I COULD GET THIS THIRD LODGE, IT MIGHT SAVE YOU HAVING TO TURN OUT AND PART

NETY POUNDS. SINCE HE WENT, I HAVE BEEN GENUINELY BUSY. THE PARSON IS ILL WITH INFLAMMATION OF THE LIVER; AND I WAS CALLED OUT YESTERDAY A DISTANCE OF FIVE MILES. THE HIRE OF A BUGGY COSTS SEVEN-AND-SIX- LESS THAN HALF WHAT I HAD TO PAY IN HAWTHORN. TH

AN EXTREMELY FAIR OFFER. YOU SEE IT WOULD ONLY BE LIKE PAYING A SMALL SUM DOWN FOR THE PRACTICE. I AM GOING OVER THE HOUSE WITH HIM AGAIN TO-MORROW, AND WILL THEN LET YOU KNOW WHAT I DEC

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MATTER, I AM STILL NOT QUITE SURE THERE MAY NOT BE ANOTHER SETTLING. IN THE MEANTIME I AM SEEING FRESH PATIENTS DAILY, AND HAVE NOT HAD MY CLOTHES OFF FOR THE PAST TWO NIGHTS. THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY I WAS CALLED TEN MILES OUT TO ATTEND A CASE WHICH GUTHRIE OF COORA HAS NEGLECTED: AND I HAVE BEEN BESPOKEN FOR THREE FUTURE EVENTS. THIS MORNING I DROVE SEVEN MILES INTO THE BUSH; FOR WHICH I SHALL CHARGE FIVE GUINEAS. IN THE MONTH I HAVE BEEN HERE- TEN

THAT I DO NOT GO IN FOR THAT KIND OF THING. IT SOMETIMES NEEDS A GOOD DEAL OF TACT TO PUT THEM OFF WITHOUT GIVING OFFENCE: BUT SO FAR I HAVE MANAGED PRETTY WELL. FROM ALL I NOW HEAR, RUMMEL MUST HAVE BEEN A SEASONED DRINKER- A REGUL

ND YOU THE EXACT MEASUREMENTS IN A DAY OR TWO- BUT ALL HAVE FRENCH WINDOWS AND ARE FITTED WITH VENETIAN BLINDS. THE GARDEN IS WELL STOCKED WITH FRUIT, FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES. I SHALL KEEP A MAN TO LOOK AFTER IT. I THINK YOU HAD BETTER TRY AND INDUCE

TRODUCED TO THE WIFE OF ONE OF THE LEADING SQUATTERS. LIKE EVERY ONE ELSE, SHE SAYS IT WILL BE A

CE MORE MAKES ME WILDLY HAPPY. TELL THE CHICKS THERE IS A SPLENDID SUMMERHOUSE IN THE NEW GARDEN,

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ACKEST FOLLY ON MY PART EVER TO BUILD THAT HOUSE, AND NOW I AM PUNISHED FOR IT. I CANNOT SAY HOW DEEPLY I REGRET HAVING TO ASK YOU AND THE

GO PUTTING IDEAS OF THAT KIND INTO THE CHILDREN'S HEADS! WE ARE ALL GOD'S CREATURES; AND THE SOONER WE SHAKE OFF THE INCUBUS O

LF BE FLATTERED AND BAMBOOZLED INTO STAYING. BUT THERE! . . . Y

I ENCLOSE THE MEASUREMENTS OF THE ROOMS. YOU WILL SEE THAT THE DRAWING-ROOM AND CHIEF BEDROOM ARE THE SAME SIZE- 12 BY 13 - THE OTHERS SOMEWHAT SMALLER. IT WILL BE AS WELL TO SELL THE PIERGLASS AND THE DRAWING-ROOM CHIFFONIER. AND IT'S NO GOOD BRINGING THE DINING-ROOM TABLE, OR THE BIG SO

WILL COST US ABOUT

BOUT AN HOUR- FAST ASLEEP- WHEN SOME NOISE OR OTHER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WAKENED ME WITH A TERRIFIC START . . . ONE OF THOSE FEARFUL JERKS AWAKE WHICH THE NIGHTBELL USED TO GIVE ME. EXCEPT THAT IN THOSE DAYS, I WAS ALL THERE IN AN INSTANT. HERE, I COULDN'T FOR THE LIFE OF ME COME BACK, AND WENT THROUGH A FEW MOST AWFUL SECONDS, ABSOLUTELY INCAPABLE OF RECOLLECTION. THERE I SAT, BOLT UPRIGHT, MY HEART BEATING LIKE A SLEDGEHAMMER, POWERLESS TO REMEMBER WHO I WAS, WHERE I WAS OR WHAT I WAS DOING. MY BRAIN SEEMED LIKE AN EMPTY SHELL . . . OR A WATCH WITH ALL THE WORKS GONE OUT OF IT. OR IF YOU CAN IMAGINE A KIND OF MENTAL SUFFOCATION, A HORRID

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