In this way several weeks passed.

The Cornishmen performed prodigies of sinking; their perseverance and skill excited the admiration of all beholders, but no success rewarded their efforts. Hole after hole was put down, and one after another proved a shicer. They were, however, still very confident, and amused themselves by chaffing the Crawler on all possible occasions. This he took as a matter of course; nothing seemed to disturb his easy indifference; he was a great source of fun to them, and the recipient of jokes without end.

One day when the party came home to supper, the Crawler was missing. This was a most unusual occurrence, and after a time, when it was beginning to get dark, they began to feel uneasy. The protection they had accorded to the poor fellow, together with his imperturbable good nature, had engendered a liking for him, and they missed him more than they would have believed.

One

Various were the surmises hazarded as to the course of his absence. suggested that he had fallen down a shaft and had been too lazy to call for help. Another was certain he had found a soft piece of grass and had gone to sleep. While a third thought it was probable that he had stumbled over a nugget and gone out of his seven senses at the sight of it.

Just as they were speculating upon other possible reasons for his non-arrival,,the Crawler hove in view, and then and there gave birth to the only joke or repartee which he was ever known to utter.

low place in the bed of the river in some old workings, and had come across a small quartz feeder which he had followed into the bank, and at a depth of about six inches he had come upon a perfect nest of gold, which he had brought home in the way I have described.

The battle is not always to the swift nor the race to the strong.

THE MYSTERY OF WISEMAN'S FERRY ROAD (Continued.)

CHAPTER IX.

In her utmost lightness there is truthFor the root of some grave earnest thought is understruck so rightly

As to justify the foliage and the waving flowers above.

Love took up the harp of Life, and smote on all the chords with might;

Smote the chord of Self, that trembling, passed in music out of sight.

LUCY made a charming hostess. She had considerable powers of conversation, and was perfectly free from affectation. She had read many books with judgement, and was singularly well up in the literature of the day. She was also an excellent musician.

"Do you understand music, Mr. Caldecott?" she asked, as she sat down at the piano.

"No, but I am passionately fond of it notwithstanding. I think I can tell bad from good; though if asked to give reasons for my decision, I'm afraid I could'nt."

"I hope you won't be too hard upon my performance. I am going to treat you just as though you were one of ourselves. I always practice regularly every day, so unless you think my playing will annoy you, I shall take my hour as usual."

66

Annoy me, my dear Miss Walton ! How can you say so?"

"Well, what shall I play you? Have you any preference for any particular style?"

"Do you know anything by Chopin? There is no music that affects me as his does. I like ïts dreaminess and

weird suggestiveness. It is so intensely poetical."

"Oh! I'm so glad, for he's my favorite composer. Yes, he is a true poet. Don't criticise my rendering of him,

mind!"

And Lucy Walton, to her companion's great delight, played with exquisite taste and delicacy of touch several of the dreamiest morceaux of the great composer they had been speaking about.

George wondered at her execution. He asked her who had been her teach

ers.

"Papa taught me all I know," she replied; then noticing that he looked surprised, she added, "Papa, you know, is a theoretical musician of no mean order. He doesn't play much himself; though when he choses it is a real treat to hear him,'

"I suppose you sing?" asked Caldecott.

"Only the simplest kind of ballad music.'

"Then do, please, oblige me, Miss Walton, with a song-a Scotch or German ballad."

"Oh! German's beyond me. I do know one or two of Uhland's, but I can't master the pronunciation, and it always appears to me to be such a barbarism to attempt to sing foreign words with an English accent."

"And you can manage the Scotch ?" "Yes, Mr. Hay drilled me into that pretty fairly. What shall I sing

you

a ?"

Song after song did Miss Walton warble forth to the complete fascination of her hearer. She was a great actress, though she knew it not. George thought of the lines

"Her mouth stirs with the song, like song; and when the notes are finest

'Tis the eyes that shoot out vocal light and seem to swell them on."

Yes! he was completely fascinated! It was not, however, until two or three hours had elapsed-until he was left alone, while Miss Lucy was away discussing the luncheon question with Mrs. Arnott, that he began to reflect upon his position.

Would he be doing right by this charming girl and her noble-looking old father to allow himself to be entangled in a flirtation which could lead to nothing? What were his prospects that he could encourage himself to hope? He felt certain that two or three more days in the company of Miss Walton would, to use the unspoken words that welled up within him, thoughtlike, "do his business:" and then refusal must dash his desire to the ground. How could he ask her of her father? He with his paltry hundred a year, his purposeless life, his folly-coloured past? And yet, why not? Why not act on his uncle's suggestion and try to win her? She would have money-money enough for both. Surely a Caldecott, though a pauper, were good enough to mate with an old sheepfarmer's daughter? Such thoughts passed through George's mind, and as usual, indecision won the day. He would stop till his arm was quite right. He would steel his heart as well as he could against its temptation. Besides, why should he be coxcomb enough to think that a young lady of Miss Walton's characterand position should go down before his sword and spear, as it were by a coup de main. Likely enough she had

dozens of other admirers. This was a thought, however, which George did not care to dwell on.

George had quite made up his mind before Mr. Walton's return to luncheon that "sufficient for the day was the evil thereof," and that there was lots of time to think of beating a retreat.

Three or four more days passed, many hours of each were spent by our hero in the sweet companionship of Lucy Walton, whose father seemed rather to encourage this growing intimacy than in any way to guard against it. Mr. Hay also seemed to be pleased with what was going on. As for the young lady herself, she took no pains to disguise her kind feelings towards the man she looked upon in the light of her rescuer from worse than death. The consequence was

that when George's arm was perfectly healed, and the time had arrived for him to start for Mitta Mitta, he found himself in such desperate case that he could not tear himself away from Uralmindry and her, who despite his feeble attempts to resist temptation had become the absolute mistress of his heart.

One morning, as he was returning with Mr. Walton from their usual bathe in the river, he said to the old gentleman,

"I must start for Mitta Mitta after breakfast."

"How's that? You're under no promise to your uncle, I hope. Why, you haven't been here time enough to see the place. I've lots of things to show you, now that your arm's well again, and you're fit for riding."

"I've been here too long, sir," says poor George.

"What! what!-too long? Nonsense, man, nonsense. If you tell me you have business to attend to, well and good. Go, and do it; and then come back. If not, why leave us?"

"I may as well out with it first as last, Mr. Walton. I love your daughter, sir, and I have no business. That's just the infernal part of it. Had I a business-had I means, I would say to you, May I try for her?' As it is, I can only leave the place where I have been too happy."

"I don't see your sequitur exactly, my dear boy. Why shouldn't you try for my daughter? I've no objection. Has she?"

"Oh! sir, how can you ask the question? Do you think I could have taken advantage of your hospitality to that extent?" said George, flicking with his towel at a bunch of lavender that grew near the doorway to his bed

room.

"I believe you to be a gentleman, George Caldecott. I'll speak with you after breakfast. Here" and the old man held out his hand. George grasped it, and with a light heart went into his room to dress.

As soon as breakfast was over, Mr.

Walton took George into his study, his 'den,' as Lucy called it, a snug little room in which the master of Uralmindry and his old friend Hay were wont to take counsel together concerning fluctuations in wool, the price of beeves, and other far less bucolic subjects. This sanctum was very plainly furnished, but a fine engraving, a proof before letters of Correggio's "Man of Sorrows," which hung over the fireplace, and a few well-bound, though much worn classics, justified its name.

"So the long and the short of it is, Mr. Caldecott, you love my daughter?" asked Mr. Walton, with an air of affectionate interest.

"I do."

"Well, you have my consent to win her if you can. I know the race you came of, and once knew enough of one member of it to be glad at what has fallen about. For mark me, young man, I have not been blind to what has been going on. I liked you from the first. Hay, too, a shrewd judge of character, told me he thought you were clear grit, and from what I have seen of you I'd be apt to endorse his opinion; so you've my consent to make the trial-but on conditions. Now, don't be impetuous. Listen! Can you support her? What are your means?

Caldecott blushed as he said, "I have next to nothing-but I have expectations."

"May the devil run away with your expectations! Of course my daughter would not go empty-handed to the man who wins her. But no man shall take her with my blessing and consent except one who, in possible stress of bad fortune is able to support her. If you (and I'll aid you in the task) are prepared to turn your hand to learn some business, I'll promise you this, that whenever you can come and say, 'Mr. Walton, I can support a wife decently,' I don't say 'fashionably,' mind you, but in decent comfort,' you shall have my good word with my daughter. What say you?"

"What indeed but that I am immensely grateful," replied George, who, to tell the truth, was slightly

taken aback by the turn things had taken.

"Now, I'll give you a bit of advice," continued the old gentleman. "You're a Sandhurst man, and ought not to have forgotten your mathematics and surveying. Why not read up for a surveyor! Do so, and the day you pass, should Lucy like you, she shall be yours."

"I'll set about it at once," cried George, seeing a bright gleam of comfort in the suggestion. "I wonder what's the right way to set about it, though?"

"Nothing is easier. Send in your name to the Survey Department for preliminary examination; go for a short time into the field, with a licensed surveyor, and then pass the final test, and there you are! It's a matter of eighteen months or so. The means you have are ample for the purpose?" "Oh, quite," said George; "but during the eighteen months ?"

"Ah, I see," answered Mr. Walton, smilingly,-"well, I won't be hard. You shall make this or my place on the Hawkesbury your home when you are not in the field. A friend of mine named Kenny, who passed two or three years ago a fine young fellow as ever lived-will be happy to take you at once on my recommendation. So we'll consider the thing settled. But, mind! not a serious word to Lucy on the subject until after you have passed the preliminary examination."

"All right, sir. You may depend But how shall I ever thank

upon me. you for this?"

"In one sense, easily. By remembering who you are, and by bearing your name worthily as a loyal, earnest pioneer in the work of colonization." (To be continued.)

-

WAR RUMOURS.

ALTHOUGH matters in the East are terribly complicated, and although the action of Great Britain is calculated rather to augment than diminish the entanglement, we are

of the number who believe that affairs will be adjusted between the Courts of St. James and St. Petersburgh without their being put to the cruel arbitrament of the sword. It is too much the fashion with Englishmen to imagine that their own country alone possesses the capacity for honest political work. It is too much the fashion with Englishmen to imagine that Austrian, German, and Russian diplomatists employ language only for the Talleyrandian purpose of concealing their thoughts; hence there is too little disposition to believe that at the present juncture the efforts of Prince Bismarck to bring the question of the Dardanelles before a Congress of the Powers are thoroughly honest. We believe that they are; and that unless Lord Beaconsfield is absolutely infatuated the long promised Congress will assemble with fair hope of arranging the difficulty, if not permanently, at all events, for another quarter of a century. We perfectly agree with Mr. Laing, in his "Plain View of British Interests," that it is a "legitimate aim of British policy that Constantinople and the Dardanelles shall not be occupied permanently by Russia." But we fail to see how the action taken by England in, as it were, daring Russia to occupy those points, is likely to tend to a settlement of the question; whereas at a Congress where European sympathy would be almost wholly with the sensible British view (which is unfortunately not that of the Queen's Cabinet), all the probabilities would be in favour of Turkey in Europe passiug into the hands of an independent Christian Govern

ment. The war-scare got up by the conservative party in the inter

ests of a military-ism, which is too stagnant for purposes of army promotion, may also suit that particular commercial clique to whom famine prices and fat contracts mean more than cent. per cent., but it certainly surprises us to find a certain set in Sydney taking up the same cry at second hand oblivious of the fact that to the Australian colonies a European war simply means increased freights, higher insurance, and a crippled British market. The removal of the Sultan to Broussa in Asia Minor, more likely to have been caused by the action of his own people than by the advance of Russian troops, is, let us hope, the initial step of that movement so long desired by the European party of progress, the return of the Ottoman caliphate to its native Asian deserts.

TAKING a stroll through the Exhibition the other day, we were brought to a standstill at a stall where vegetables of a Brobdignagian character were displayed in the most attractive order. Such apples, such potatoes, and such pumpkins! There was one gigantic squash which was over three feet in length, and thick in proportion. How proud must have been the proprietor of the garden which produced this vegetable monstrosity, as he watched it day by day expanding into such unnatural proportions. It must have put him in mind of the fat woman who used to appear at fairs in England, "who measured 50 inches round the neck, 150 inches round the waist, and her weight couldn't be ascertained, she increasing some

pounds every half-hour." The difficulty which always met us at the coach and four which came out of a pumpkin for Cinderella's benefit, has assumed much less proportions since witnessing one of this size. As to the other exhibits, which are a great deal, as the auctioneers say, "too numerous to mention," being anxious to obtain a fresh and honest impression as to their merits, we put the following question to a couple of youngsters who had spent the greater part of the previous day in the Exhibition grounds, "What did you consider best worth seeing?" and they both replied at once, "the things inside." Now, considering the outside attractions comprised dancing dogs, marionettes, bicycle racin, shooting gallery, and other amusements, besides refreshments great variety, we looked upon their opinion as a deserved tribute to the exhibits within the building. We can therefore conscientiously recommend our readers to go and have a look at the "things inside."

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QUITE a number of Civil Servants were overcome by the heat of the on the Leger day. At one office where there are some eighteer or nineteen gentlemen exployed, no less than eleven had to send excuses for non-attendance on Easter Tuesday, based on the ground of indisposition. The Government should look into this, and see if they cannot devise some plan by which the ill effects of the extreme rarity of the public holidays may be

modified.

It was rather hard on the regular travellers by omnibus to find the company's time-table deliberately