Over the Sliprails Part 20

"That's the worst part of it all, I think. The Oracle went up North somewhere. In the course of a year or two his affair got over Gippsland way through a mate of his who lived over there, and at last the story got to the ears of this girl, Bertha Bredt. She must have written a dozen letters to him, Aunt Bob said. She knew what was in 'em, but, of course, she'd never tell us. The Oracle only wrote one in reply. Then, what must the girl do but clear out from home and make her way over to Sydney--to Aunt Bob's place, looking for Tom. She never got any further.

She took ill--brain-fever, or broken heart, or something of that sort.

All the time she was down her cry was--'I want to see him! I want to find Tom! I only want to see Tom!'

"When they saw she was dying, Aunt Bob wired to the Oracle to come--and he came. When the girl saw it was Tom sitting by the bed, she just gave one long look in his face, put her arms round his neck, and laid her head on his shoulder--and died.... Here comes the Oracle now."

Mitch.e.l.l lifted the tea-billy on to the coals.