CHAPTER XX
How It All Ended
In reality it was the prospector whose life Dr. Plumstead had saved atthe risk of his own, who did most towards setting the father of theseven on his feet again and righting him in the eyes of the world, whichis so quick to approve the successful man.
A word which the young doctor dropped in the ear of Mr. Reginald Baxtersent that gentleman and Mr. Wallis posthaste to Latimer, where they heldprivate conferences with the now convalescent prospector, and the resultof it all was that a company was promptly formed for the developing of agold claim staked out round the grave which the prospector in mercy hadbegun to dig for the unknown dead. So rich did this prove to be thatwhen the prospector kept his word, and paid over the proportion of hisearnings which he had promised to the doctor, there was no more worryabout ways and means for Nealie, who was now her father's right hand, asshe had been his devoted nurse when he was recovering from his burns.
"GAVE THEM BOTH HIS BLESSING"]
For a little while they all went to live at Latimer, in a brand-newwooden house which was made of pine trees and was fragrant of the forestin every room. But the first break in the family came when Rupert andRumple went to Sydney to be educated.
Thanks to the skill of his father and the other Dr. Plumstead, Ruperthad quite recovered from his lameness, and although he might never bequite so nimble as his younger brothers, he was no longer lame, and thatwas such a comfort to him that he seemed to expand into quite adifferent creature.
But, as Sylvia remarked to Rupert on the day before he and Rumple wereto start for Sydney, they were going to have trouble with that other Dr.Plumstead, who, not content with having the same name as the rest ofthem, had shown a great desire to be still closer linked to them bybecoming a relation.
"It is so stupid of him to want to marry Nealie," she said plaintively."Because I know very well that if she says yes, then I shall have tokeep house for Father, and mother the rest of you, which will certainlyspell ruin to my chance of an artistic career, and I am beginning topaint in quite an intelligent fashion."
"There is room for improvement," scoffed Rumple, who chanced to overhearwhat she said. "Don't you remember your picture of Kaffir kraals thatMr. Melrose took for mushrooms in a meadow? It will not do for you toindulge in swelled head as yet."
"I think that on the whole the mistake was rather in the nature of acompliment," said Sylvia, with a ripple of laughter. "For doubtless inthe first place the Kaffirs took the patterns of their huts from somesort of fungi, and so there you are."
"Well, anyhow, Dr. Plumstead is a rattling good sort--for witness howcheerfully he put up with all of us that time we took possession of hishouse--and if he wants to marry Nealie I don't see what is to prevent itmyself," said Rumple; but Rupert only made a grimace, which was his wayof saying that he would just as soon have the question of marriage putfurther off into the future.
"If the man wants a wife, why can't he wait until Ducky is old enough?"went on Sylvia, in the tone of one who has a grievance.
"Why Ducky? You might aspire to the position yourself, for you areawfully nice looking!" cried Rumple, putting an affectionate arm roundSylvia and giving her a mighty hug.
"Oh, I am not going to waste my talents in such a fashion! I feel as ifI had been born to greatness, and I shall achieve it some day I am sure;only it will put the clock back for a few years if I have toconcentrate on breakfasts, dinners, and household things generally,"said Sylvia, with a sigh, and then the talk came to an abrupt end, forDon rushed in to say that Billykins was all smashed up from a fall downa ladder at the mines, and of course there was instant confusion.
But Billykins seemed to have a charmed life, for although he was broughthome in the ambulance, and groaned as loudly as a whole hospital full ofpatients, when his father came to make an examination of his hurts theyturned out to be only a few surface scratches and a bruise or two.
"Why, I made sure that I had got a broken leg!" exclaimed Billykins,standing straight up on both feet and looking the picture ofdisappointment. "Are you sure there are no bones broken, Father?"
"Quite sure, my son," said Dr. Plumstead, with a laugh of relief, for hehad supposed there must have been some more serious injury consideringhow far the boy had fallen. "But if you feel dissatisfied with myexamination, here comes the other doctor, and you can ask him tooverhaul you."
"Oh, he does not care for anything but Nealie!" said Billykins in a toneof deep disgust. "I expect that you will have to let them get married,Father, if it is only to stop him coming over here so often; for hispatients in Hammerville will be calling in another doctor very soon ifhe neglects them so shamefully. Why, this is the second time in a monththat he has been here."
"Yes, I expect that will be the best way," said his father quietly, andthen he went out to greet the other doctor; and that same evening, whenthe sun went down in splendour over beyond the sandy plain where thegold reef lay, Nealie's father put her hand in that of the other Dr.Plumstead and gave them both his blessing.
Then the crimson faded through gold to grey in the sky above the sandyplain, and the shadows of night dropped down on the grave of thenameless stranger under the mulga scrub; but in Latimer the streets andshops were brightly lighted, and all the busy life of getting and havingwent on, as it had done in the haunts of men since the world began.
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN At the Villafield Press, Glasgow, Scotland
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