Tis far to see behind that dark face, Peters said
gloomily. He was deprived of breath for the moment, as though by a violentblow in
the stomach.
Hadnt his father and mother kept their teeth till
twice his age?
In the doorway Gursey grinned, wider than was
necessary, to displayhis gapped gums. Peters exclaimed, turning up blue eyes of
alarm.
That whitish skin,them daisy feet, them little
fingers. Once the rot sets in nothingll save them.
He found Peters mixingflour and water for a
damper.
Ah, theres nothing to worry about Joe, he said,
layinghis hand on Gurseys shoulder.
And all thetime needles of throbbing agony thrust
up into his temple. And noo yellbe askin some fancy price for what comes i the richt
and propercourse o Nature. When Cabell first came to the valley hehad planted corn
down by the river.
Next day they took me in toBathurst and sent me to
the mines.
Yes,as if I HAD KNOWN FROM THE VERY FIRST MOMENT.
Again her face had changed, flushed and resentful.
The lambing gave an increase of one hundred
andtwenty per cent.
As he lay awake atnight Cabell could hear them
hissing in the darkness.
Gursey continued to gaze at him, feeding his mouth
automatically. If he heardsome day you were raking in money hed come quick enough.
He could have drawn a lot of consolation from this.
He picks her up like a cheeld thenand carries her
oot.
Yell mind them two bits o nags I was tellin ye
aboot.