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Meekin smiled； as a gentlemanly martyr might have smiled。 〃The Lord's work； dear leddiesthe Lord's work。 I am but a poor labourer in the vineyard； toiling through the heat and burden of the day。〃 The aspect of him； with his faultless tie； his airy coat； his natty boots； and his self…satisfied Christian smile； was so unlike a poor labourer toiling through the heat and burden of the day； that good Mrs。 Jellicoe； the wife of an orthodox Comptroller of Convicts' Stores； felt a horrible thrill of momentary heresy。 〃I would rather have remained in England；〃 continued Mr。 Meekin； smoothing one lavender finger with the tip of another； and arching his elegant eyebrows in mild deprecation of any praise of his self…denial； 〃but I felt it my duty not to refuse the offer made me through the kindness of his lordship。 Here is a field； leddies a field for the Christian pastor。 They appeal to me； leddies； these lambs of our Churchthese lost and outcast lambs of our Church。〃
Mrs。 Jellicoe shook her gay bonnet ribbons at Mr。 Meekin； with a hearty smile。 〃You don't know our convicts；〃 she said （from the tone of her jolly voice it might have been 〃our cattle〃）。 〃They are horrible creatures。 And as for servantsmy goodness； I have a fresh one every week。 When you have been here a little longer； you will know them better； Mr。 Meekin。〃
〃They are quite unbearable at times。〃 said Mrs。 Protherick； the widow of a Superintendent of Convicts' Barracks； with a stately indignation mantling in her sallow cheeks。 〃I am ordinarily the most patient creature breathing； but I do confess that the stupid vicious wretches that one gets are enough to put a saint out of temper。〃 〃We have all our crosses； dear leddiesall our crosses；〃 said the Rev。 Mr。 Meekin piously。 〃Heaven send us strength to bear them！ Good…morning。〃
〃Why； you are going our way；〃 said Mrs。 Jellicoe。 〃We can walk together。〃
〃Delighted！ I am going to call on Major Vickers。〃
〃And I live within a stone's throw；〃 returned Mrs。 Protherick。
〃What a charming little creature she is； isn't she？〃
〃Who？〃 asked Mr。 Meekin； as they walked。
〃Sylvia。 You don't know her！ Oh； a dear little thing。〃
〃I have only met Major Vickers at Government House；〃 said Meekin。
〃I haven't yet had the pleasure of seeing his daughter。〃
〃A sad thing；〃 said Mrs。 Jellicoe。 〃Quite a romance； if it was not so sad； you know。 His wife； poor Mrs。 Vickers。〃
〃Indeed！ What of her？〃 asked Meekin； bestowing a condescending bow on a passer…by。 〃Is she an invalid？〃
〃She is dead； poor soul；〃 returned jolly Mrs。 Jellicoe； with a fat sigh。 〃You don't mean to say you haven't heard the story； Mr。 Meekin？〃
〃My dear leddies； I have only been in Hobart Town a week； and I have not heard the story。〃
〃It's about the mutiny； you know； the mutiny at Macquarie Harbour。 The prisoners took the ship； and put Mrs。 Vickers and Sylvia ashore somewhere。 Captain Frere was with them； too。 The poor things had a dreadful time； and nearly died。 Captain Frere made a boat at last； and they were picked up by a ship。 Poor Mrs。 Vickers only lived a few hours； and little Sylvia she was only twelve years old thenwas quite light…headed。 They thought she wouldn't recover。〃
〃How dreadful！ And has she recovered？〃
〃Oh； yes； she's quite strong now； but her memory's gone。〃
〃Her memory？〃
〃Yes；〃 struck in Mrs。 Protherick； eager to have a share in the storytelling。 〃She doesn't remember anything about the three or four weeks they were ashoreat least； not distinctly。〃
〃It's a great mercy！〃 interrupted Mrs。 Jellicoe； determined to keep the post of honour。 〃Who wants her to remember these horrors？ From Captain Frere's account； it was positively awful！〃
〃You don't say so！〃 said Mr。 Meekin； dabbing his nose with a dainty handkerchief。
〃A 'bolter'that's what we call an escaped prisoner； Mr。 Meekin happened to be left behind； and he found them out； and insisted on sharing the provisionsthe wretch！ Captain Frere was obliged to watch him constantly for fear he should murder them。 Even in the boat he tried to run them out to sea and escape。 He was one of the worst men in the Harbour； they say； but you should hear Captain Frere tell the story。〃
〃And where is he now？〃 asked Mr。 Meekin； with interest。
〃Captain Frere？〃
〃No； the prisoner。〃
〃Oh； goodness； I don't knowat Port Arthur； I think。 I know that he was tried for bolting； and would have been hanged but for Captain Frere's exertions。〃
〃Dear； dear！ a strange story； indeed；〃 said Mr。 Meekin。 〃And so the young lady doesn't know anything about it？〃 〃Only what she has been told； of course； poor dear。 She's engaged to Captain Frere。〃
〃Really！ To the man who saved her。 How charmingquite a romance！〃
〃Isn't it？ Everybody says so。 And Captain Frere's so much older than she is。〃
〃But her girlish love clings to her heroic protector；〃 said Meekin； mildly poetical。 〃Remarkable and beautiful。 Quite thehem！ the ivy and the oak； dear leddies。 Ah； in our fallen nature； what sweet spotsI think this is the gate。〃
A smart convict servanthe had been a pickpocket of note in days gone by left the clergyman to repose in a handsomely furnished drawing…room； whose sun blinds revealed a wealth of bright garden flecked with shadows； while he went in search of Miss Vickers。 The Major was out； it seemed； his duties as Superintendent of Convicts rendering such absences necessary； but Miss Vickers was in the garden； and could be called in at once。 The Reverend Meekin； wiping his heated brow； and pulling down his spotless wristbands； laid himself back on the soft sofa； soothed by the elegant surroundings no less than by the coolness of the atmosphere。 Having no better comparison at hand； he compared this luxurious room； with its soft couches； brilliant flowers； and opened piano； to the chamber in the house of a West India planter； where all was glare and heat and barbarism without； and all soft and cool and luxurious within。 He was so charmed with this comparisonhe had a knack of being easily pleased with his own thoughtsthat he commenced to turn a fresh sentence for the Bishop； and to sketch out an elegant description of the oasis in his desert of a vineyard。 While at this occupation； he was disturbed by the sound of voices in the garden； and it appeared to him that someone near at hand was sobbing and crying。 Softly stepping on the broad verandah； he saw； on the grass…plot； two persons； an old man and a young girl。 The sobbing proceeded from the old man。
〃'Deed； miss； it's the truth； on my soul。 I've but jest come back to yez this morning。 O my！ but it's a cruel trick to play an ould man。〃
He was a white…haired old fellow； in a grey suit of convict frieze； and stood leaning with one veiny hand upon the pedestal of a vase of roses。
〃But it is your own fault； Danny； we all warned you against her；〃 said the young girl softly。 〃Sure ye did。 But oh！ how did I think it； miss？ 'Tis the second time she served me so。〃
〃How long was it this time； Danny？〃
〃Six months； miss。 She said I was a drunkard； and beat her。 Beat her； God help me！〃 stretching forth two trembling hands。 〃And they believed her； o' course。 Now； when I kem back； there's