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Chapter XV.

The residence of John Hobart now is all that can be desired —standing as it did on an eminence on the north road, with grounds well and tastefully laid off. Clara and he seemed to be on the same footing. She seemed never to thaw in the least, and was always complaining of ill health. Often when Frank Perryman called to see her, and again pressed his suit, she would always ask for time, pleading as an excuse the death of one of her parents; and Frank never doubted for one second that it was all true. He waited patiently, and sometimes would be more urgent, and on these occasions she would affect indisposition, and retire. Always after this occurred she would, on these grounds, keep out of his way as much as possible, and this made him more reticent the next time. Maud often called to see Clara, and always tried to induce her to visit them oftener, but she but rarely complied. Louisa Branscombe, too, sometimes accompanied Maud, but not always, for she had awakened to the knowledge that Frank loved this fair girl; and she was too noble-minded to show any resentment, although she could not help feeling envious, as in her mind no one was good enough for Frank.

One evening, after John and Clara had concluded their dinner, the former said: "Clara, I should like you to stay here for a time, as Mr Fixer will call, and I know a conversation with you is pleasant to him, and it is as well to gratify him so far."

"Very well, I will for a time. He is one of those sensible old gentlemen I like to talk to. He seems always so considerate and kind."

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"Yes," answered John, "I, too, like him now. I confess I did not at one time, but circumstances alter cases."

The speakers were interrupted by the announcement that Mr Fixer had arrived, and Hobart rose to greet him.

"Ah, how do you do, Fixer? I am glad you came, for I should have been lonely here alone. Miss Hobart is so seldom well enough to remain up."

"And how are you, Miss Hobart, to-night? You look better, I fancy; you should try and think so yourself. You know that is half the battle."

"I am about the same. Mr Fixer, thanks. I will try and take your advice, but I fear the result will not be beneficial in my case."

"Never say so; you should not be faint-hearted. It is really the worst disease of all. I often feel weary myself, but I always conclude I shall be all right again after dinner, or a sleep."

"But you are a philosopher, Fixer," remarks Hobart, "and that materially alters the case."

"Well, I do try to mix and use it as salt; but I feel often the want of more of it."

"What a strange simile, to liken salt to philosophy," says Clara.

"True," said Fixer; "but you know, Miss Hobart, after we grow old we grow peculiar also in our notions."

"That is not your case in many respects, Mr. Fixer. I think it is rather the reverse."

"I thank you for the compliment I assure you, my dear Miss Hobart."

"I did not intend it as a compliment, Mr. Fixer, I assure you. I speak the truth, and never flatter—at least knowingly."

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"Then I must feel doubly flattered, for you know in my own opinion I do not deserve it. With your permission, however, we will talk of a more worthy subject than your humble servant. Have you," he continued, "seen the new arrivals? Of course you will, if you have not already, as I hear they are enormously rich, and the daughter is beauty itself. I mean the Parks."

"No," answered Clara, "I have not before heard of them. When did they arrive, and do they stay, or are they on a visit?"

"They are, so I hear, an American family from New Orleans. The old people are both in declining health, and have been advised to come to New Zealand for change, and so far they are so pleased that they intend settling. I have met Mr. Parks, in fact he has been to me about an investment, and I rather like him. Of course he is very American, and not so polished as most of our purse-proud Englishmen; but for my part I like him none the less for that."

"Always railing against your own kind, Mr. Fixer. If you were a young man, I should say you were eternally fishing for compliments."

"Now, Miss Hobart, you are too severe. I have mixed with polished people for so long, who never call a spade a spade, but get some other name for it, that when I am with this class I do not see their defects; however, I no sooner meet men of a different kind than I think myself how much pleasanter it is to converse with people who speak as they feel. I know a man must be rich now-a-days to adopt this course, for should a poor one do so he would never rise in the world."

"You judge the world harshly I think, Mr. Fixer, and you do not, from what you say, encourage one to adopt the course that is to my way of thinking the right one."

"I do not know if it be a harsh judgment, but I regret that I cannot speak otherwise. Besides, you know, none of us are competent to judge, we can only pass our opinion."

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"And when did this family of which you speak arrive, and where do they at present reside?" asked Clara.

"At present, I believe, they are in town; but I hear they intend looking out for a suitable suburban residence."

"Why, Mr Fixer, what is Timaru itself but a suburb? You surely do not class it as a town. Why only the other day, when walking on the beach I saw an odd-looking man who seemed to me to be a sailor, building a sort of a mud house; and when I asked Miss Perryman what she called the place that was being built, she told me it was the magistrate who was engaged in erecting the place. Now, fancy a magistrate in any civilised country building a mud whare, as she called it."

"You are harsh on Timaru and the gentleman in question; but you must, or should, admire such industry."

"I should think you did, for from what you said just now, I should imagine it would be difficult for that gentleman to call a spade aught but a spade."

At this, both Fixer and Hobart, who had only played the part of listener so far, laughed, and Clara, too, joined, which, of late, had been a very unusual thing with her; and so much did it please Hobart that he felt quite grateful to Fixer for amusing her, and resolved to ask him up oftener, as, of course, there could be no reason for jealousy in his case.

"Then you saw Mr Bluff," said Fixer; "or, as he is termed, "'Bluff Billie.'"

"What a strange name; however did he get that?"

"From his bluff style, and from his name, of course. Did you not speak to him?"

"Oh yes, Miss Perryman and I went over, she introduced me, he shook hands with us, and quite spoiled my glove, for he had been carrying the great squares of earth himself."

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"He certainly is an original character, but not a bad old fellow by any means. What do you think, Hobart?"

"There are worse. I at first did not get on with him at all; but I upset him in law two or three times, and now he swears by me."

"But you have not told me what Mr Bluff said to you, Miss Hobart; and you know we are interested."

"Well, the first utterance he made was a kind of grunt, and then he said: 'Can't get no men to work here, ladies, so you have to yourself—rough country; getting used to it now, been here a good many years.' We passed on, and directly after we heard some boys who came along say, 'Hallo, there's old dry-skin building another whare.'"

The time had been passing very rapidly, and Miss Hobart showed signs of weariness; very soon she rose from her seat, and bidding; her companions good night, left the room.

"I think," said Hobart, when the two were alone, "we may as well have a cigar now and some of that old whisky you recommended me, Fixer, and I must do you the justice to say it is good."

"Very good whisky," said Fixer, in an absent way. "I say," he continued, "I think you are awfully selfish towards Clara. Why don't you let her marry Perryman, and then if anything did go wrong, we should at least have a little more to stand on? But now, you know, if old Grant should turn up, although we are in a good way, does it not occur to you that we should be somewhat in a fix?"

"Fixer, why do you ask me this? You know I cannot bring myself to it; and, apart from that, she would not marry him."

"Of course I don't know that she would, but I certainly think it likely; and your present course will, sooner or later, spoil all. page 127You know, Hobart, now our interests are mutual, otherwise I would not speak."

"As a favour, Fixer, do not recur to this subject; for so far am I from viewing such a proposal favourably, that I would risk all and marry her myself to-morrow."

"The devil you would," said Fixer; "in this case, I will say no more."

"Now, look here, Fixer, what I wish to speak about is this: You know what I was saying to you respecting that land speculation; now, we can buy that block of land for £20,000, £1000 cash, the balance on bills—a kind of trading, by the way, that I am beginning to understand better, thanks to you. What I am about to propose is this, the land has been offered to me— of course, in the name of the firm of Perryman and Hobart. Well, suppose I were to decline, but refer our clients to you; you could purchase, I could endorse the bills. We could cut up the land, sell it in small sections; and, in all probability, before the bills matured double our money."

"Looks remarkably nice on paper," said Fixer, "but for my part I like it to remain there. I am not so sanguine about it as you, and don't care to touch it."

"Fixer, I think this most unfair of you. You know you have never suggested a spec to me, and recommended it, but what I have at once consented, and now the first that I propose, you throw cold water on."

"I do nothing of the kind, Hobart; I always admit that each of us has an equal right to accept or reject the proposal of the other. You know just as well as I that we are doing far beyond our expectations so far; and what I say is, why hazard all this for any other thing which may upset the whole?"

"There is not, as far as I can see, any probability of our page 128doing that. You take too narrow-minded a view of the matter, because the proposal comes from me, and for nothing else."

"Hobart, I would sooner go into the thing on that account than any other, but I cannot see how it is to turn out right. Suppose that these bills become due before we can sell, which is our only chance to save ourselves and make a profit. Perryman, of course, knows then that you have used his name for £19,000, and all our chance is over here; in fact, all his money is drawn from the firm. Then, again, our credit is done when it is discovered the use we have made of it. No, you take my advice, Hobart; reconsider the matter, and you will think as I do."

"I shall not alter my opinion, Fixer; but I trust you will, and then you will say I am right. Leave it for a day or two, and let me know your ultimatum."

"Then we will, as you suggest, for the present let the matter stand for consideration," says Fixer. "But it is getting very late, and I have much to do to-morrow, Hobart, so I will go." And, so saying, the two members of the firm of Fixer and Co. parted.