Toline of the Lachlan

           ABOUTtwomilesfromtherailway,theplainterminatedinarangeoflowhills,anditwasnotlongbeforethewagonenteredasuccessionofnarrowgorgesandcapriciouswindings,outofwhichitemergedintoamostcharmingregion,wheregrandtrees,notcloselyplanted,butinscatteredgroups,weregrowingwithabsolutelytropicalluxuriance.Asthepartydroveontheystumbleduponalittlenativeboylyingfastasleepbeneaththeshadeofamagnificentbanksia.HewasdressedinEuropeangarb,andseemedabouteightyearsofage.Therewasnomistakingthecharacteristicfeaturesofhisrace;thecrispedhair,thenearlyblackskin,theflattenednose,thethicklips,theunusuallengthofthearms,immediatelyclassedhimamongtheaboriginesoftheinterior.Butadegreeofintelligenceappearedinhisfacethatshowedsomeeducationalinfluencesmusthavebeenatworkonhissavage,untamednature.

           LadyHelena,whoseinterestwasgreatlyexcitedbythisspectacle,gotoutofthewagon,followedbyMary,andpresentlythewholecompanysurroundedthepeacefullittlesleeper."Poorchild!"saidMaryGrant."Ishelost,Iwonder,inthisdesert?"

           "Isuppose,"saidLadyHelena,"hehascomealongwaytovisitthispart.Nodoubtsomehelovesarehere."

           "Buthecan’tbelefthere,"addedRobert."Wemust—"

           Hiscompassionatesentenceremainedunfinished,for,justatthatmomentthechildturnedoverinhissleep,and,totheextremesurpriseofeverybody,therewasalargelabelonhisshoulders,onwhichthefollowingwaswritten:

           TOLINE.