In the Whirl of the Rising

“We can put on our jackets now,” he said. “We’re rich men for life.”

“It may be only a ‘pocket,’” was the more cautious comment of the other.

“Pocket or not – there’s enough stuff there to get us a fat offer from any syndicate. But there’s more. Well, didn’t I tell you we’d make our fortunes here.”

“Yes, but who’d have thought we should have to blow up the old shack to do it?”

They had realised on it well – uncommonly well – declared those who knew; and at once Lamont had set to work to clear off the encumbrances on his ancestral home.

“Peters threatens to run across to see us, if we promise not to make him wear a top-hat and a long-tailed coat. I’ve often told him he can wear anything he likes. Hallo, here’s a yarn from Ancram. Christmas cards too – um – um. ‘Kind regards to Mrs Lamont.’”

“It was good of you to get him that berth, Piers. He behaved very meanly to you at first, I thought.”

“He couldn’t help it. He’s built that way. And even then – if the poor devil got so desperately ‘stony’ – when you see a chance of putting him on his legs again, you naturally take it.”

“You do. You are always setting somebody on his legs again.”

“Ah! ah!” – holding up a warning finger. “Who is likely to suffer from ‘swelled head’ now?”

“Well, it seems to me you are going to get no rest on earth. You spent about six months pulling everybody out of holes, and now no sooner do we get here for good than you start in the same line again,” said Clare softly.

“It’s different, dearest. On that side one got them out of hot water; on this side one gets them out of cold – oh, very!” with a shiver at the recollection of his recent ice-bath.

Pearly and grey the Christmas gloaming deepens, a few stars peep frostily out, and in the gloom of the fir-woods an owl is hooting melodiously. And the stillness, with the peace of the hour, is sweet to these two, as it rests upon them.

The End

1

Literally ‘flogging the name.’ When a Zulu regiment returned from battle, those who had specially distinguished themselves were pointed at by the commanding induna and named to the King. Each thus named came forward separately and danced before the King, recapitulating his deeds. The while his comrades in arms signalled his distinction by striking their shields with their knob-sticks and roaring out his name.