November 1922 School Magazine

BRISBANII GII?LS! GRAIIIMAR SCIiOOL MAGAZTN.!] NOVCIrirbEr, 1922. The r. Lunatrc. wilderness as pioneers, thriUeal Hazel, ancl she hurried to shoiw it to her friencl.

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"Doing anythiug this afte'moon, girls?', de- manded Fred Graham, flopping lazily into a eanvas chair, ancl adrlressing his si,ster and her friend, Sybil, u'ho hacl long since taken possession of the shady ve|andah, ancl were happily lost in 'books. S/bil blinkecl, yarvnerl r,Yes__no_that is_are .lve, Hazel?" Hazsl dropped her. book, sleepily. ,,If it rveren't so hot, I'd like to walk out into the bush, near the otd Nanaba road, ancl see some of t.hose deserted 6ld slghalds-they fascinate me somehorw. " "Let's," said Sy,bil. "It's silly to waste a holiday, and we've,not inany lef t. Never milcl the heat!" "Rather lonely for you two girls to .be 'wandering about in that sclu,bbv place, isrr't it?" l-red objected. "Y,ou never kno\4' wh..rt fishy character-,rvait till to.mol'rotv ancl I'11 come with you." "Can't," Hazel declared firmly. "Picnic on." "But really," argued Fred, "You shouidn't. It's mile's; what if you,met a tramp-e1-or-- a raving lunatic?" "Don't ,be ridilculous"; tilere rvas scorn -in Hazel's voice. "Surely at sixteen-besrcles adventure doe,sn't happen in real lif e-3nd anyway I1m going to walk to that old mango farm this afternoon. And never a iunatic rvill we imee't-unless, of course, you cross our- track!" And u'ith a lautgh the girls disatL peared into the house. The old mango farm! Fred iookecl after them rvith a meditative ex- pression in his eyes-then he chu'cklerl audilbly. ,,Talk arbout heat," puffed Hazel; "I'm nearly deail! Oh, 'for a drink! Sybil, r-hal's the old place through the trees; let's hope the tank's not emipty." It was a long tramp to the spot, from the little sea-side place.where they were spencliilg the holiclays, and the clay was o'f genuine 'Christmas heat. Just a lit'.le along this track-picturesque, , yet dreary-- darkened lby trill ti-trees on either sicle, a,mong whose roots nestlefl clum,ps of fern, and the ramshackle co[lage wt uid be reacirct]. The old yellowed wall paper, the brohen woorl- work, the rusty pump, the musty clarkened roo,lns, the ever preseilt echoes of those, n'ho iu this little place, had tried t.o conquer the

The old place seemed forgotten by the rest of the world, as it stood surrouncled by trees, like durm,b giant sentinels-for no sound conld be heard, save the ,boom of the surf irr the; distance, and the ratile of the olcl doors in the $'ind. Having quenched their thirst, rhe gir'1.; sank dorvn on to t.he grass, tir,ed and hot, ancl remaihed there until they f elt sufncienilt- energetirc to eNplore the house. Slowly they pushed open the door and entereal. .,Lool( ar this funny old fire-place," Hazel began-then she sto,ppeal short. Footsteps couid be herr.tl coming along the dark pass.age, anrl berjoie either had time to move, an ojd and hideJ[s 'woman stood before them. Neither hacl e,ver seen such a queer flgure! Great goggles hirl her eyes, a torn and dirty yellow sharvl came up covering her moufh and chin; the recl ot he,r no,se could ,be seen_ in the dim light, anci her headgear might have tbeen created by ,_ire wife of Noah! But it v/as the claw-iike move- ments of her restless fingers, and the mel- acing attitude o'f her squat figure nvhich ter- rifled Hazel. She screamed. "Ihen the terrirble olcl creature begen to speak. Her voice rr,as harsh, unnatural-yet. to Hazel's confuserl sen,ses somerwhat familiar.,'Whaticher rloin, in ,my 'ouse," she screamed. ',Git out!. Git out! or I'll hurders yers. I will. I-" Lhen she laughed a ,v'ild horrilble laugh. ,,No, I,ll keep yer. Make yer 'elp. Oh, pretty,', ancl she stroked Sybil's hair softly. "Mad," whis- pered the horrifled Haze.l; "oh, Sybil l " "Mad!" screamed the olcl hag. ,'Macll you,, ah--" then she broke off with mumblings and groanings-and pushlng t.he poor girl,s into a little darkened room, she sla,mmecl the Joor behind them-ancl they heard the old irey tuln gratingly in the ru,sty lock! Hazel looked rounil the dark little roorn- ancl gasped. "Sybill We'Il be hilled. Ohl I'm so sorry f or lbrintging you here. I-I- didn't knorv anyone lived in this pla,ce, esp:c- ially-n-2" "She said her house," so'bbed Sybil; "shi:'s mad whatever- Oh, Hazel, her hands!" She broke off, for footsteps could be heard going to the,bac'k of the house, fol- lorrved by the ttistant slam of a door. ",She's going out!" ,whispered Sgbil. "Couldn't we possilhly escape?" 'She iooked rouncl fearfully.