Page:The romance of Runnibede (IA romanceofrunnibe00rudd).pdf/75

on the mantelpiece, Mrs. Curricomb crossed over to her and, bending down, calmly lifted her dress, revealing a back view of the governess’s thick stockinged legs and two gaping holes in the stockings! Then poor old Mary, feeling something, nearly knocked the whole mantelpiece down, she jumped so high.

Just then, the old Governor, mounting the front verandah at the moment, and poking his head in at the window, spoilt everything.

"Here are three jealous husbands waiting out here for their better halves," he said, "to take them home."

Simultaneously from the steps rang ont a chorus of wild sounding mandates to which the lubras inside answered in humble rigmaroles of gutteral noises. Then, in haste to obey their dear lords, the ladies would have departed through the window, but far the Governor blocking the way. So mother opened the door for them. They didn’t offer any thanks for the pleasant afternoon, or say good-bye to anyone; just "bucked," rather than walked out, and joining their stalwart, black visioned hubbies, who carried long spears balanced on their naked shoulders, went off noisily to their eamp on Curlew Lagoon

In after years the three lubras became known to everyone as Annie, Sally and Maria; and never as we shall find later, had woman a more faithful, devoted trinity of friends than had our mother in those wild and simple-minded women of the bush, who for years loyally served and loved her as their own "White Mary." E