For all intents and purposes, it was all back to normal at Cape Fullarton but it didn't escape Virgil that there were some underlying outcomes from Adrian's death that were never going to go away, hence, this place would never be the same again for the entire compound and many people who had known the young man. They had all tried very hard to convince Captain Bedford that he still had an important role to play for the sake of the establishment and his men and it had appeared that it was working. He had the appearance of going about his daily business as if nothing had happened but the stony look on his face was unmistakable. Virgil had returned to his post and continued his duties while continuing to keep a close watch on his captain and commanding officer, he would wait for instructions but there were never any forthcoming. He had an unenviable task ahead of him that he was not looking forward to but he could not put it off for much longer.
It should have been all done and over with at the time of the release of Fred Burns as quite amazingly, he bore no grudge against anyone but events had made things turn for the worse for him and he had found out from somewhere about the demise of young Adrian Metcalfe. He had declined the chance to resume his old job as the staff there had treated him like a criminal right from the outset despite his pleas of innocence, these were the people who he had known for years and many were his friends. Sorry from them just wasn't good enough and he could not bring himself to set foot in that place again. Men from the post had found him a good job where he would wash and clean cars at a depot and he was grateful for the opportunity and a second chance, not that he needed it. He started off alright but when he found out about what had happened to Adrian, his focus on his job and work performance began to struggle. His workmates and bosses stuck with him through thick and thin as they were aware of his circumstances.
It had been a wasted effort for Virgil to consult the captain as his enquiries met only indifference as he had no idea where Fred was, all he could say was, "He came to the office here and I could only confirm what he already suspected, he was devastated and he blamed himself and I never saw him again." One of the men was able to point Virgil in the right direction and it was from here that he would seek him out as he felt that he owed him some closure and support if that was even possible. The depot was on the outskirts of town on the other side so they had to be very careful on horseback while they negotiated their way through the maze of cars which were becoming more prevalent as each year passed. Virgil was glad of the company as Bill had insisted on coming with him as he had been an integral part of the previous few months events, some of which may have led to Adrian's demise.
They tried to stay away from the main streets which were very long and wide as they could see that people who were driving cars had precious little regard for pedestrians or people on horseback and it was getting worse. Noisy cars would roar up and down the streets and horses would clearly become startled and that made for some bad situations. This was all new for city folk and some regulated system would have to be developed to avoid accidents, it seemed that everybody had to have one of these new automobiles and now they could come and go in half the time. Bill was from the old school and had resisted the instructions from above for the use of cars as he had always lived out in the country area so he wasn't very impressed with what he was seeing here in the cape. His patience was running thin by the minute as his own horse was on the edge with all these cars whizzing by and he could see people with children stepping out on the road into a perilous situation. This new concept had not been thought out very well and Bill could already see where the result of collisions between vehicles were visible, there was broken glass on the street and some shiny new cars had been dented badly.
It didn't take long for Bill's worst fears and expectations to be realised and a dangerous situation could materialise right before his eyes. There was no standing in the way of progress and it seemed that very little understanding of the problems associated with automobiles had been forthcoming, life was never going to be the same again and an impending disaster on the doorstep would be a grave understatement. He couldn't believe the scene that he was witnessing, vehicles going in all directions and people wisely chose not to step away from the footpath. It had been bad enough over the years with wagons and carts towed by horses with bad accidents and numerous near misses but this was going to be far worse and no rules had been established yet'
An elderly lady had the unenviable task of trying to control three of her little grandchildren while endeavouring to cross the busy road and it was proving to be a recipe for disaster, it seemed that people behind the wheel of a car took no notice of their surroundings and just remained oblivious as they continued on their way with their new and exciting means of transport. One oncoming vehicle nearly hit one of the little kids and did not slow down or make any means of acknowledgment to the lady. Bill was horrified and he noticed that most of the cars had a treadplate on the side, he angrily dismounted from his horse and safely secured him and then he hurried over to the distressed woman who was having a hard time with the kids who were indifferent to their grandmother's requests.
Bill had a short fuse at the best of times and now he decided to take some action and at the risk of his own life with a rush of blood, he strode out into the path of one of the vehicles nearly causing a collision with a number of other cars nearly slamming into each other after severe braking had to occur. They sounded their horns aggressively and the first driver hurled a volley of abuse at Bill. He recoiled quickly as Bill stepped onto the treadplate and grabbed him by the throat and threatened to drag him out of the car. He was well out of order but he didn't care, "Didn't you see that you nearly hit that little boy over there, he wouldn't have had a chance." He stopped other cars and made them wait until he was able to escort the woman and the children across the road safely. The cars remained where they were as all the drivers saw the red serge of Virgil's police uniform and they saw that some discretion was required rather than continued rudeness. Judge Bill Avery knew that he had no jurisdiction in this district but that was not going to stop him from filing a blistering report with the city manager or whoever was in charge.
He stood out on the elevated footpath after having successfully got that family safely across the road and now his head was still shaking as he felt helpless and frustrated as his effort appeared to have no effect whatsoever, he saw cars getting in the way of each other along with horse drawn vehicles and there were cars just parked randomly on the street causing a hazard. People now had this new form of transport at their disposal and they didn't know or care how to make it work with each other. His fears were well placed as he could remember hearing about how Simon's wife Sarah died on the main street of Fort Clay after being hit by a horse and cart, there was a recipe for disaster right here and this could easily happen to someone else. They decided that if they were going to get anywhere, they had to avoid the main streets as the horses could no longer compete with the ever growing number of powerful automobiles . They had to get off these busy main streets and take the back streets to Fred Burns' workplace.
Bill was formulating his damming and what was going to be a savage report in his mind as they were travelling along the road and it wouldn't be submitted to the authorities soon enough as far as he was concerned. After witnessing what he had seen, if something was to happen to a pedestrian, he would feel responsible if he did nothing about it. It was a busy little depot where Fred was working and some of the workers directed Bill and Virgil to where he was sitting next to some cars that were waiting for attention. He was subdued and indifferent as he saw his two visitors approach him, the terrible loss of a young Mountie recently for which he blamed himself had shaken him enough to make him feel that it should have been him instead.
They knew that they had to tread wearily as they didn't know the extent of the reason for the departure of Tully and Adrian from the cape. They had dearly hoped that he was completely unaware of how they had been dismissed from the service in disgrace and left without a future. The sight of the two men who had overseen his release from prison did little to bring any cheer for him, the loss and memory of the young Mountie was the only thing that occupied his troubled mind these days. Bill and Virgil sat down beside him and asked if they could talk to him, "Fred, none of us meant for any of this to happen", Virgil could understand just how he felt as he still felt haunted by his own inaction with his two friends having to depart, "I can tell you that they were on their way to Fort Clay for a few week's secondment and it was just by pure luck that they were in Rainsford at the time when the fire struck. Adrian ran into that house and he saved the life of a little girl, she would not have had any chance of survival and she would have met a horrible and ghastly end if not for his bravery. Fred, I was in Rainsford the next day and I saw that frightened little girl and I will never forget her face and what Adrian did for her."
"Fred, I'm not sure whether I believe in providence but it seems that Adrian's purpose in his life was to be there to save the life of that little girl, her name is Millie by the way and her little face is etched in my mind forever." Virgil closed his eyes in horror at the thought that Tully had said that Adrian's last words were for him to tell Fred Burns that he was sorry. He just couldn't do it and he would leave it to Tully to pass that awful message along one day, he didn't think that it would solve anything now for the future. Fred looked up and stared right at Virgil's eyes, "I want to thank you fellas for coming to see me, I knew that it would be very hard but I'm glad that the little girl survived and she is alright."
Virgil was very quiet and subdued on the way back and it took Bill a while to get him to talk about it, "Bill, there's something I need for you to know, I've always been one for honesty and straight talk and if it needs to be said, I would say it how it is and worry about everything and the consequences afterwards. It was a deliberate falsehood on my behalf when we talked to Fred, in that I omitted the part about the dismissal of the two men but I just couldn't risk it getting back to Adrian's parents how their son was cast out from his life by Captain Bedford and how I didn't stand up for them, but it still doesn't sit very well with me." Bill was equally troubled but he knew that it had been for the best for Fred. "I think that Fred may be able to handle his life a bit better now and I think, if we soon visit the Metcalfe family, then it should be the same story for their own wellbeing."
There had been little opportunity for any contemplation or relaxation as it was a long period of constant monitoring with new babies and a patient that must not be moving at all when the time would come when he would start to regain conscience and he would probably be in a great deal of discomfort. They promised not to drift far away from the hospital in case Damon did in fact show signs of stirring from his deep slumber. Cassie could see that Marjorie had been overwhelmed from the last few days and some time out in the bright sunshine would be ideal for both of them. Cassie had not had much time to recover her composure from her short little relationship with the sea captain and now Marjorie's arrival had brought it all back to her. "I would have married that wonderful man in a flash." They were wandering arm in arm down the street with no destination at all in mind. "Do you know what Peter did?" Cassie shook her head in disbelief as she recalled the time on the train.
"I was on the train and coming home, looking forward to seeing my parents again as I had been away on secondment for a few weeks after Doctor Carla's recommendation, I noticed this man in uniform and he looked deep in thought and contemplation so I wondered whether he could use some company. He was so easy to talk to and he thought that Ringwood was going to be a dusty little town like some of the others that he had passed through, I told him to just wait and see and he just might be surprised. That was when he told me that he was searching for his wife after being at sea and all he had to go on was a list of names and he hoped that one of them could point him in the right direction." Cassie was losing her composure and she needed a moment, "my heart broke for him right there because I could see that after four years, there was a distinct possibility that he may never find her."
"I didn't have time to dwell on that as just as the train slowed to not much more than a walking pace as it entered a rise, he saw an old couple bogged in a cart on the side of the road. He immediately made the conductor stop the train so that he could get off and go to help them, I went with him and I saw that they were an old couple who were friends with my parents. Marjorie, who in the world would do something like that, order the train to be stopped in the middle of nowhere, he is a very special man and I'm so pleased that you are here to tell us that he knows where his wife is, I might be able to sleep at night again from now on because I had a terrible time for a long time not knowing anything." Marjorie couldn't believe that there was someone else who saw it as she did and they cried in each other's arms. "I hated to see the despondency growing in his eyes as I knew that he had already experienced some setbacks along the way and even he would not be able to remain positive all the time."
Marjorie sat quietly opposite Allyson while she had some spare time before her next shift would recommence and she again, remembered the moment when Peter Glover received the joyful news from the police inspector about the whereabouts of Christine and how she was urgently waiting for him to get to Hope Valley. She had tried to describe it to Cassie but you had to be there to appreciate the full extent of the moment, something that she would never ever forget. She was relaxed but excited to think that she had played a major part in how he would find his wife after all this time. She tried to imagine what it must have been like when they saw each other again and tears filled her eyes just at the thought of it, she was sure that he would have to be there in Hope Valley already and with Christine.
She loved Doctor Carla and was amazed at the similarity that she could see between her and Susan; she had the poise and commitment of someone who gave everyone around her the confidence and understanding to be part of a well-oiled machine. All the patients at this hospital were in very good hands with people who did their level best for them. A flicker of a finger soon aroused her attention but she remained still and she noticed a slight grimace appeared on Damon's face. The next few hours would be critical as, when he would begin to come around, they had to be able to convince him somehow to remain still and relaxed so as not to reopen the major wounds, he had lost enough blood already as it was and they could not afford any further damage. He could become delirious and agitated with the pain of his injuries as he regained conscious and that would be the worst possible case that they could imagine and there would be the horrible thought that they may not be able to save him.
Allyson was going in and out of sleep as she sat there with her eyes shut so Marjorie didn't disturb her. She continually mopped Damon's forehead with a cool cloth and so far there was no reaction to it but soon there was a slight murmur as he tried to move his arm slightly and it must have hurt him so he stopped and seemed to settle for a while. Marjorie appeared calm as she continued monitoring his condition but that calmness was only on the outside. On the inside she was very worried and tied up in knots because if he chose to make any sudden movements, she would be unable to prevent it as he may not respond to any words from anyone until it might be too late and he was a very strong young man. He tried to lift his arm and Allyson, who was wide awake by now took his hand quietly and held it in hers. He rolled his head from one side to the other and he was clearly in a great deal of discomfort.
Marjorie was now talking to him as he tried in vain to shift his position in the bed and her heart sank as she noticed a new blood stain on the sheet, her words were going unnoticed and it seemed as if they were going to lose the battle. He tightened his grip on Allyson's hand and he moaned in pain and the cool cloth on his forehead was only having limited effect. There was little else that they could do for him as he was starting to writhe in pain. Allyson still held his hand tightly and she leaned closely to him and she then started to sing ever so gently into his ear, "I'm a lumberjack, and I'm okay. I sleep all night and I work all day. He's a lumberjack, and he's okay. He sleeps all night and he works all day. I cut down trees. I eat my lunch. I go to the lavatory. On Wednesdays I go shoppin' and have buttered scones for tea."
It seemed to take a while but his attention went from his discomfort and pain to where he was trying to focus on where the singing was coming from, he still couldn't open his eyes but it was a blessing that he had started to relax and any movements had slowed down to next to nothing. He was clearly listening hard to something that had been very familiar in his young life and it was having the desired effect. It was a very upbeat song but Allyson was singing ever so gently and soon Damon was trying hard to mouth the words himself, he could hardly make a sound but they knew what he was trying to do. She could hardly continue to sing as she could see her husband responding and now her eyes were filled with tears and she was all choked up as she watched him helplessly lying there.
The room by now was filled with nurses who were spellbound as they saw the young man who they had looked after the last few days. They could make out the odd quiet word from his mouth and they saw Allyson who was unable to continue, Mrs Watson, the normally stern hospital administrator had joined the gathering and she wandered over and bent over the bedside herself and she started to sing in Damon's ear, "He's a lumberjack, and he's okay. He sleeps all night and he works all day. I cut down trees. I skip and jump. I like to press wild flowers. I put on women's clothing and hang around in bars. He cuts down trees. He skips and jumps. He likes to press wild flowers. He puts on women's clothing and hangs around in bars?!" She continued to sing and everyone was amazed how she knew the words to the entire song and by now Allyson had regained her composure and she was so thankful for the care and love from everyone and now her husband may actually survive and live to see his new little boy.
Marjorie stood back in absolute amazement with tears in her eyes as she had been at her wits end to think of what she was to do and the sound of a song had not entered her mind at all. The gentle rendition of the lumberjack song continued and they all were wanting to give three cheers when they saw a little smile come on Damon's face as he was slowly regaining consciousness and gaining some awareness. He still hadn't opened his eyes but he knew that Allyson was close by even though he had no idea what had happened to him or where he was. The nurses were busily attending to some of the wounds and bandages and they were thankful that he was relaxed even though he was in pain.
Doctor Carla Graham had always had a good working relationship with Mrs Watson over the years but most of the young nurses found her to be very businesslike and distant with them and they had never in their wildest dreams imagined that she could sing a country song like that. She stood back and allowed Allyson to continue singing for as long as it would take until Damon was out of danger. Cassie was gobsmacked, "Mrs Watson, I have never heard you do anything like that before," she hugged her and wiped away some tears. Mrs Watson had seen many things that she could recall over the years, some very close to her heart and she was well aware that she had needed to keep her composure for the sake of this young man. "My dear, if you knew my husband you would see how he doesn't share your love for this song, I always sing it to annoy him when his mates are around and he has threatened to disown me more than once but I don't care."
Damon lay in his bed listening to Allyson and occasionally putting in the words of the song where he could and, most importantly staying relaxed. He was trying hard to open his eyes but all he could do at the moment was blink as the nurses mopped his brow, he couldn't focus on anything but he occasionally had a smile as he still winced in pain as he squeezed Allyson's hand. He had sustained many nasty injuries but they were all quietly confident that he was over the worst if they could just get him through the next hour or so when he would finally come around. Marjorie had held her breath for four days but she still wasn't letting go as she wouldn't rest until she could see Damon be able to talk to Allyson and know himself that he was going to be alright. She had never been more focused on anything in her young lifetime.
It was like waking up from a long sleep and not knowing why he hurt so much and he so wanted to rub his eyes but his arms hurt every time he moved them, he would have panicked with frustration and annoyance to say the least but he could hear the song that Allyson was singing and he remembered how they had sat around a campfire on a warm evening so many times and that song would ring out as they watched the stars twinkling in the night. They had known that their baby was on the way and they felt that there was no better place for them to be. Every now and then his eyes would open just for a moment and he could make out some shapes of people but he had to close them as the light was too bright for him, he was thankful for the cool cloth on his forehead.
Some minutes went by without further incident and he was thankful that they started to wipe his eyes as he lay there. He thought somehow that his shift must have finished and he was back home waking up from sleep in the morning but he couldn't understand why he hurt so much. They had been working so hard as people needed their communications back in use so he knew and had accepted that they would be working extra hours on each day and there were no complaints from anyone. He couldn't remember finishing up for the day and going home. He flickered his eyes once again, blinking away some tears and now he could make out a pretty lady staring right into his eyes with a smile that hid a concerned look.
"Hello Damon, I'm Doctor Carla Graham and you are here with Allyson at Ringwood, you had us all worried for a while but you are going to be alright now, providing you lie still and be relaxed while we look after you." He heard the words coming from this nice lady but he couldn't focus on them but he knew now with the severe pain that he was suffering from that he had to remain calm and not be worried. His eyes buzzed around the room and he could make out Allyson who had tears in her eyes from relief that her husband was truly alive and back with her, she would never leave his side ever again. He tried to smile and sing some of the Lumberjack song as Allyson gently kissed him. He was too overcome and there was no chance for him that he could formulate any words for anyone so he just lay there.
Marjorie felt ill as her heart was beating so heavily and she thought that she was going to faint, she felt her way out of the room and sat on the bench in the corridor. She wanted to cry but she couldn't so she just sat there with her head in her hands. Mrs Watson came soon to join her and see how she was coping and she noticed that Marjorie's face was white and she was in some difficulty. She put her arms around her in comfort but she seemed to be getting frantic, "I have to get word to their parents and then there will be the train drivers and the conductor, they will want to know that he's going to be alright. His line gang will have to be told, they must be so worried," Marjorie was starting to ramble on but Mrs Watson hugged her and tried to calm her, "Don't worry my dear, I will take care of everything, that's my job and this one is going to be very pleasant thanks very much to you. Marjorie, you have done much more than what you should have had to do but you have to know that you have saved the life of that young man in there."
Marjorie sat warmly in Mrs Watson's arms with a thousand thoughts floating around in her head, she couldn't make head nor tail of any of them but she was grateful for Mrs Watson's company. It took a while but she recovered her composure and then she returned to the room and she noticed how Damon had sunk back into a restful sleep which would probably last for quite some time. Mrs Watson could see how exhausted the young nurse was, "Cassie, will you escort Marjorie home please and I suggest that you don't leave her alone tonight, she will most assuredly need your company and someone to talk to." Cassie couldn't have agreed more and soon they reluctantly left Allyson and the night staff to tend to Damon.
They sat together on Marjorie's bed and held hands for support, "He's really going to be alright isn't he, I'm sure that he has someone looking after him because he looks like a very good man with people who love him." Marjorie could contain herself no longer, "did you see the two of them together, if that's not true love then I don't know what is. I can't bear the thought that she nearly lost him." She cried in Cassie's arms, "I wonder what true love is really like, do you think that we will ever find it. What if we go through life and never know what it is like." She sat quietly sobbing and looking out the window in the dark, "I kept on seeing Peter's face when we were searching for Hope Valley on the maps, the closer we were getting, the more worried he looked. He told us after that, she might have remarried and when he would see her again, she would have a couple of kids, he was heartbroken at the thought that he might not ever find her or he would find her when he was an old man." She could see his face again in her mind and she began crying again, "I have to see the two of them with my own eyes or else I will never have any peace."
She was up early in the morning thinking how a good sleep had done wonders for her disposition but now she was ready to look in on Damon as the first order of the day. Cassie had left her once she knew that she was finally asleep and now she was arriving here with Cassie and an orderly in the car to tell her to hurry up and get to the hospital as it looked like Damon was becoming conscious. The first person she would have looked for was Cassie, "I'm glad that you got a good night sleep after talking with me for over an hour, I omitted to tell you that I fell in love with Peter the moment he pulled the emergency chord on the train, he didn't wait for permission from the conductor, he just took over just as if he was the captain on the ship." The two ladies laughed and hugged each other and headed for the car.
They both stood by the bed with their hearts in their mouths and they were relieved to see that Damon was lying still and relaxed but they couldn't help noticing the grin that seemed to appear on his face from time to time. Mrs Watson smiled at Marjorie as their eyes met as she walked past the open door, her look said it all as she continued on down the corridor. Damon was deep in thought about getting the nursery done in time for the new little person who was coming into their lives. He was very particular about how everything should look but Allyson would laugh as he couldn't figure out what colour paint to get, "we'll just have to wait or take a guess, we can only be half wrong." she had said partly to tease him. She knew how he loved his little baby already and it wasn't even born yet. He was always so glad to be home after being away for the week and he would get straight on the job without delay whether he was tired or not.
Allyson had been reluctant to comply at any stage with any requests from the nursing staff but she relented as she was now a new mother with a new baby and she had to let them help her only after they said that they would get her back by his bedside as soon as any change in Damon's condition would eventuate. All the nurses had taken good care of her baby and they repeatedly said how he looked so much like his dad. She was capable of walking but she was most thankful for the wheelchair as she was returned to Damon's side. She was a lot less on edge by now as they had all told her that she just had to be patient and he would be awake soon and she would be able to ask him about his mischievous little grin that was on his face.
Cassie put her arm around her as she sat quietly with an expectant look on her face, but apprehensive as well, "have you thought of any names for your baby?" Allyson had barely paid any attention to the question so she just shook her head and just stared at her husband and held his hand. "Not yet." Marjorie gasped but made no sudden movement and she put her hand on Allyson's shoulder and then she squeezed Cassie's hand excitedly. They were soon joined by Doctor Carla who could see the excited looks on their faces and she could see that something had happened after all this time. "Hello Damon, I'm Doctor Carla Graham again and Allyson is here with us." She could see that he was actually paying attention and it looked like he might have understood her this time.
They had dismissed the question of names for their child and decided that it would be fun to be holding their little baby together in the nursery while considering what he or she would be called. He lay there trying to deal with the awful pain of his injuries just as he was gradually waking up and he was surprised to hear a distant voice of someone who he didn't know, asking about baby names. He heard someone saying that she was the doctor and that Allyson was here and he tried continually to open his eyes but he was very tired and the pain he was experiencing was intense but he was trying to come to terms with it. It was worse if and when he tried to move so he soon got the idea that he had to stay still while he listened to the voices close by.
"You are quite safe here with us Damon, it won't be long and you will be all better and you will be able to go home again." It was this gentle caring voice that he could hear and he was gradually starting to believe that something had happened to him. He opened his eyes and he could see Doctor Carla talking so gently to him, "where am I?" he said croakily as his eyes wandered around the room. He was a grown man but he was scared but there was precious little that he could do except listen and put himself and his faith in this attractive and caring doctor. He was not unaccustomed to bouts of pain in his life as, on one occasion, he had badly grazed his left leg after falling from scaffolding and sustaining some stitches in his youth. He took the bad news of his accident in his stride; however, his worry was elsewhere.
"Will you please let my wife know, her name is Allyson and she will be worried if I'm not back home in time. She's having a baby soon." He winced in pain and sadly closed his eyes again. "Damon, Allyson is right here and she has been all along, she's the one who is holding your hand. She gently squeezed his hand and leaned over and gave him a kiss, "I'm here my love and you are going to be alright." His eyes filled with tears and his lips quivered, "I didn't mean to cause all this trouble for everyone, I'm so sorry." It was fortunate that he knew that he had to remain completely still and calm for everyone. Doctor Carla was very insistent, "Damon, it's not your fault, while you were working you were hit by a tree and it has caused you many injuries that we are working on to help you recover, don't you worry now because you are well and truly on the mend."
Marjorie stood silently as she watched this wonderful Doctor Carla continue her examination, nobody else would know what it was like when she had seen him pinned down by a large tree and when he had been brought bleeding badly into the railway carriage and the torrid and bumpy dash in the train that seemed to take forever before they got him to Ringwood and into a hospital bed. Allyson never got to see all the makeshift bandages and the blood-soaked towels which were all that they could find at the time and they had to make do, she may never know how bad the situation was but now, that was all behind them. Damon looked as if he had settled back into a sleep for a while and Marjorie knew that each passing day from now on would see gradual improvement in his condition even if it was ever so slight.
It had been a lucky break on the long journey as Les, in his haste, had not carried any extra containers of fuel and he was running dangerously low and he did not need the vehicle that he depended on to be empty and stranded. He had seen the smoke from a campfire and a line gang had graciously offered him enough fuel from their stores to enable him to proceed along the way. Nobody so far had any recollection of anyone called Buster or Vance but the supervisor gave him the locations of the next three line gangs down the track and he even drew a map to help out. He explained with a smile how some of those places on the map were inaccessible to any motor vehicles so he might need the use of some old fashioned horsemanship which he would be happy to provide. "I won't even ask whether you can ride a horse sir, I think that I'd be embarrassed by your answer.
He was on his way again, now with some positive direction thanks to the line supervisor and he couldn't help but politely sneered to himself as he thought how polite and caring and helpful those hard working people were compared to the overbearing and rude Mr Padmore who, he thought how he had the misfortune to come across. They were right about the terrain and how the telegraph lines ran generally next to the railway line rather than the road. The next three line gang locations were in close proximity and were easily accessible but from then on the people there advised him to use one of their horses and the car could remain with them until he was back. He was in complete admiration for all these men as they had been at this struggle with the force of nature ever since the huge storm had descended upon them and ravaged much of the country.
Some of the camps along the way had received the request over the telegraph from Union City when, at the odd time it was working, and they had been unable to provide the names that the Union City officer was asking for, so the arrival of this police constable would unfortunately receive the same answer. One line supervisor was able to state how one of his colleagues further along the line was continually having issues with one of the men under his direction, but as manpower was stretched, he was loathe to get rid of him which was what he would have preferred. The evening was closing in and so was the weather so he gladly accepted their invitation to stay and camp and eat with them and make a fresh start in the morning. The camp in question was about twenty-five miles along the way so, without question and with much gratitude, he settled in for the night and planned to continue in the early morning. There had been little rain over the last few days so he was able to find a suitable dry spot to sleep after he would have dinner with his fellow campers.