Gathered In by Catherine Helen Spence — Read

When Hugh Carmichael used the old address which had been so successful with a preceding generation, he thought that under the circumstances he could scarcely fail of success. He forgot, however, that in these days he had been young and full of animal spirits, ready for any adventure, and able for any fatigue, and that he had not caught the style or manner of speech and of thought which is so strangely fascinating to the young of each generation in their entrance into life.

His exceedingly shabby appearance was also much against him; but on the other hand he had the vantage ground of knowing the secret grudge felt by James Oswald against his supposed friend Ellerton. He adroitly spoke of the latter with qualified praise, and led Jim to make admissions that he was apt to carry things with too high a hand. Then he sympathized with him, flattered him, drank with him, and drew out of him all he knew about his father's possessions, his father's weak points, his cousin's underhand ways, and the recent grievance about the ten thousand pounds. Mr. Carmichael had seen the photograph which had been copied in the Sydney papers about the princely liberality of Mr. Oswald of Tingalpa, and he saw how sore the heir to the estate felt about his folly, and appeared to acquiesce in his opinion that no doubt his father had been got over when he was drunk by this beggarly cousin, who was always putting his fingers into other people's affairs.