Page:The Toll of the Bush.pdf/28

he looked thoughtfully at his brother, who was moving restlessly about the small room, giving vent now and then to a smothered exclamation as though his thoughts were too many for him.

‘You never opened that last English paper, Geoff,’ he said at last.

‘Didn’t I?’ and Geoffrey coming to a standstill looked absently at his brother; then he resumed his restless movements.

‘It’s over there in the corner, under the oatmeal,’ Robert said presently.

Geoffrey looked hazily in the direction indicated, then crossed over, pulled the paper from its resting-place, and tearing it open sat resolutely down at the table, and glared steadfastly at a picture purporting to portray a minor incident in the Boer war. He was still staring at it when, a quarter of an hour later, Robert, having finished his gum, came to look over his shoulder. Geoffrey turned a few pages hurriedly and found a fresh picture.

‘“Re-inforcements leaving South-ampton,”’ read Robert slowly. ‘That’s London, I suppose.’

Geoffrey paused before replying, and there was something of irritation in his voice as he answered: ‘Your admiration for London rather carries you away, Robert. That city does not embrace the whole of England. If you could really grasp the fact that London is the capital of England and not vice versa, that would be a step towards the understanding of many things at present concealed from you. And, by the way, Elizabeth is dead.’

‘Elizabeth?’

‘You remember my alluding to Queen Elizabeth and your asking me whether she was dead. She has