Prologue

Australia, 1847

            Bryce Hester stopped for a moment to catch his breath as he worked in the late morning sun.  He removed his dirty grey tattered hat from his head and wiped away the sweat that coursed down his face in small rivulets.  He beat the hot air with the brim of his hat to create a momentary breeze against his face.  It provided only temporary relief from the heat and dryness.  Hester glanced up at the bright sun.  It appeared to be at its zenith.  Lunch time was near.  He soon would be able to take a break and cool off at the house. It looked as though it was nearing its peak.  That also meant that lunch was near.  He would be able to take a break from the heat before coming back to work in the field.

            Bryce had been busy clearing the gnarled and dry brush along the creek that meandered through his new parcel of land.  He had bought it from the Crown at the branch registry in Broken Hill.  The new parcel gave him access to a commodity that was more precious than even gold in the dusty, leading edge of the Outback.  The precious commodity was water.  The parcel contained a stretch of creek that enabled him to provide water for his small but growing beef herd.

            Bryce reached over to the broken stub of the dead and rotting corpse of a eucalyptus tree and retrieved the water bottle he had hung there.  Bryce popped the cork and drained what remained into his mouth.  Even though the water was warm it still tasted sweet to his palette.  He felt enlivened once it went down.  He allowed himself a smile when he remembered he was one of the few station owners fortunate enough to be able to pump water into his house and into the kitchen.  It was more than enough for both him and his daughter Patsy.

            Bryce and Patsy had been a foursome not long ago.  Anna, his wife, and her mother and Patsy`s new baby brother Benjamin had all been together barely five months ago.  A deadly threat of smallpox swept through the region.  Both Anna and Benjamin fell prey to the disease.  For the next two weeks Patsy was sent into the village of Droonghalla to stay with the Reilly`s while Bryce dedicated himself to nursing them until they either recovered or died.  Bryce did not care what happened to him.  He wanted his wife and new son to live.  However, it was not to be.  Benjamin succumbed to the fever at the end of the second day.  Anna lingered for six.  She seemed to regain lucidity at the end of the sixth day.  By that time the characteristic pustules had broken out all over her face and body.  She died quietly during the night.  She seemed to be at peace when she came to know that Patsy had been sent away and was safe from the disease.  Bryce could not bring himself to tell Anna that Benjamin had already died.  He was sure they would have a joyous reunion in the presence of the Lord.