Discovering Treasure Read Online Free PDF Page B

car.
    People turned to stare as the strangers drove on by. Treasure, feeling cheeky, smiled and waved, which some non-too sure bystanders, hesitantly returned with half-raised arms.
    â€œYou!” Ella laughed. “They don’t know what they’re in for.” She laughed heartily again conjuring up the pranks Treasure was sure to pull, especially if some of these people were snobs like her aunt once warned about.
    â€œAh ha, there it is my friend, the house that Jack built.” Seeing the puzzled look on Ella’s face, she added. “My grandfather’s name was Jack and he had this house built back at the turn of the century. That wasn’t long before I was born; or rather it was finished at that time. Apparently, people came from all over to look at it; being modern for here, with an indoor bathing room and separate water closet.”
    Turning into the driveway she drove beside the whitewashed clay brick house. It was large with wide verandahs on all sides. Around at the back they found a four car-garage, with doors open and a smaller square building off to the side. “That’s the wash house, Ella, with a wood-burning copper and funny hand-washer.” Seeing the quizzical look on her friends face she added. “And yes, there is running water from those huge tanks. It’s well set up don’t you think?”
    Indeed Ella did. In fact looking around she was very impressed. She never expected to see a stately home like this, situated in an Australian outback town. “Why Treasure its lovely and real homey with all the shade trees, and large yard. Does that field beyond, belong also?”
    â€œHey mate,” Treasure responded with a tired laugh, “that’s called a paddock here, and yes, it’s a good few acres.” Dog lifted his head as the car came to a halt before the garage. He probably wondered what would happen to him now.
    Escaping the confinement of her car and crossing the grass to a small set of shrubs, Treasure looked to the side of them. Just as directed, the door key was uncovered from under a pink flower pot. Walking up the back steps onto the covered verandah, she unlocked and flung open the heavy wooden door. It wasforever—, and what seemed a life time ago, since being in this house. A faint timber and paint smell reached her nose, not the mustiness as expected.
    It looked like the lawyer was dependable and for that she was thankful. Walking down the hallway and looking briefly in each room, it seemed so meaningless somehow, without her family. There was no one left who mattered, except for Ella. Treasure silently thank God, in her own way for her friend, and she felt humbled. No longer was she an icon. She was just a woman like any other, striving to make life have some meaning, and with that came the understanding, that she was better off than many.
    She turned and retrieved her steps back to see what kept Ella. As expected, her kind friend was still beside the dog, talking to it in a soothing voice and stroking the rust brown and white fur.
    â€œCome on Ella.’ Treasure spoke gently. “We’d best bed him in the wash house for tonight. I’ll go see if there is something to put on the concrete floor, for him to rest on. Tomorrow when we’ve had a break; we’ll give him a bath and see about cutting his hair, to clean him up.
    In the garage, she picked up a few dilapidated feed bags with her finger tips, shaking them slightly as she walked. Accumulated dust flew, but they’d give comfort from the cold concrete flooring. Thrown down in a thick heap, they’d serve the poor dog well, just for tonight. An old saucepan without a handle was retrieved off a shelf to hold water. Half filling this, it was placed beside the dog’s makeshift bed. Heading back to the car, she helped Ella to carry him in.
    A picket fence lined the perimeter of the buildings, so hopefully even if the wash house door stayed open for the