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           FromGnarlungahewenttoBingellyandgotajobbreakinghorses,hiseyeonthehomesteadwheretheagingandunattractiveheiresslivedwithherwidowedfather.PoorDot,hehadsonearlywonher;butintheendshehadfalleninwithherfather’swishesandmarriedthesprysexagenarianwhoownedtheneighboringproperty.

           Thesetwoessayscosthimoverthreeyearsofhislife,andhedecidedtwentymonthsperheiresswasfartoolongandboring.Itwouldsuithimbetterforawhiletojourneyfarandwide,continuallyonthemove,untilwithinthismuchlargersweephefoundanotherlikelyprospect.Enjoyinghimselfenormously,hebegantodrovetheWesternQueenslandstockroutes,downtheCooperandtheDiamantina,theBarcooandtheBullooOverflowdwindlingthroughthetopcornerofwesternNewSouthWales.Hewasthirty,anditwasmorethantimehefoundthegoosewhowouldlayatleastpartofhisgoldenegg.

           EveryonehadheardofDrogheda,butLuke’searsprickedupwhenhediscoveredtherewasanonlydaughter.Nohopeshe’dinherit,butperhapsthey’dwanttodowerherwithamodest100,000acresoutaroundKynunaorWinton.ThiswasnicecountryaroundGilly,buttoocrampedandforestedforhim.LukeyearnedfortheenormityoffarwesternQueensland,wherethegrassstretchedintoinfinityandtreesweremostlysomethingamanrememberedasbeingvaguelyeastward.Justthegrass,onandonandonwithnobeginningandnoend,whereamanwasluckytograzeonesheepforeverytenacresheowned.