The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-07-28

 deed ca,,le-driving may be readily im- agined to be very much like what a cat tle-liiiing raid was upon the English border in the good old times" Arthur Hepburn was not so tall as his cousin by half foot. was slightly built. had regular and rather etfemina,e features, though he had proved his courage and manhood in the rough and often dangerous duties of ! a stockmar.
 An intense affection existed between these two men, for they had been com panions from boyhood, when little Arthur always looked 10 " Big Bob" as he called his cousin. for help and protection. and ,he latter was never so happy as when hgh,ing the battles. and sharing the troubles of his fiaxen-haired junior. But this atiec,on had lat,erly been qualified by feeling of constrain; which had i gradually gown up between them, and which one. however much he migh, dissemble, could not conceal from the other.
 The fact was that both loved the same woman-Alice Graham and surely no more winsome maiden ever breathe3 than this dainty Scotch lassie. with her bright auburn hair, soft blue eyes, 1.-the graceful 1 hgure. a voice sweet and musical as the song of a bird. and presence ,ha, seemed 10 diffuse around her sense of fun.e Of flower. They both loved her with all the passion of a first love- bu, as yet not one word had passed between them on the subject, though each was well aware of the feeling which glowed in the breas, of the other.
 The Hepburn family had been settled in Australia abou. five years. lnclud- ing Robert there were four in number Alexander Hepburn. the father of Robert. an old man of seventy. Arthur Hepburn. his nephew. and Alice Graham, the or plan daughter of an only sister.
 The old man had held farm on lease in the county of northumberland but. though the land had been occupied by he family from time immemor:al. the noble landlord had refused to renew the term. except upon such condition as would have absorbed the hard-won earn inss of lifetime. In these circumstances l family council was called. 4 Hepburn. l near relative. had done well Tn Aus tralia his letters contained glowing ac- counts of the country friends and sh- oors were excited a. the rapaci,y of the landlord and, advised by these and urged by his son Robert. who. with the sanguiness of youth, saw his way to fortune. the old man had reluctantly de eided to qui, the home of his fathers. and make another which lld be his own in the new country beyond the sea and Arthur Hepburn and Agce Graham. who were both orphans. had accompanied them to i,
 They had prosperei beyond their u,. most expectations: for. although during the tirs. two years they had endured haidships and difficulties ,o which ,her stranseaess to the country had no, hale cont, oa.ei. they were now well o;f. the owners Q. li,:le shot, ot twenty thousand acres of splendid sraziag-land and woodland range. some len thousand sheep. l large herd oi 5at:le, and by mere force of accumulation were likely ia few years U become very wealthy people
 The cousins sa, in the bush-house. silently smoking, They were qSi;e alone. Tor the family had il:ely removed ;o a larger ard bette, house they had pull; dose Co the rver. some len miles o.. which tor the future was 10 be the.y per manent abode.
 4; las, Rober,. knocking the ashes from his pipe. broke the silence.
 II know wei! of wha, you are thinking. Arthur. he said.
 And the subect O. yocr thoughts returned the co.sin. the color mourning 10 h.s cheek
 .. !. .,k thinking oi Ailce G:aham Is !; TO: 50 =
 NoG are tish:. b,b.
 We... ,ad. con;,naei Robert. we have both been las. friends. loved each other as brothers ever slnee we were wee 5airn:es And surely the love 0, h,:le Alice Is no: 10 come between us. so as ,o make Us enemies: Why. l, woGli break her hear. 10 think II. Nes. you say. Well. then, ie; Us ac, s.raigh,-;orwardly like men. in tins matter. Ne both love her dearly very well. 1t IS clear NC can't both marry her; and. as yet. don, think she has shown any preference tor either"
 Here the speaker paused. for a subtle sense told him he was the favori,e. though of this preference he had sener. ously made up h,s mind to take no ad- vantage; for he tel; wka, l terrible blow the re.usa. of h;s love would be to his cousin, and his hear, ovethowed wi;h ten- deraess towards him.
 :" l, Is. believe, IS you say and. be- ing 50, wha, then :" sad Arthur. in l low voice
 Wha; l propose IS ,his." replied Robert" mind. do |, out of no d,sre. spect for Alice, who is as pure and good as she Is beautiful. bu, because l love you. Arthur, next to our pretty cousin. beyond anything in the N orld. and know ,ha, the loss of her love mus, forever cloud the lite of, and be q bitter and ire parable loss. to one of Us; therefore. i say, let us act faiily and squarely in the matter, neither taking any undue ad- vantage of the other in word le. US draw lots. See-here are two pieces of grass will hold them SO and. # you draw the longer piece, you shall hay. the first chance make the first offer of xnt,r