Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1899-07-14

were Lost; was Just going to hunt you
up.
Then he caught sight of the girl. He
took the pipe out Of his mouth, and
could see his face light up with
pleased and awakened interest 1t was
evident had been i'll. and he could
guess the rest; there were few sharper
than Jack at interpreting rightly sit
uation. He went toward the squatter's
daughter. and. taking the empty water
bag from her hand, said something to
her in voice so low that l knew it
was not intended for my ears. What
ever it may have been, she showed by
her manner that she was interested.
And had allowed her to carry rifle
and my water bag to the campl l dare
say my face just then must have borne
look Of horror and self reproach. for
the girl laughed and said:
''You needn' blame yourself my rife
only weighs few pounds, and yon
didn't see it. As for the bag. emptied
and hid it, 80 after all you re not SO
very much to blame. But l must go
back to my own camp. I'm so glad
you re all right again. Goodby in the
meantime. And before l could stam-
mer out word Of thanks she had hon
ored us with one Of her comprehensive
little bows and hurried away.
Jack and sat under the trees, and
the night came quickly down; again we
heard the quaint notes of the unseen
morpoke in the dim forest glades. Nei-
ther Of us spoke. but as we rested and
Azv& L. G,,1~
ing over us we suddenly heard some
thing that made us hold our breaths and
stare at each other.
1t was sweet burst Of melody; it
held us as 1 could imagine those who
for the first time heard the divine pow
ers Of music were held. Some one was
playing on the violin with consummate
skill-only musician could produce
sneh sounds; it was one of Mendels-
sohn's songs without words-that glo-
rious "Spring Song ceased to specu-
late as to the creator Of the music, lost
In the beauty of the music itself
'.It's that witch, the squatter' girl"
exclaimed Jack. who had let has pipe 20
out listening
Without exchanging further words
we went over to the sGuatter camp
"Glad to see you, was the sluatter's
greeting "Sit down. Parker Glad
that You've recovered SO quickly. Do
you sing. Mr.. Farquharson? Tut tut,
I mean Tyndall I've just been think
Ing about that poor. unfortunate fel-
low.
Jack had started SO violently and
turned such CHASTITY face upon the
squatter when he was addressed as
Farquharson that ] saw Norah Mac
kenzie give him a strange glance with
her quick, observant eyes. Jackrecoy-
cred himself in another instant
"Once upon a time | used to do
4 little singing" he answered. "but
there's more of the raven than the ca
4 nary in my composition now
That's your modesty. I'm sure.
insisted the squatter. "Solnctimes of
Sunday night in the bush we 60 in for
little music. Sasile here sings cani
q tai bass He was chorister in an old
country cathedral once Let's have a
song that we all know and can join in
4 Here is one. Pass round these copies,
Gordon. and poke up the fire into big
OlaZe so tnat We can See.
/ remember the tune was "St. Hell
ems" Norah Mackenzie played the ac-
compartment, and Jack surprised me
with remarkably good tenor voice
In fact, there was no one there who
could not sing well. saving myself. and
was good listener. 1t was strange
thing TO be listening to those we'll
known hymns under the dusky aisles of
the Australian forest 1t is safe to say
! never enjoyed an open air concert so
much as this one closed my eyes
and To-
sat in sleepy old fashioned church.
watching the waning sunlight stream
through stained glass window which
dyed the sunbeams with the crimson
and golden hues from garments of saints
ahd martyrs and deepening the shadows
thaI IKE the dust on the moldy mar
oies overhead. lay close and thick
through other windows. ivy draped and
partially open. came the sweet breath
p" spfing, for the snow white hawthorn
was gieaming in the green lanes and
The song Of the birds never ceased. How
instinct was that sacred spot with the
associations Of the past-how eloquent
ssery dihsy stone and well worn pew
bn, Oh the dear familiar faces, where
we're theyE Was there nothing In this
world save farewellss Then, breathing
az innnite tenderness and trust the
ol sn anthem rose, the fresh.
voices Of youth and beauty. and
.ne aeeper and fuller ones of maturer
.se blending with the rich chords of the
sah t nntil the harmony was more OF
easen than Of earth TIE world. the
Assa aed tie devil were no more and a