Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-06-13

OF some hidden trouble.
The squatter saw IL and hastened n
say "Oh, beg your psrdoni ! didn't
mean to. However, I'm very glad you
are coming. Let's get ready"
Then Jack and /, putting the pack
saddles on Our horses, drove them over
into Mackenzie's mob and rode on, not
wishing b force our company upon the
others more than was absolutely neces-
sary.
Il was now good and pleasant travel
ing. Occasionally We had to go little
ont OF the line we had adopted to keep
clear Of thick ti-tree scrub or clump
Of waffle, but generally 1t was 4 grassy
open or lightly timbersd country. Some
times, for many miles at stretch, we
could imagine ourselves In nobleman's
park in some beautiful old country
county. There was the turf beneath
our feet--not. however. 20 green and
velvety. There were the great ancestral
trees standing in stately isolation and
the long dim glades In the background.
The wagon could pursue straight
course In such places. Only at times
that we were not in the old country
was brought forcibly home. when. for
instance, some emus on clearing
would crane their necks at our approach
and scuttle off into the scrub or band
Of gray kangaroos came bounding right
into the open in the foreground; then.
on observing rs, sat mp on their hind
quarters 10 get better view before
hopping of again, beating labored
tattoo on the ground with their great
taila Once We halted and watched
pair Of native companions-large gray
birds somewhat resembling gigantic
cranes-going through that remarkable
dance which they indulge in occasion
ally. II was indeed an extraordinary
sight.
~ wonder now what the niggers call
those festive creaturesf" Jack remark.
ed absently.
"The 'barralga, she replied, rolling
her RS Don't you notice the resem-
blance of the name to the cry OF the
birdf"
could not help thinking Of Max
O'Rells statement when talking Of
Friend Macdonald-''Show me people
who roll their rs, and III show You
people with backbone After all, Norah
Mackenzie was highland Scotch by de-
scent.
|, II impressed me not little to SEQ the
thoughtful expression In the girls
eyes when only that which amused
would have been visible to nine women
ont Of ten. had not given her credit
for seeing beneath the surface Of things
And she was evidently one Of those
Sho have dislike to be taken serious
", for as her father and Jack rode on
abreast, leading the way, she checked
her horse until Il was alongside mine
and asked me. with the spirit Of mis-
chief still lurking in her eyes, how
had liked the. chocolate drop she gave
me that morning.
turned and looked at her steadily.
II can't say it tasted quite so sweet
after the alternative you proposed.
You'll play with fire until some day you
get burned" answered.
For now / was conscious Of strange
feeling OF resentment toward her. IL
was not pleasant TO think that she
should hold me 50 lightly and treat me
as she might child. I had till that
morning almost regarded her as one,
but there had been dangerous glamour
in those soft eyes when my arms had
gone out TO her as il by an irresistible
impulse. Then l had ceased TO look
upon her as child and began to regard
her as something infinitely mere dam
gerous.
She checked herself in an uneasy
laugh, and although ! gazed right
ahead Of me could tell that she was
favoring me with one Of her inscrutable
glances She was beginning to exercise
q subtle influence over me, and perhaps
she OWNED it, for in another minute
her mood had changed. Though she
spoke as frankly as before, she did not
again venture upon such dangerous
ground.
As il by mutual consent We began
talking about many things 1t would
be difficult for me now to say how II
came about, but she had very soon
learned from me the history Of my
checkered connection with the law; how
I had become duly qualified practi-
toner in England and ceased to be one
when fortune came to me; how when
on losing my money had come ont to
South Australia and soon had qualified
TO practice there, but how had found
IL impossible to take to the work again.
for, the old nomadic spirit within me
asserting itself, ! was drawn into that
bush which had always exercised such
a powerful fascination for me. Norah
Mackenzie listened. as thought with
Q pleased look on her face, but she made
no comment. We were now abreast OF
Jack The girl asked him II he also were
Q wandercr by choice and profession.
Certainly" was the prompt reply.
'T'm rolling stone Of the first water. "
"You seem proud Of it," remarked
the girl.
"That's 90, was the confident reply.
"ever since q certain young lady told
me-con6dentially, Of course-thst she
preferred rolling stones 10 the other sort.
because il they didn't gather much
mos they gained lots Of polish" /"
"And what did you say TO thatf'
"Why, Irewarded heron the spot.
replied Jack, with the air Of man who
had done his duty. '.You see ~ she
was . sort Of forty-second cousin, and
rather good looking, one couldn't be
ungrateful"
That night we camped on the edge Of
q pine forest, and to me Il was almost
- welcome a sight a. that Of the giori-
ns old ocean when ones eyes have
rested upon nothing for months, and
perhaps years, but the interminable
glsucous green Of the eucalyptus till
they have ached for . change Change
means rest to the senses that have run
too long In one groove.
We had seen many tracks Of blacks
and passed one or two deserted camps
where those children Of the bush had
been within the last few weeks But we
took the bells OF our horses when we
turned them ont and so were mot trou-
bled bv anv Of these connoisseurs OF