The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1903-05-08
On the Anise-
Seed Trail *
tCopyright, 1905, BY Daily Story Pub. Co.,


/ set Country club Willie Delay sat
with one leg thrown carelessly on ta-
BILE. He f1icked the boot on it with
hunting crop and pnffed Turkish ci-
garette that burned with a smell like
the smell of decayed weeds and punk.
Willie in talk was horsey. With him
were Reggie Van Duyek, who was dog
gy, and Algy Remsen who was foxy.
s'That new hunter of mine SAID
Willie. sis a wonder. Short barrel,
big chest, clean legs. stifie we'll set out,
muscled like Sandow. I'm thinking
that he'll come close to seven feet in
the clear"
.Saw the pack awhile ago, said Reg
gle. Looks well-aw. But the little
gyp with the tan over her eyes is too
keen-aw. Needs more work and whip
and less coddling-aw. That man
Brown isn't any good-aw.'
He's good on making the bag, said
Algy ''Saw him mixing the seed this
morning. He's got some sort of prep
aration he puts in-won't give away
the secret-that makes it smell like an
old dog fox in spring. Offered him five
pound to tell, doncherknow.'
Dick Manton came up TO the group
''You mean that you offered him $25,
he suggested.
That is what said" Algy respond
cd slowly. Five pound
''If you're going to talk American
dollars in English currency" said Man
ton. "you want to talk them correctly.
The English do not know any such sum
as five pound What you offered the
whipper-in was 'f'-pun.'
..Aw!" said Algy. Manton walked
away Willie took his leg down and
leaned forward. His smooth, narrow
face had purpose in 1T. Hes getting
a dweadful cad," he said. Don't know
how he got into the club. He's only a
lawyer-fellow, you know, and he cawn't
ride, I'm suah. Wonder why he Joined p
ITO be near Marian Granger said
Reggie.
ITO be near Maid Marian" said
Algy.
Willie was silent for moment. then
said: "Well. we're all epris with her,
aren't we? The thing must be settled
somehow. and we've got to get rid Of
this chap Manton. Tell you what I'll
do He ficked his leg lazily. 'I'll
ride YOU for her. In the hunt to-mor-
row the fellow nearest in at the death
to have a clear field for six months, the
two others to drop out.
Agreed" said Reggie and Algy in
breath.
la do h,1t
heard to-day he'd bought horse anG
a suit of pinks. The horse was sold to
him by Jock Ormsby. You'd never
think it, but it's that devil, Mephisto!
The grooms call him the 'Gravemaker,
YOU know He's got the temper of
Satan and has hurt three men in a
wear Buying that horse shows how
little Manton knows. If he tries to
ri6e tom orrow all three of us Will
have to race the Gratemaker and get
him going. He ought to spill Manton
at the first jump and cure him of the
Country club and Maid Marian at the
same time"
They snickered in concert. Willie
took an absinthe. Reggie took YER
mouth cocktail, Algy took creme de
mentbe.
The Cohasset Country club was made
M of the sons and daughters of the
rich men of Massachusetts, city. It's
objects were social converse and rid
ing after pack of hounds trailing the
scent of a bag of anise-seed which had
been dragged over the country in the
early morning by couple of lads. The
course lay over fairly stiff land, con
tanning ploughed field or two, brook
and some fences of hedgeplant. One
of these fences had ditch ten feet
wide running along it and was source
of secret terror to every mmber OF the
club. The Cohasset was an expensive
and exclusive Organization, and il
made merry after the fashion of al
country clubs. Late that night, be
tween waltz and a two-step, Willie
In burst of confidence, told Marian
Granger of the agreement reached by
himself and friends, saying nothing OF
Manton. The girl, very handsome ant
self-contained. looked at him with
wide eyes. Indeed was all she said
"Yes," Willie went on his tongue
loosened by several absinthes. y
shall be your most devoted for six
months at least You haven't seen my