The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1903-05-23
On the Anise-
Seed Trail *
By Il. 5. cANFIELD.


/ set Country club Willie Delay saC ]
with one leg thrown. carelessly on ta-
ble. He ficked the boot on it with I
hunting crop and pulled a Turkish 81 /
carette that burned with smell like /
the smell of decayed weeds and punk.
Willie in talk was horsey. With MN
were Reggie Van Duyck, who was dog
gy, and Algy Remsen who was foxy
tTbat new hunter of mine," SAID
Willie. els 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
gie. 'Iooks weiI-aw But the little |
.eyp 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.
ssHe'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 hVe
pound to tell, doncherknow.
Dick Manton came up 70 the group.
s'You mean that you offered him $50
he suggested.
.sThat is what / said, Algy respond
ed slowly. "Five pound"
"If you're going to talk American
dollars in English currency" said Man
ton, syou want to talk them correctly.
The English do not know any such sum
as sfve 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 it. Hes getting
a dweadfuI cad, he said, "Don't know
how he got into the club. He 9nly
Iawyer-fellow, you know, and h awn''
ride, I'm suah. Wonder why he ined|
"To be near Marian Granger" saiC
Reggie.
Algy
e e
id; well. we're all epris with her
aren't we2 The thing must be settle
somehow, and we've got to get rid Q
this chap Manton Tell you what ~
do" He ficked his leg lazily. II
ride YOU for her. In the hunt to-mol
row the fellow nearest in at the deaf
TO have a clear feld for six months, th
two others to drop out"
agreed" said Reggie and Algy in
breath.
"As for Manton' he can't ride, but
heard to-day he'd bought horse an
4 suit Of pinks. The horse was sold
him by Jock Ormsby. You'd new
think it, but it's that devil, Mephist'
The grooms call him the 'Gravemakel
YOU know. He's got the temper
satan and has hurt three men in
year. Buying that horse shows he
little Manton knows. If he tries
ride tomorrow all three of us W
have to race the Gravemaker and G
him goinu. He ought to spill Mant
Al the first jump and cure him Of t
Country club and Maid Marian at t
same time"
Tbev spickered in concert. VIII
took an absinthe, Reggie took v
mouth cocktail, Algy took a creme
menthe.
The Cohasset Country club was ma
nm of the sons and daughters OF
rich men Of a Massachusetts city.
ohiac+s were social converse and !
fnG after pack of hounds trailing
scent of a bag of anise-seed which
beep dragged over the country in
early morning by couple OF lads.
course lay over fairly stiff land,
taiDinp a ploughed field or two, br'
and some fences Of hedgeplant.
of these fences had ditch ten
wide running along it and was sou
of secret terror to every mmber OF
,aIub The Cohasset was an eXpen
and exclusive organization, and
nade merry after the fashion OF
country clubs. Late that night,
tween waltz and a two-step, Wi
in a burst Of confidence, told Ma
Granger Of the agreement reache
himself and friends, saying notllin
Manton. The girl, very handsome
seIf-contained, looked at him
Zgida ewes. "Indeed!" was all she
eyes" Willie went on his toi
7oosened by several absinthes
shall be your most devoted to1
months at least. You haven't seel
new hunter. Van Duyck and Rel
are not in it. !"
A smile of amusement c9me int
ane eyes. You are eertqin to y
she asked.
"Sure, he replied.
excuse me, then" she said.
Is Mr.. Manton. promifed this
to him."
Swinging slowly in her part
ms she told him of tl e wager
Il lightly, but he could see a sh
- rseantnnea,J in her face He
-orno fell0N Of not m3ny word
ost4ira manners. He started
~t For willie and found the tn
ZEN i8 the bufet. AZ had ma