St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-05-30
- ~" H.ss5s' .sst.rg.. ss, q
On the Anise-
Seed Trail N
BY H. S. Garfield
copyright, 1908. by Daily STORY rub. Coz

w;.h n1rS ciub Willie Delay sat
~ IN one leg thrown carelessly on t.
ie' lie flicked the boot on it with a
aa l'g crop and pulled a Turkish ci
:. That burned with a smell like
W., smell OF decayed weeds and punk
"li'e IN talk was hcrsey. With him
heggle Van Duyck, who was dog.
81. and Algy Relnsen who was foxy.
NJ, .hat new hunter of NINE" said
"h1le, is a. wonder. Short barrel
org chest, clean legs, stifle well set out
muscied like Sandow. Tn thinking
that he'll come close to seven feet in
the clear"
Saw the pack awhile ago" said Req
sie' Looks well-aw. But the little
s9p with the tan over her eyes is too
Aeen-aw. Needs more work and whip
ana less coddling-aw That man
Brown Isn't any good-aw."
lies good on making the bag" said
Aigy. Saw him mixing the. seed this
morning. Hes got some sort of prep
at1on he puts in--won't give away
Inc secret-that makes it smell like an
oid dog fox in spring. Offered him five
pound to tell, doncherknow." o.
DICK Manton came up to the group
You mean that you offered him $685.
he suggested. @ie$ &
THAT is what I said" Algy respond
ed slowly. give pound"
If you're going to talk America
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
Whpper-in was 'fi'pun.'"
Avn" said Algy. Manton walked
away. Willie took his leg down and
leaned forward. His smooth, narrow
face had purpose in it. ''He's getting
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 ??''
TO be near Marian Granger" said
Reggie.
'''To be near Maid Marian said
Algy. ttf....
Willie was silent for a 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 fiicked 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 Il
breath. a&@+q fz, u..
"As for Marton. he can't ride, but I
heard to-day he'd bought q horse anG
suit of pinks. The horse was sold to
him by Jock Or1nsby You'd never
think it, but it's that devil, Mephisto!
The grooms call him the 'Gravemaker,'
sou know. He's got the temper of
Satan and has hurt three men in q
year. Buying that horse sh ows how
little Manton knows. If he tries to
ride tomorrow all three of us will
have to race the Gravemaker&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 a YER
mouth cocktail, Algy took a creme de
menthe. ..-r ... ...
The Cohasset Country club was made
up of the sons and daughters of the
rich men of Massachusetts, city. Its
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 a couple of lads. The
course lay over fairly stiff land, con-
tanning a ploughed field or two, a brook
and some fences of hedgeplant. One
at these fences had a ditch ten feet
wide running along it and was a source
of secret terror to every mmber of the
club. The Cohasset was an expensive
and exclusive organization, and it
made merry after the fashion of all
country clubs. Late that night. be-
tween a waltz and a two-step. Willie,
in a burst Of confidence. told Marian
Granger of the agreement reached by
himself and friends, saying nothing OF
Manton. The girl, very handsome and
self-contained, looked at him with
wide ewes. "Indeed!" was all she said.
eyes" Willie went on his tongue
,oosencd by several absinthes. 81
shall be your most devoted for six
months at least. You haven't seen my
new hunter. Van Duyck and Remsen
are not in it.
A smile of amusement came into her
Emo ewes, "You are certain to win?'
she asked.
Sure" he replied. ....
..Excuse me, then" she said. Here
;s Mr.. Manton. / promised this dance
to him." =
Swinging slowly in her partners
rms. she told him of the wager-told
= tightly, but he could see shadow
~ resentment in her face. He was
Young fellow of not many words and
nostive manners. He started on
1,unt for Willie and found the three of
them in the buffet. He had made up
his mind to spare the girl annoyance
from this trio, puppies" he termed
them wrathfully, and was willing to
risk a good deal to achieve his object.
He stated his business briefly.
..Miss Manton has told me of your
bet. or wager. or trial of skill
xxhatever YOU choose to call it. Its
nature would be unchanged by any
name. I, too, am worshipper of