Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1908-04-03
A new ZEALAND SKETCH !

impetuously to his feet.
When you has chops for breakfast"
he explained, you like 'em!"
The rest stared at the speaker in
| puzzled silence.
But" continued Harding, a CLINT
In his eye, ''supposing that after you'd
eaten those chops you still saw EN-
on the tablet"
Man, how cuid We do that?" in
quired the Scot hand, Ian Robson, in
amazement.
wait till I've done!" retorted
Harding. Now, as l say-supposing
you saw those chops in front of you
always, whether you were hungry or
fed up, or half and half! Would you
like EN- them"
Il should sling 'em away" asserted
| Allenby, third stockhand.
"Of course you would" shouted the
other in triumph. after you'd looked
at 'em long enough you'd swop every
| one you ever saw for ships biscuit!
It's the same with us and Molly. Here's
| lot of us maxim ourselves as cheap
| as sheep In a drouth. She knows she
can take the pick Of the little mob
whenever she chooses to sort it over.
AS like as not, bein' a girl Of sense,
she's keeping her eyes open to see. II
| anything else don't come along in the
| mean while. How does that strike you,
boys?"
That's sound talkin'," commented
Jerry Maine, who made up the fourth
Of the party.
The others, impressed, congratu-
lated the speaker upon his character
study Of the frail sex.
PUT it to the proof" continued
Harding. flushed with the praise. ITO
days Friday. Well let her have her
own company till Monday night.
You'll see difference then, mark my
words"
There's something beyond tongue
in your head, after all, WILL" ex-
claimed Ian Robson.
That evening Molly sat in her &C
customed place. A shade of surprise
of a clock within the house Chimed
seven times. The grass about her re-
NAMED untenanted.
Five minutes later Will Harding,
bearing saddle and bride, passed the
spot on his way to the stockyards.
Within the rails four horses roamed
discontentedly to and fro. The remain
ing plotters followed, each granting
her a nicely modulated nod as they
passed. Then the four had disappeared
at a canter down the track.
Hardly had the thud of the hoofs
died away when the rouseabout made
his appearance from the direction of
the woolshed. He was whistling the
same air he had whistled earlier in
the day-in the same aggressive man
ner. He flung himself full length upon
the grass as though to compose him
self for a nap. But Molly could dis
Germ a covert grin that lurked about
the blurred feature that he was con-
tent to call mouth.
The curve of the girls lips straight
ened themselves to a rigid line. The
rouseabout was free lance who had
seized his opportunity as he found it.
But in Molly's sight he lay cipher
in the intrigue. She retreated with
dignity to the kitchen. her eyes shin
ing with a light that BODIED good
neither for her absent Courtiers nor
for the rouseabout. Four pairs of eyes
that peered from the summit of a
neighboring bush crowned hill spark
led as she went A subdued chorus OF
triumph rose to the leafy domes above
Harding brought his hand down up
on his thigh with an exultant thump
Didn't tell you so?" he exclaimed
On the morrow the duties Of the
station were performed with degree
, of energy sufficient to cause active dis
comfort to the sheep and cattle. II
had been decided that the day follow
ing was to mark the return to grace.
Their meetings with Molly had beer
acknowledged by CHEEKY nod on the
: part of each. In return she had smiled
brightly back The rouseabout, how
ever was seriously contemplating the
resignation of his Office. He had cut
, sufficient wood for a days consump'
: ton In a spot that he named with
gusto; he had drawn water enough tt
food the station. And still Molly, 6
/ grim smile upon her face, had cried
| More! More!"
Ian Robson strobe on In the var
that evening, as, having tethered theil
horses, the station hands forced theil
way along the cattle track that pierced
| | the bush upon the hilltop. AS his ey'
, | struck upon the willow he recoileC
! | with a start. Will Harding, who fol
lowed, gazed in his turn. He burst In
} | to a torrent of abuse. The remaining
/ | couple, when the time came for thei
: eyes to serve them, stood stonelik'
. and dumb as Ian. Far beneath then
= was the willow tree. Under 1t sat Mol
ly-but not in the solitude they hat
1 planned. BY her side, In closer prop
4 inquiry than had ever been granted Il
e any of the watchers, reclined the fig
\ ure Of a man!
3 THAT BLACKBOARD blacksmith!
e groaned Will Harding.
: Whether Molly had contrived an In
: vitation, or whether the smith pos
4 sessed of the gift which directs a ne
: gro to an unguarded chicken roosi
= they knew not 1.-THE grim silence tn
g four descended the hill which the