The Port Gibson reveille., 1908-04-02
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4 NEW ZEALAND SKETCH
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Harding, the youngest shepherd, rose
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 ye do that?" in
quired the Scot hand, Ian Robson, in
amazement.
wait till I've done!" retorted
Harding. "Now, as I 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 'em then?"
81 should sling 'em away" asserted
Allenby, a 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!
.
a lot of us maxim ourselves as cheap
as sheep in 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 if
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. "To-
days Friday. Well let her have her
own company till Monday night
You'll see a 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 ac-
customed place. A shade of surprise
crossed her face as the faint tinkle
of clock within the house Chimed
seven times. The grass about her re-
mained u1tenanted. = =
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
cern 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 a 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 boded good
neither for her absent Courtiers nor
for the rouseabout. Four pairs of eyes
that peered from the summit of
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 l tell you so?" he exclaimed.
On the morrow the duties of the
station were performed with a degree
of energy sufficient to cause active dis
comfort to the sheep and cattle. 1t
had been decided that the day follow
ing was to mark the return to grace.
Their meetings with Molly had been
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 days consump-
ton in a spot that he named with
gusto; he had drawn water enough to
food the station. And still Molly, a
grim smile upon her face, had cried,
more! More!"
Ian Robson strobe on in the van
that evening, as, having tethered their
horses. the station hands forced their
way along the cattle track that pierced
the bush upon the hilltop. AS his eye
struck upon the willow he recoiled
with a start VIII Harding, who fol-
lowed, gazed in his turn. He burst in
to a torrent of abuse. The remaining
couple. when the time came for their
eyes to serve them, stood stonelike
and dumb as Ian. Far beneath them
was the willow tree. Under it sat Mol
Iy-but not in the solitude they had
planned. BY her side, in closer prop
inuuity than had ever been granted to
any Of the watchers, reclined the fig
ure of a man!
''That blackguard blacksmith!
groaned VIII Harding.
Whether Molly had contrfved an in
vitation, or whether the smith pos
sessed of the gift which directs ne
gro to an unguarded chicken roost,
they knew not In the grim silence the
four descended the hill which they
had mounted so buoyantly. BY the
woolshed they all but ran into the