Part 65 (1/2)

”Say three bottles,” replied the stranger, seating himself on the counter

”And--let 's see--a pound of tobacco; a dozen of -powder; and a couple of hobble-chains I'llfor pickles,” he continued, turning to lance Your na by you last spring, a fewSteve Tho fellow to load up soon? So that chestnut was a stolen horse, after all

Smart bit of work Another devil of a season--isn't it? I've been trying to shi+ft 900 head of forward stores froive it best, though it was in with Managed to arrange for them on Wooloo, he had opened his knife and removed the capsule and cork fro so the contents of the bottle, and eating them with a relish that was pleasant to see

Imade up his order, noted the items and price on the paper which contained the tobacco

”I see Alf Jones is gone, Moriarty,” I re occupied with his pickles ”Wisest thing he could do”

”Foolishest thing he could do,” replied the storekeeper ”Nosey was a fixture on Runnyomery's pets; and if he thinks he can better that in Australia, he's got a lot to learn And what a hurry he was in, to get out of the best billet he'll ever have, poor beggar! with his shyness and his disfigureood many more

Let's see--it was just the day after you went away that he caht weeks ago now Montgomery went a lot out of his way to persuade hiriddle till he got away Decent chap, too; and, by gosh!+

can't he sing and play! We found afterward that he had given his books to the station library, with the one I felt sort of ary, with his fiddle-case across the front of his saddle, and his spare horse in his hand He knew nothan the man in the moon”

”Don't you believe it,” I replied ”These cranky fellows have always sane spots in their heads; and Alf is particularly lucky in that respect

There's not above two--or, at theorder Just you watch the weekly papers, and you'll get news of hione to Sydney, or perhaps Melbourne, to do soone to Western Queensland,” re Moriarty's flies, without the trace of a shty oo”

”Not the saested

”Well,” replied the stranger tolerantly, ”the young chap I'ureh a short crape veil; and he was carrying a box that he evidently would n't trust on his pack-horse, but whether it was a violin-case or a child's coffin, I was n't rude enough to ask Old-fashi+oned Manton single-barrel slung on his back Good-looking black-and-tan dog

Brown saddle-horse; small star; WD conjoined, near shoulder; C or G, near flank Bay mare, packed; JS, off shoulder; white hind-foot

Horses in rattling condition; and he was taking his ti in the Bland country before co his head a little toss soh,” said Moriarty ”Had you a yarn with hier, holding his bottle up to the light while he speared a gherkin with his knife ”It was co for the Old-ie-- haven't you come past it?' So I told him if he wanted to camp on water, he'd have to turn back five mile, and come with me to where I knew of a brackish dam I'd just been disappointed of water, ie It had been half-full a few days before, but a dozen of Elder's ca tucker to Mount Brown; and each of theallon tank Talk about caer's ordinary language was singularly quotable in character, he digressed into a searching and co, inclusively, fro vista of Ti the caht,” he resumed, in a relieved tone; ”and this friend of yours cleared-off early in thebut the Diaie, so we did n't yarn much However, that chap 's no more off his head than I a I often find etful, and sort of i off your head Why, just now, I saw your two horses in the paddock as I caed for it, I could n't think where I had seen thenised you Want of sleep, I blame it on Well, if I don't shi+ft, there won't be many pickles left for my chaps They were to boil the billy at the Balahs

Better give us another bottle” He handed Moriarty the”So-long, boys--see you again soer trailed his four-inch spurs from our presence

”Do you know him, Moriarty?” I asked

”I can't say I do,” replied the storekeeper ”One day, last winter, I happened to be out at the main road when he passed with 400 head of fats; and soain till now

But how about Nosey Alf--was n't I right for once?--and were n't you wrong for once?”

”So it appears,” I replied ”But you haven't toldwith your backs against the wall--Go on”----

”Sitting with our backs against the wall,” repeated an to talk about the jealousy there was ast the station chaps on account of Jack the Shellback being picked to take Nosey's place; and fro with Nosey the evening you left here, and wondering how you got on together, being queer in different ways Then the conversation settled down on you; and we even quoted a remark Mrs Beaudesart had made about you, only a couple of hours before She had said that, though you were such a wonderful talker, you were surprisingly reticent respecting your own former life, and your family connections, and the place you cahed a bit, not at you, but at her Clever engineering-- was n't it?”

”Not unless she was in her rooainst the wall”

”Trust her,” replieddown as she went across the yard; and we counted on her We knew her ”