Part 17 (1/2)

When we caain, and tried to smile

Whatever put her out for the tis by kindness, and would lead us straight if she could Driven, she knee couldn't be; and I believe she did us about ten tied, or even sneered at us

When we rode up to Mr Storefield's farain, Ji that her mare's pace was only a double shuffle of an a that the mare's was a true walk--and so it was Thebut talk, and all her paces were first-class

Old Mrs Storefield was pottering about in the garden with a big sun-bonnet on She was a great wo in, Aileen, my dear,' she said 'Gracey's in the dairy; she'll be out directly George only caot with ye? Why, dick!' she says, lookin' again with her sharp, old, gray eyes, 'it's you, boy, is it? Well, you've changed a deal too; and Jim too Is he as full of mischief as ever? Well, God bless you, boys, I wish you well! I wish you well Come in out of the sun, Aileen; and one of you take the horses up to the stable You'll find George there somewhere'

Aileen had jumped down by this time, and had thrown her rein to Jiood one it was, not long put up, that we could see How the place had changed, and how different it was from ours! We remembered the time when their hut wasn't a patch on ours, when old Isaac Storefield, that had been gardener at Mulgoa to soentlemen in the old days, had saved a bit of money and taken up a farer every year, while ours had stood still and noas going back

Chapter 15

George Storefield's place, for the old ed to him and Gracey, quite stunned Jim and me We'd been away more than a year, and he'd pulled down the old fences and put up new ones--first-rate work it was too; he was always a dead hand at splitting Then there was a big hay-shed, chock-full of good sweet hay and wheat sheaves, and, last of all, the new stable, with six stalls and a loft above, and racks, all built of ironbark slabs, as solid and reg'lar as a church, Jiarden fence ever so long

There were ht horses standing about, that looked well, but as if they'd come off a journey

The stable door opens, and out co full of business

'Glad to see you, boys,' he says; 'what a time you've been away! Been awayI've taken greatly to the business lately I' up with my drivers, but put the horses in, there's chaff and corn in the ers, and I'll be down in a few minutes It's well on to dinner-time, I see'

We took the bridles off and tied up the horses--there was any aain

'Wonder whether Gracey's as nice as she used to be,' says Jim 'Next to Aileen I used to think she wasn't to be beat When I was a little chap I believed you and she e and Aileen I never laid out any one for myself, I re off,' I said 'You're the likeliest man to marry and settle if Jeanie sticks to you'

'She'd better go down to the pier and drown herself comfortably,' said Jim 'If she kneas before us all, perhaps she would Poor little Jeanie! We'd no right to drag other people into our troubles I believe we're getting worse and worse The sooner we're shot or locked up the better'

'You won't think so when it comes, old man,' I said 'Don't bother your head--it ain't the best part of you--about things that can't be helped

We're not the only horses that can't be kept on the course--with a good turn of speed too'

'”They want shooting like the dingoes,” as Aileen said They're never no good, except to ruin those that back 'erace their owners and the stable they come out of That's our sort, all to pieces Well, we'd better come in Gracey 'll think we're afraid to face her'

When ent away last Grace Storefield was a little over seventeen, so now she was nineteen all out, and a fine girl she'd grown Though I never used to think her a beauty, now I alan to think she side of her; but she onderful fair and fresh coloured for an Australian girl, with a lot of soft brown hair and a pair of clear blue eyes that always looked kindly and honestly into everybody's face Every look of her see that wasn't square and right and honest and true could live in the same place with her

She held out both hands to ain You must have been to the end of the world, and Jilad to see you both'

She looked into my face with that pleased look that put me in mind of her when she was a little child and used to co all over her face the roo one too I couldn't lift her up and kiss her as I used to do, but I felt as if I should like to do it all the same She was the only creature in the whole world, I think, that liked hts of her out of ot into inwhich had been a part of er than ever I was surprised at hed, and Jim comes to the rescue and says--

'dick doesn't rerown such a swell, too You can't be the little girl we used to carry on our backs'

'dick remembers very well,' she says, and her very voice was ever so much fuller and softer, 'don't you, dick?' and she looked into my face as innocent as a child 'I don't think he could pull e now'