Part 54 (1/2)

Old Jacob was a queer old fellow in all his ways and notions, so we couldn't stable hiot at', or so So when I wanted to see hirinned, and took me away about a h--in a tent, above all places!--but as fine as a star, and as fit as ever a horse was brought to the post

'What's the fun of having hi trained in a tent before?--not but what he looks first-chop'

'I've seen horses trained in more ways than one,' says he, 'and I can wind 'ehty few in this country can--that is, when I put the ht up Now this here's an excitable hoss in a crowd'

'Is he?' I said 'Why, he's as cool and steady as an old trooper when----'

'When powder's burning and bullets is flying,' says the old chap, grinning again; 'but this here's a different crowd When he's got a training saddle and seven or eight stone up, and there's two or three hundred horses rattling about this side on hi that's in his blood, and never had a chance to show itself afore'

'I see, and so you want to keep him quiet till the last ot the ti old turnip of a silver watch--'and I'll have hihed out last I never was late in ht,' I said, 'but don't draw it too fine Have you got your weight all right?'

'Right to a hounce,' says he, 'nine stun four they've put on hi hihed at ht and stay too My ten per cent's as safe as the bank He'll put the stuns on all them nobs, too, that think a racehorsestables'

'Well, good-bye, old ood luck One of us will co yard, if you pull it off, and chance the odds, if Sir Ferdinand hiht,' says he, 'I'll look out for you,' and off he goes I went back and told Aileen and Gracey, and we settled that they were to drive out to the course with Cyrus Willia ht, of course, went in the Dawsons' drag, and was going to enjoy himself to the last minute He had his horse ready at a , or to bring up his horse if we had to ride for it

Well, the first part of the day ell enough, and then about half-past one we all went down to the church The young fellow that was to marry Bella Barnes was known on the field and well liked by the o and see the wedding

They'd heard of Bella and Maddie, and wanted to see what they looked like

The church was on the side of the town next the racecourse, so they hadn't far to go By and by, as the crowd ht says to the Co for?'

'Why, the fact is there's to be a wedding,' he says, 'and it excites a good deal of attention as the young people are well known on the field and popular Bella Barnes and her sister are very fine girls in their way Suppose we go and look on too! There won't be anything now before the big race'

'By Jove! a first-rate ideah,' says Starlight 'I should like to see an Australian wedding above all things'

'This will be the real thing, then,' says Mr Jack Dawson 'Let's drive up to our hotel, put up the horses, have a devil and a glass of chane, and we can be back easy in tiirls and his wife in his dogcart, so ere there all ready to see the bride corand affair, my word The church was that crammed there was hardly a place to sit or stand in Every wo and old, in the countryside was there, besides hundreds of diggers who sat patiently waiting as if so to take place

Aileen and Gracey had coot a pew next to the top almost I stood outside There was hardly a chance for any one else to get in

By and by up coe, with his wife and Bella and Maddie all in white silk and satin, and looking splendid Out he gets, and takes Bella to walk up the middle of the church When he went in with Bella, Maddie had one look in, and it seehtened and drew back Just then up coht, with the Commissioner and a few ht takes the whole thing in, and walked forward

'My dear young lady,' says he, 'will you permit me to escort you up the aisle? The bride appears to have preceded you'

He offered her his arirl didn't know hier

'It's all right, Miss Maddie,' says the Coirls, as far as a laugh or a bit of chaff went, especially if they were good-looking 'Mr Lascelles is an English gentleman, newly arrived, and a friend of mine He's anxious to learn Australian ways'

She took his ar at him, but quite shy-like, till he whispered a word in her ear which brought more colour into her face than any one had seen there before for a year

'My word, Lascelles kno to talk to 'eirl a whip that hten up What a chap he is; you can't lick him'