CHAPTER 111.

Otago Witness, Issue 2437, 28 November 1900, Page 58

CHAPTER 111.

It was a nice country road along which Charlie Grant wheeled on a beautiful !November afternoon. There were cosy, wellsheltered farmhouses on both sides, and near, at hand a low range of hills sent their outlying ridges down into the fertile plain -through which the stately Mataura wound its leisurely way. In the far distance the dim hazy Blue Mountains, with their snow-covered iops, could be seen. Glensheila was a pretty place, though the house was very weather-beaten, but the rosecovered verandah, the glowing flowei beds, and the many different green shrubs, backed by a belt of sombre pines, made a picturesque home. The tops of the outbuildings showed on one side, while on the other side, and round the back of the house, was a healthy-looking orchard, which was giving promise of a fruit.ful season. Mr Campbell delighted to work among the trees in his spare moments, and many a battle he had with the pests which are the bane of the New Zealand orchardists. Charlie was delighted with his first view of the place, and thought that if the people were as nice as his uncle and aunt represented, his lines had fallen in pleasant places for a country holiday. Air Calders chuckled to himself when he read Charlie's first letter, describing the warm welcome he had received. He was quite delighted with the place and the people, and ■thought he would spend a most agreeable holiday, as his duties consisted in watching other people work. '"You know," he wrote, "that eight 'years work I had at West Coast mining put me up to a good many wrinkles, and if would-be vendors try any salting dodges, they'll find I'm not so green as 1 look, though I ask questions and look ignorant. However, they look a decent crowd, so I hope everything will go pleasantly." But it was one sirnoie paragraph wnicn, hs read to his wife with great glee that was to Mr Campbell the kernel cf Charlie s epi3tle. - , "You =aicl," he wrote "that Miss Campbell was plain and hemsly ! I thought you had a better eye for a pretty girl thar that. You had once, anyway. Aunt is a proof of it." "The young ia«cal," laughed Mr Calders. "There's -i compliment for you, madam." ' In my humble estimation she's a fine-look-ing girl, especially on horseback. My word, she docs vide well. I wish I could ride like iher. They all laugh when I mount, T know, though they ara polite enough to try to hide it. The small children don't, however, and it is rather embarrassing to be direefcad how to hold

the reins and -told to sit up by an dmp of 12. like Master Jack. Little Archie called out at me not to tumble off this morning, the young monkey; then laughed. They'-re a pair of pickles, the twins, and 'have . attached themselves to me already." "Ha ! ha ! it was a joke ! Thought she was plain, did I? Master Oharlie gob nicely ifcaken in that time. If I had told him she was a beauty he'd most likely have been disappointed. As it is, he was surprised Ah, yes, Master Oharlie, I'm not quite blind ■to a pretty girl even yet, though I'll never pee 60 again," and Mr Oalders laughed heartily. '-'I expect he'll be beginning to hum. 'Mollie, darling' by this time." "Too bad ! You want your hair pulled," eaid Mrs Calders, but instead ehe gave him 1 a hearty kiss. Putting his arm. round her phimp waist, •he returned it with interest. "Just want them to be as happy as we are, don't we?" ' "It would be so nice to have them living here," said Mrs Oalders with moist eyes. . "Delight yojir heart nursing the ba " "Hußh," cried Mrs Calders, clapping her still pretty plump hand on his mouth. "That is counting your chickens before, they'reeven eggs. They might hate each other." "Bad taste on both their parts, madam, if they do." Three months later found Oharlie Granfc quite at home at Glensheila. He was a favourite with every one except Mollie. The twins dote don him, and trotted faithfully . after him. Susie and Jack were nearly -as bad, and many a famous romp they had to- ! gcbher. He joined in all their, games oufI side and in, till Bella, who was 16, and inclined to put on grown-up airs,' was glad to forget her newly-acquired . dignity, and join in tlieir merry fun. Leonard, who was a. quiet, studious boy, forgot his studies, and! was as merry as possible. Colin also joined in after some futile attempts to get Moilie to come too. She would not, and felt aggrieved whon Colin left her for the merry circle, who made noise enough round the big dining table to be heard afar off. "I never saw the children so happy before." "They are delighted with Oharlie," said Mrs Campbell to her husband one night. "He's the biggest boy of the lot. I never saw a grown man so really interested in children's doings before." "Perhaps it's because .he never was among other children when a boy, and all his boyishness got bottled up. jSJow it's effervescing. He's such a sensible, fine young follow with, it al'i. It does one good to hear that laugh," as Charlie's clear, hearty laugh rang out. "He makes me laugh, though I can't tell what I ani laughing at. It's infectious— just hearken to them," and Mr Campbell laugned too in sympathy. "Why does Mollie not join ins" asked Mr Campbell. "It's not like her. She used to be first in amusing the children." "I really can't tell," replied Mrs Campbell, "what is the reason. It's strange, but sheseems to have taken an unaccountable dislike to him, an dhe is such a nice fellow.. He is so attentive to.. her too, and 13 always willing toheip. It is wonderful how handy he, is. Bella • sets him to do all ' kinds- of things, arid" they are great friends." Bella it was who took' him round and introduced him to calves, pigs—a litter, of little _ black sucklings, with their black" mother.,^ greatly delighted hiva.— ;ducks,, hens, chickens** , and all -the inhabitants of the farmyard.. , ' ' Colin took him to- the stables, where Jim,, Dalton', their trusted .servant, exhibited , the " fine. Clydesdale- "noises' with great prfte", and fine, strong, staunch fellows .they were, their sleek coats shining, their harness 'well polished, and thei rtails braided up, as they marched out of the stable door to their work, their heavily-shod hoofs ringing with ,a metallic clink on the clean, well-paved stone floor of the stable. %•,„,. "Beauties, aren't they?" asked Colm with, pride, "and as staunch as a horse can be; they'd get on their knees to pull before they'd be beaten — wouldn't, you, Jess, old S^} 9and he clapped her on the neck us she looked at him with her intelligent eyes. "I've seen you do it, you beauty." They had a nice cowshed with two rows or stalls for 30 cows. They were milking 26, and Bella declared his education would not be complete till he could milk, so she marched him out, leg-roped Sallie, a well-bred shorthorn of quiet disposition, gave him a stool, and set him down to milk, after showing him how it was done. Now cows know strangers just as well as people do, and Sallie wondered what new specimen of the biped race this was that tugged and hauled her teats in such a terribly" awkward fashion, and turned to inspect him. Jack, whose duty it was to bring in and chain ,up the cows, had forgotten to secure Sallie and her brown-haired companion, Dolhe, who also turned to look! Not being satisfied with their inspection, they turned round simultaneously and marched out, and Charlie had to jump up and make an ignominious retreat out of their way. He curt look surprised, and a roar of laughter greeted him. "You did it on purpose," he declared, and Bella was so overcome -that she could not explain, but Jack did, after he got^over. his merriment. Charlie, not to be beaten— he saw Mollie laughing at- him— determined to learn, an ddid learn so well that in a month he could milk with Bella herself— and. she was good at it-much to her delight What was an everyday drudgery to them was interesting in its novelty to him. On Sundays he helped Colin feed pigs and calves, Bella feed chickens and young ducks, wash dishes, or anything that required to be done. He enjoyed the long drive to church in Gore, so he lent Colin his bicycle and went in the buggy with Mr and Mrs Campbell, while Mollie and Leonard rode. Oharlie had been slightly spoiled. Beitig Mr Calders's nephew, he was considered quite an eligible young man, and' had a good deal of attention paid him by mammas with mar- ' . riageable daughters. He had never been inlove; up to a certain point he had been in.- . tere3ted, but it had never goiie farther.Human" nature is a curius' mixture, and man Usually wants what he cannot obtain easily. He was interested in Mollie at once— thanks to his uncle— and admired her looks and her fine riding. When he found how they all -loved her; how mother depended .on her, and ■ Colin deferred to her in everything, and consulted hei in all his doings, and how she worked, nothing being too irksome for her, -her unselfishness and contentedness under such adverse conditions— for Mrs Campbell, finding him so sympathetic, had told him all • t-Ueir troubles— made a deep impression on, him. .„ , Onarlie's interest might not have lntensinecl if Mollie had been very friendly. She had been cordial enough al first, but she gradually grew more and more distant, and Charlie was puzzled, for his experience had tended in the other direction, and he" grew still more interested in trying to solve the puzzle as the weeks passed. All the rest of the family were so friendly; Colin and he were like brothers, and the others made no secret of tb.o.u fondness foi himj "WJ^ hajvg- ft

done," he asked 'himself, "that she ■ should ■treat me so coldly? Civil enough" — oh, yes, but freezing." The fact was that Mollie was jealous. She "would have been indignant if anyone had ventured to hint so, but it - was the ease nevertheless. . It was "Where is Charlie?" all the time; it had beetf "Where is Mollie?" before, and instead of appreciating the change she deeply resented it. She felt as if none of them needed her now, and she blamed Charlie for it. Women are supposed to be unreasonable creatures, and perhaps Mollie ■was only like the rest of her s,ex. Glensheila was a favourite place with the young folk of the district, Mr and Mrs Campbell were so genuinely hospitable, and the children being musical, many evenings ■were spent in playing, singing, and games after their hard day's labour. Charlie had become acquainted with many of the settlers, and Colin, Bella, and he often passed .Xi evening at a neighbour's. Mollie always had a ready excuse when they pressed her to join them, and rarely accompanied them. There' were two young men who came to Glensheila, drawn by Mollies attractions. One, a well-to-do farmer — Alick Gordon, the other an enterprising grain and produce merchant from Gore. Charlie had some amusement ait first, watching their endeavours to draw JSlollie's attention to themselves. They were not very successful, for to their despair Mollie treated them just as she did all her other young' men acquaintances. • Strange to say, Charlie found himself, as time went on, very interested in the twain, and felt -anything y but friendly to them if JMbllie did but smile'* on 'either, and the thought of Mollie marrying some -other fellow made "him feel very queer. It was a blow to liis self-conceit, -to find that his, happiness depended on a girl who regarded him ■with positive dislike, and his lively spirits gradually, deserted him, till they all wondered at the change. His prospecting_ was nearly finished, and he was already talking' of going home. "Whatever shall we do without him?" asked Bella in. dismay. "We never had such happy times 'before." "We shall miss him sadly," sighed her mother. "We'll miss the money, you mean," said "Mollie, with a touch of scorn in her voice. "For £b~ a month I oould almost tolerate a nigger." "I'm ashamed of you," burst out Bella. ''Compare him to a nigger, indeed. You're a horrid thing, treating people as if they were dirt .beneatK your feet. You would freeze anybody living beside you." • "Bella, hush," remonstrated her mother. "Mollie did not mean that at all." Mollie turned away with a' bitter feeling* in 'her heart. He was coming between them all. Even Colin complained of her, because she did not fall down and worship at hia shrine, she thought bitterly. He was an empty, conceited thing. Whatever they could all' see in him she could "lot imagine. Bella's outburst made her only more cold and distant, and Charlie was in despair.