TON GERRARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2674, 14 June 1905, Page 63

TON GERRARD.

By LOUIS BECKE.

[All Rights Resebvkd.]

CHAPTER XIII.

WO days had passed, and Gerrard was still at Kaburie, though Kate and her father had left the previous day. They were, however, to leturn, bringing with them three or four stockmen to assist Knowles and Gerrard to muster the cattle, for he

had decided to buy the station and leave KnoAvles there as his manager. Although there were but four thousand head of cattle on the run, they were widely separated in small mobs of v few hundreds each — some high up in the ranges, and >ome haunting the low -lying httora] and frequenting the flat, marshy land about the mouths of the numerous creeks debouching into the sea, where they eagerly ate the lush, saline grasses and creepers that lined the coast above highwater mark — and to round up all these scattered mobs on their various camps, and count every beast-, meant very hard work. Then, too, Gerrard intended to have a general branding at the same time, and he felt a tin ill of pleasure in his veins when Kate said to her father :

"Father, Why cannot we help, too? You can safely leave the battery and claim to Sam Young for a feAv days. And as you and I know the country so %yell, I am sure Aye should be of some use to Mr Gerrard."

Douglas Fiaser had never said "So in his life to any request of Kate's since she was fifteen, and he smiled assent. And then, in addition to that, he had taken such a strong liking to Gerrard that it gave him pleasure to afford him all the assistance in his power..

"All right, Gerrard" (men in the Australian bnsh do not "Mister" each other after a few hours' acquaintance) ; "Are shall be here. And I'll send over to Boorala for three or four good men to help in the mustering."

So Kate and her father had ridden away and left Gerrard and Knowles to themselves for a few days ; and Gorrard and the dapper little oveiseer planned all sorts of improvements that were to be effected in the Avay of making Kaburie a crack breeding station.

As father and daughter rode side by side along the track back to their home, through the darkening, shadows of the coming night, they talked about Forde and Aulain, Fraser resting his big brown hand on her knee, and looking wistfully into her face.

"And you see, my child, that I Avell know that there will come a time when you and I must part. Some man "

"Never, father, never ! I liked Mr Forde very much, but not well enough to marry him and part from you. And I kissed him, dad, when we &aid goodbye. Do you mind much? I couldn't help it. I felt that I must kiss him. I thought I had better tell you, for I feel so horribly ashamed of myself."

"There is nothing for you to be ashamed of, child," said her father, tenderly. "Forde is a man, and. as I told you, he would take your refusal like a white man and a gentleman."

And I could not help crying

"He did. over it."

For some minutes tliey rode on in silence, flien Fraser said : "When is Atilain coming?"

"As soon as he is able to sit a horse, he said," and then her face flushed. ' - I Avish he would not come, father, and yet I do not like the idea of writing to him arid telling him so — especially Avhen he is ill."

Fraser nodded. "I understand. Still, I think it Avould be the better course to take. I had imagined, .however, Kate, that you thought more of Aulain than you cared to admit, cA r en to me."

"So I did ; and so I do mnr, but I would never marry him, father no matter how much I cared for him."

Hei 4 father looked at her inquiringly

"I think I am afraid of him, dad, sometimes. He is so dreadfully jealous, and he has no light whatever to be jealous of me, for Aye were never engaged." VXaxu afraid that poor Aulain will cut up

pretty roughly os ci this, Kate,"' said her father, presently. " I can t help it, lather. And 1 think, aftei all. I had better write to him tomorrow. 1 really do not want him to come to the Gully." And s-.be * did write, and Aulain's face was not pleasant to see as he read hey letter.

"By — -'• if it is the par&on fellow. I'll shoot' him like a rat," he said, and the a he cursed the fever that icept him away from Kate. He went over lo the Clarion office and saw Lac-py, who was quick to perceive that something had occurred to upset the darkfaced sub-inspector. "How are you, Aulain? Any 'shaken' to-day?" he asked, referring to the recurring attacks of ague from winch Aulain suffered

" Oh. just the usual thing," replied his visitor, imtalily", as lie sat down on a cane lounge and v'ciously tugged at his moustache. "I thought- I would come ever and worry you with my company for a while, and' get you to come acios-s to the Queen's and share a bottle of fizz with me. They have aome ice there, I heai — came up by the [Sydney steamer last night." Lacey's ej-ps twinkled, "I'm with you. my boy. I've just finished writing a particularly venomous leader upon mine adversary, the Planters' Friend, and a nice cool drink, such as you suggest, on a roasting day lik. this will teud to assuage the journalistic rage against my vile and hat?d cont nnporary. Arriving at the Queen's Hotel, the two mci went upstairs -md sat down on comfortable cane lounges on the verandah, and in a few minutes the smiling Milly appeared with a large bottle of champagne and a big lump of the treasured ice, carefully wrapped up in a piece of blanketing. As Lacey attended to the ice, Aulain began to cut the cork string. "Oh, by the way. Lacey," he said, cam lessly, "T saw-in the Clarion yesterday thai Forde. the sky pilot, is leaving the Churcb. Are you readY with the glasses?" "I am. Faith, doesn't ie look lovely. Steady, me boy, these long sleever glasses hold a pint. Here's long life to ye. Aulain. Heavens! but it is good." and he sighed contentedly as he set down his glass again. "You were asking about Forde?" he said, as he wiped his red, perspiring face. "Yes, he is ghing up parsonitying. I had a letter from him "by the mailman yesterday from Fraser'o Gully". He wa.s staying tlierc for the night wnh our friend Gerrard."

Aiilain's" black brows knit and his hand clenched under the table os Lacey went on.

" His mother has died, and left him some money. And very glad it is I am to hear it. for a finer man "I don't know."

'•Much?"

"He didn't say ; but I know that his mother was. pretty well off He merely wrote ny " asking me to " mention in the Clarion that he was leaving the Church, and was going south. Ye see, he has a power of friends all over the country, acl ne just asked me to .write a bit of a paragraph saying lie was going ;u\ay. and regretted that he could not come to PoTt Denison'to preach'next Sunday fortnight." Aulain refilled Lacey's and his own gla.ss "Lucky fellow ! When is he leaving Fraser' s place V " "He wos leaving that morning for Boorala. and Fraser and his daughter and Gerrard were going with him as far as the tum-oK. By a~bit of good luck. Gerrard — who alto sent me a few lines—- met Foule and. Miss Fraser on his way to the Gully. Her* is his note," and he took a letter from his pocket and handed it to Aulain. who read :

"Fraser's Gully. " Dear Lacey, — As the Boorala mailman is calling here this morning. I send you a line. 1 had the good fortune to come across Miss Fraser and Mr Forde at Cape Conway. and we all came on to her father's place together. I like Fraser. He's a fine old cock. The par son, too. is a good sort. As for Miss Kate Fra3er, she is a modernised Hotspur's Kate — a delight full y frank aaul charming girl. I envy the lucky man who wins lier. I hope the boy has root gat into any mischief and is giving you no trouble. Give Aulain my regards, and tell him I delivered his letter sooner than I anticipated. I leave for Kaburie

this morning, and am to have the plea-

sure of being accompanied by Frascr and his dtiughter. Tell- Jim t4iai if he gets into any mischief whilst I am away, I'll make it hot for him. — Sincerely yours,

" TO3I GI.HRABD."

Aulain handed the letter back to Lacey. He was outwardly calm, but his heart was. surging with passion. What business had that rl d parson fellow and Kate to bo together at Cape Conway, 15 miles away from hei home? And then his receptive brain conjure 1 up the blackest suspicions. Forde had come into money, and Kate had written to him saying that she could not marry him, "because she would never marry and leave her father." He set his teeth.

"I think we could do another bottle, Aulain," said Lacey presently. "Right, old man!" replied the sub-in-spector mechanically, and then Lacey noticed that his bronzed face had become pallid.

""Shakes' coming on?" he asked, sympalheticilly. "Just a. bit ; but the fizz is doin 0 ' lne good."