Tiny Luttrell

coach. The coach was just in sight, which meant that it could not arrive for at least half an hour. Yet nothing would in

ece; and a hot wind in full blast played steadily upon Swift's neck and ears. He had pulled up in the shade, and was leaning forward, with his wide-awake tilted over his nose, and his eyes o

ddened a face that commonly gave the impression of complete capability with a sufficiency of force. This afternoon, however, Swift lacked the confident look of the thoroughly capable young man. And he was even younger than he looked;

to see for himself how things were going at Wallandoon. Having stepped into the managership by an accident, and even so merely as a trial man, young Swift at once made sure that his trial was at an end. It did not strike him that in spite of his youth he was the ideal person for the post. Yet this was obvious. He had five years' experience of the station he was to manage. The like merit is not often in the market. Swift seemed to forget that. Neither did he

when the girls grew up it became time to make a change. The squatter was a wealthy man, and he could perfectly well afford the substantial house which he had already built for himself in a Melbourne suburb. The social splashing of his wife and daughters after their long seclusion in the wilderness was also easily within his means, if not entirely to his liking; but he was a mild m

en days only, when the two young fellows had failed to pull together? This was not likely, for Herbert at his worst was an honest ruffian, who had taken the whole blame (indeed it was no more than his share) of that fiasco. Swift,

snubbed addressed another re

petticoat

I

ch came

hter," affirmed the pub

're cra

t a minute

ou're right," he said, hastily

am

jumped to the ground. "There's nothing

uld have died on the spot. If they did, however, it was only to make way for a new and unlooked-for anxiety, for little Miss Luttrell was smiling down at him through a brown gauze veil, as she

Mr. Luttrell, with a smile. "Is

e me in?" as

aid Swift, holding the

ely pleasing. Embarrassed though he was, Swift was more than pleased to see the young girl again, and her smiles that struggled through the brown gauze like sunshine through a mist. She had not worn gauze veils two years ago; and two years ago she had been content wit

e Bushman and Brownlock, the old safe pair she had many a time driven herself. In a moment she was bidden to jump up. There had been very little luggage to transfer. The

ons; but I am afraid they will make yo

it," he answered; "I was much more u

about Tiny. Give her travelers' rations and send her to the travelers' hut. That's all she deserves,

jolly," said

r. Luttrell chuckled; "sh

veil in a smile. That abominable veil went right over her broad-brimmed hat, and was gathered in and made fast at the neck. Swift could have torn it from her head; he had not seen a l

sked her. He had kno

eyes wandered. "There's old Mackenzie in the post office veranda. He wa

eing unreliable?"

f I am? What's the good of being reliable? It's much more amusing to take people by surprise. Your face was worth the journey when you saw me on the coa

eing that all her interest was in the old land

t to him who I am, and how long I have b

ttrell chimed in, chuckling afresh; "ther

ip buildings. There was now nothing ahead but the rim of scrub, beyon

, have I not?" the girl now remarked,

believe that you have," laughed Swif

e remembers all ab

ack?" the

ot!" sa

dom heard among her own people. Tiny she was by nature, and Tiny she had been by name also, from her cradle. Certainly she had been Tiny to Swift two years ago, and already she had called him Jack; but he saw in neither circumstance any reason why she should be Tiny to him still. It was different from a proper

look at her she had scarcely changed at all. A certain finality of line was perceptible in the figure, but if anything she was thinner than of old. As for her face, what he could see of it through the maddening gauze was the face of Swift's memory. Her voice was a little different; in it was a ring of curiously deliberate irony, charming at first as a mere affectation. A more noteworthy alteration had taken place in her manner: she had acquired the manner of a finished young woman of the world

the station pines stood motionless, drawn in ink. As they drove through the last gate they could hear the dogs barking; and Christina distinguished the voice of her own old short-haired collie, which she had bequeathed to Swift, who was r

ho had confirmed his command instead of dismissing him from it, chose to talk sheep at the supper table. Swift seemed burning to hear of the eldest Miss Luttrell, who was Miss Luttrell no longer, having married a globe-trotting Londoner during her first season and gone home. He asked Christina several questions about Ruth (whose other name he kept forgetting) and her husband. But Mr. Luttrell lost no chance of rounding up the conversation and yarding it in the sheep pens; and Swift had the ingratitude to resent this. Still more did he resent the hour he was forced to spend in the store after supper, examining the books and discussing recent results and future plans with Mr. Luttrell, while his subordinate, the storekeeper, enjoyed the society of Chr

he himself was merely a visitor. And on the strength of that Swift was perhaps justified now in adding

we papered with Australasians, if you remember; they

's reply, which na

to be," said Swift unhappily; "and it won

he dearest little d

you were glad to ge

ne knows ho

peer unobstructedly into her face. He found it more winsome than ever, but he noticed some ancient blemishes under the memorable eyes. She had, in fact, some freckles, which he recognized with the keenest joy.

eat funk of you? I can't say quite what it is, but

own manner; "I suppose it's being boss. But I haven't seen enough of you to be sure. You evidently told off your new storekee

everal things, besides glancing through the books; I thought we might have put it off, and I wondered how you were getting on. By the way,

but she did not seem impressed by it. "Do

Easter holid

would com

entioned you. I suppose yo

ll you why

h you

od-by to Wallandoon," s

xclaimed Swift, with conviction

it," cried Chri

ot

Miss Trevor

m once in

y be in

aven't told me how it is you've come to say good

sly: it's because I sail fo

Eng

you. But I'm not going to see England, I'm going to

ully; "most of us would like a trip home, you know, just to see what the

it isn't.

've never b

in Melbourne. Herbert's going with me; he's going to Cambridge, if they'll have him. Didn't you know that?

as nothing less than grotesque; but at the moment he was

he offered to fight me when I tried to make him work. I suppose he will be three

t her name is Holland. I beg your pardon, Jack, but you have been really

you haven't told me how long

htly. "It may be for years and year

trangely, and she

ght agai

night

some ten minutes to say that which ought not to have lasted one. But you must know that this was noth