ere shouldn't be a
loyaller-bloomin' garden in the land."

"Well," allowed Cai, "that's sensibler anyway than puttin' up arches and
mottoes. But what's to prevent ye?"

"'Tis that nasty disagreeable Mr Middlecoat," answered Mrs Bosenna
pettishly. "He comes and tells me now as that strip has always been the
apple of his eye. . . . It's my belief he wants to grow roses against
me; and what's more, it's my belief he'd swallow up all Rilla if he
could; which is better land than his own, acre for acre. It angers him
to live alongside a woman and be beaten by her at every point o'
farmin'."

"But you've the longer purse, ma'am, as I understand," suggested 'Bias.
"Talkin' o' which--" He fumbled in his breast-pocket and produced an
envelope.

"My rent, ma'am."

"Ay, to be sure: and mine, ma'am," Cai likewise produced his rent.

"You are the most punctual of tenants!" laughed Mrs Bosenna, taking the
two envelopes. "But after all, they say, short reckonin's make long
friends."

She divided a glance between them, to be shared as they would.

"But as I was suggestin' ma'am--why not attend the sale and outbid the
fellow?"

"So I can, of course: and so I will, perhaps. Still it's not pleasant
to live by a neighbour who thinks he can walk in and hector you, just
because you're a woman."

"You want protection: that's what you want," observed 'Bias fatuously.

"In your place," said Cai with more tact, "I should forbid him the
premises."

For some reason Mrs Bosenna omitted to invite them to stay and drink
tea: and after a while they took their leave together. At the foot of
the descent, as they gained the highroad, Cai faced about and asked,
"Which way?"

"I was thinkin' to stretch my legs around Four Turnin's," answered
'Bias, although as a matter of fact the intention had that instant
occurred to him.

"Well, so long!" Cai nodded and turned towards the town. "Compliments
of the season," he added.

"Same to you."

They walked off in opposite directions.

On his way home through the town Cai took occasion to study the Bill of
Auction on one of the hoardings. It advertised the property in separate
small lots, of which Barton's Orchard figured as No. 9. The bill gave
its measurement as 1 acre, 1 rood, 15 perches. The sale would take
place at the Ship Hotel, Troy, on Monday, January 4,1897, at 2.30 P.M.
Messrs Dewy and Moss, Auctioneers.

In the course of the next week he made one or two attempts to