necessary for me to shelter Harold Beecham under my wing. Grannie greeted
him cordially as "Harold, my boy", he was a great favourite with her. She
and uncle Julius monopolized him for the evening. There was great talk of
trucking sheep, the bad outlook as regarded the season, the state of the
grass in the triangle, the Leigh Spring, the Bimbalong, and several other
paddocks, and of the condition of the London wool market. It did not
interest me, so I dived into a book, only occasionally emerging therefrom
to smile at Mr Beecham.

He had come to Caddagat for a pair of bullocks which had been fattening
in grannie's home paddock. Uncle gave him a start with them next morning.
When they came out on the road I was standing in a bed of violets in a
tangled corner of the garden, where roses climbed to kiss the lilacs, and
spiraea stooped to rest upon the wallflowers, and where two tall
kurrajongs stood like sentries over all. Harold Beecham dismounted, and,
leaning over the fence, lingered with me, leaving the bullocks to uncle
Jay-Jay. Uncle raved vigorously. Women, he asserted, were the bane of
society and the ruination Of all men; but he had always considered Harold
as too sensible to neglect his business to stand grinning at a pesky
youngster in short skirts and a pigtail. Which was the greatest idiot of
the two he didn't know.

His grumbling did not affect Harold in the least.

"Complimentary to both of us," he remarked as he leisurely threw himself
across his great horse, and smiled his pleasant quiet smile, disclosing
two rows of magnificent teeth, untainted by contamination with beer or
tobacco. Raising his panama hat with the green fly-veil around it, he
cantered off. I wondered as I watched him if anything ever disturbed his
serenity, and desired to try. He looked too big and quiet to be ruffled
by such emotions as rage, worry, jealousy, or even love. Returning to the
house, I put aunt Helen through an exhaustive catechism concerning him.

Question. Auntie, what age is Harold Beecham?

Answer. Twenty-five last December.

Q. Did he ever have any brothers or sisters? A. No. His birth caused his
mother's death. Q. How long has his father been dead?

A. Since Harold could crawl.

Q. Who reared him?

A. His aunts.

Q. Does he ever talk any more than that? A. Often a great deal less.

Q. Is he really very rich?

A. If he manages to pull through these seasons he will be second to none
but Tyson in point of we