uch opportunity of persecuting Harold during the daytime. He
and all his subordinates were away all day, busy drafting, sorting, and
otherwise pottering with sheep. But I always, and Miss Augusta sometimes,
went to meet them coming home in the evening. It was great fun. The dogs
yelped and jumped about. The men were dirty with much dust, and smelt
powerfully of sheep, and had worked hard all day in the blazing sun, but
they were never too tired for fun, or at night to dance, after they had
bathed and dressed. We all had splendid horses. They reared and pranced;
we galloped and jumped every log which came in our path. Jokes, repartee,
and nonsense rattled off our tongues. We did not worry about thousands of
our fellows--starving and reeking with disease in city slums. We were
selfish. We were heedless. We were happy. We were young.

Harold Beecham was a splendid host. Anyone possessed of the least talent
for enjoyment had a pleasant time as his guest. He was hospitable in a
quiet unostentatious manner. His overseer, jackeroos, and other employees
were all allowed the freedom of home, and could invite whom they pleased
to Five-Bob Downs. It is all very well to talk of good hosts. Bah, I
could be a good hostess myself if I had Harold Beecham's superior
implements of the art! With an immense station, plenty of house-room,
tennis courts, musical instruments; a river wherein to fish, swim, and
boat; any number of horses, vehicles, orchards, gardens, guns, and
ammunition no object, it is easy to be a good host.

I had been just a week at Five-Bob when uncle Julius came to take me
home, so I missed the shearing. Caddagat had been a dull hole without me,
he averred, and I must return with him that very day. Mr and Miss Beecham
remonstrated. Could I not be spared at least a fortnight longer? It
would be lonely without me. Thereupon uncle Jay-Jay volunteered to
procure Miss Benson from Wyambeet as a substitute. Harold declined the
offer with thanks.

"The schemes of youngsters are very transparent," said uncle Jay-Jay and
Miss Augusta, smiling significantly at us. I feigned to be dense, but
Harold smiled as though the insinuation was not only known, but also
agreeable to him.

Uncle was inexorable, so home I had to go. It was sweet to me to hear
from the lips of my grandmother and aunt that my absence had been felt.

As a confidante aunt Helen was the pink of perfection--tactful and
sympathetic. My feather-brained chatter