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Red whooped andhobbled after him, evidently to inform Beryl.
Sterl, Leslie, if
it wasnt for youboth, an a hellbent somethin, Id walk right in this heah
river!
Ormiston means toget more cattle by hook or crook and then shake us.
Slyter came stamping from the direction of his wagon.
He went on his way,deeply
disturbed by the encounter.
Tip off your mother an dad to rustle over heah
pronto, whispered Redto Leslie. Couldnt we jest be happybut for thet
bastard?
His ice-blue eyes glinted as he faced Sterl.
The black had said that
once before, months back. They went stark naked except for a breechcloth of
wovengrass or hair. Friday appeared stalking under the gum trees.
He is as
fascinated by yourbeauty as that redheaded churn of his. Across the river
lights flashed at Ormistonscamp.
The several hundred blacks had congregated ina
grove at the lower end of the long waterhole.
I have come to have a personal
regard foryou.
But he wasglad that the cowboy had spoken out.
Slyter, you all
cant fail to seewhat your wilderness outback has done, to your precious
offspring. When Sterl asked Friday what he had told Dannand Slyter the black
replied:Plenty black fella good.
I would notpresume to have you deny your
creed, your honor. But I hope our friend Ormiston runs true to type, and
getsspeared, muttered Sterl, half to himself.
Im sorry, boss, but you gotta
take them jest the same. He made his own weapons, very few innumber, and these
he carried.
But nothing could savethem from the heat. Then he turned to the
never failing black,who was always there when wanted.
But the bearable hours
always renewed interest in things of the momentand hope for the future. A call
to supper disrupted this conversation.
But I hope our friend Ormiston runs true
to type, and getsspeared, muttered Sterl, half to himself.
Leslie, you shall
not outdo me in thanks, she cried, with spirit.
An by Gawd, someday youllgo on
your knees to me for thet! I am gladsomebody remembered me on Christmas Day!
All of thetrekking party were present except Ormistons drovers and several
ofDanns.
The bases closed the gaps between and turned to inky black.
Sterl made
use ofthis time, often with Leslie or Friday.
Hathaway came down with some kind
of a fever which neither Ormistonnor Dann could alleviate. Sterland Red waded
into the river a dozen times without bothering to removetheir garments.
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