The Gaspards of Pine Croft: A Romance of the WindermereConnor, Ralph
General
The Gaspards of Pine Croft: A Romance of the Windermere
Connor, Ralph
British Columbia -- Fiction; Canadian fiction -- 20th century
“There he is again, Uncle Colonel, among the Sleeman cattle, and you
know they roam for ever and ever. Shall I cut him out?” Paul was
pointing an indignant finger at the young Holstein bull which had broken
through the Pine Croft fence.
“Can’t understand how that fence won’t hold the brute,” replied the
Colonel. “It is supposed to be bull tight. Well, he’s got a bunch of
your cattle with him. We must quietly edge them along toward the bars.
That will be easier than finding the break. Ride ’em quietly, Paul. No
hurry. Sing to ’em, boy.”
Easily the pinto cantered round the herd, gradually edging the Holsteins
toward the bars, the young bull going quietly enough with them. It was
very easily accomplished, and after half an hour’s cutting out the
straying cattle, bull and all, were within their own “policies,” as the
Colonel said.
“Hadn’t we better run young Braeside into the bull field while we are
here?” suggested the Colonel. “I don’t like him wandering off all over
the place.”
“All right, Uncle Colonel, I’ll just cut him out,” replied Paul, proud
of his cowboy attainments.
But the bull had a mind of his own, and with a bellow and flourish of
heels was away in a wild race toward the stables and corrals, Paul
dashing madly at his heels. The race brought up at the cattle corral,
into which Paul steered the surprised and winded animal, where he was
made safe for the time being.
“Now, young fellow, you can stay there for a bit,” said the boy
triumphantly, swinging his pony into a lope in the direction of the
bungalow. A hundred yards, and the boy jerked his pony to his haunches
and sat rigid, breathless, listening. Out of the bush rode the Colonel.
“You’ve got him, Paul,” he cried, catching sight of the boy.
But, heedless of him, Paul sat his pony as if turned into stone. From
the bungalow came a rushing flood of weird harmonies. A look of
uncertainty, almost of terror, was on the boy’s face.
“What’s that—who’s that?” he whispered. “It’s like——Is it my Daddy?
Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!” His voice rang out in a shrill, quavering cry. He
shook the pinto into a gallop, flung himself headlong from the saddle
and disappeared within the bungalow.
The Colonel waited, listening, fearful. There was the crashing of an
unearthly chord, then silence.
“Well!” ejaculated the Colonel. “They don’t need me just at present.” He
rode up quietly toward the bungalow, dismounted, tied his horse and,
pulling out his pipe, threw himself down upon the grass near the door
and waited. He finished his second pipeful, then, mounting his horse, he
rode quietly homeward.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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