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Chelsea Handler Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang (epub
Brit Brinson [Dia of the Dead Dia of the Dead (epub)
Cody Goodfellow [Radiant Dawn Radiant Dawn (epub)
Cate Tiernan [Immortal Belove Immortal Beloved (epub)
C J Busby [Deep Amber 01] Deep Amber (retail) (epub)
Carl Ashmore [Time Hunters 01 The Time Hunters (epub)
Drew Hayes [Super Powereds 02 Super Powereds Year 2 (epub) i
Beth Harbison [Shoe Addict 02 Secrets of a Shoe Addict (epub)
Cara Lynn Shultz [Dark World The Dark World (retail) (epub)
beowulf armoryka

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.The sheep crowded still closer together as they reached the beginning of the sheep-path; and now the man's face may be said to have taken on two coats of expressiona stern judicial look with a smile underneath.The thought that he was about to execute Justice occupied his mind wholly as the old wether led them into the strait and narrow way.With the object of catching the ewe, he ran on ahead toward the path, beside which he stationed himself, halfway up the hillock, just as the head of the column was coming; and when the misbehaved mother came trotting along he laid hands upon her and pulled her out of the procession.At this, the lamb, which had become a very warm spot on his breast, said something which sounded very much like Ma-a-a; whereupon he decided that it might as well have supper at once, after which it could follow afoot.The lamb, having been carried so far through life, came down rather carelessly on its newly unfolded legs and stumbled; but it soon picked up what it had learned of the laws of mechanics and fell to supper forthwith.The man held the ewe as before, and when he judged the lamb held a sufficiency, he hauled her away toward prison, pulling her unceremoniously out of the lamb's mouth.And then the lamb, instead of following, stood braced on the spot as if unable to comprehend that such a thing was possible.It let out a quavering complaint, a melting infant cry, at which the man stopped and turned his head, and, seeing it standing there and looking ahead in a wooden sort of way, he returned to get it, marching the ewe down the hill again."I hope I'll have five hundred like you," he said, scooping it up under his arm."Yes, I do.You'll have me talking to myself yet.Yes, you will."For a sheep-man to talk to himself is considered a bad sign; but the present hermit had no chance to go farther in this course.The dog, dashing suddenly ahead, stopped at the corner of the shack and growled.So occupied had the herder been with his distracting duties that he had not taken much notice of the shack as he drew nearer to it; but now that the dog raised the alarm he looked and saw a blue wraith of smoke hovering over the roof.His fire-hole, it seemed, was lit.This was not unwelcome news, as any one may imagine who has lived even a few days so utterly alone.But whether the visitor was a stranger or a friend was made a matter of doubt by the conduct of the dog, who was barking and growling and wagging his tail.And his only change in conduct towards his friend the enemy consisted in doing it all more industriously, making threats with one end of himself and waving a welcome with the other.But no sound came from the other side of the shack.The intruder did not stand forth and show himself.The herder wondered that his approach had not been discovered.In the meantime the ewe, which he had absent-mindedly let go of, had made her escape and was again mingling with the multitude which was now running pell-mell into the corral.It seemed strange that the person behind the shack did not step forth.Being now free of the ewe (who had in no wise thwarted Justice by her act), he proceeded to investigate his home.And when he reached the corner of the shack he sawa Woman.A Woman.At a sheep-shack.She had his tin stew-pan on the fire and was bending over it, sampling the contents.On the ground was a strange sighttwo pieces of pie, two peaches, half a chicken, sandwiches,some with ham and some with jam,pickles and cheese.And the coffee-pot under full steam.The large-hearted and healthy Lena had put all this into the package rolled into the slicker.It was partly this that had made Janet's burden so heavy.The man's jaw dropped, as almost did the lamb; but catching himself in time he hugged it closer with unconscious strength.The woman replaced the cover on the stew-pan, straightened up, and spoke."Good-evening," she said.This in a tone of positive welcome (possibly a little overdone)."How do you do," he replied."I have just been making use of your fire-hole.And your coffee-pot.You see I wasI was""Oh, that's all right.That's all right.Just make yourself right at home.Are the men folks gone somewhere?" He cast his eyes about."There are nono men folks.You see I was just coming along by myselfalonewithout anybodyany men folks." These words nearly choked her.But immediately she added, with the most brightening smile, "I was so frightened by your dog.He scared me so."Having said this, she dropped her eyes to the stew-pan, the contents of which seemed to need attention just at that moment."Oh, he won't bite.Anyway, he won't bite you.He knows ladies.""I am so afraid of them," she said, her eyes still occupied.She needed a moment to recover her courage, thinking rapidly.And as for the man, he thought nothing whatever; he just looked.She was bright-eyed and fair and wholly perfect.She was dressed in plain black, with deep white cuffs which turned back upon the sleeves, and a white turnover collar, as neat as a nun.Offsetting, somehow, the severity of this, was the boyish side-sweep of her hair, and the watch-chain looped to a crocheted pocket on her breast.And on the ground lay the soldierly three-cornered hat.To a man who had been expecting to come home to doughy hot bread and fried rabbit and solitude, this was a surprise.It was somewhat as if Providence had taken note of his case and sent out a Sister of Charity; and one who had the charming advantage of being also a dimpled Daughter of the Regiment.Once his eye had taken in the regular contour of her nose and rested on that dimple, his gaze did not wander.He did not even winkit would have been a complete loss of looking.When she removed the lid from the saucepan a spicy aroma spread itself abroad.Dog and herder sniffed the evening air, sampling the new odor.It was a whiff of Araby the Blest."As I was just going to explain," she said, straightening up again, "I had an accident with my horse.I came in here to find a water-hole and he ran away and threw me off.Then I found I was lost"; and she went on to relate the details of her adventure up to the time of her arrival at the shack.As she spoke, she felt as if she had been thrust out into the middle of a big empty stage to make a speech to that momentous audience of one mana speech upon which everything depended [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]