THE STORYTELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 390, 16 May 1910, Page 6

THE STORYTELLER.

THE BOUNDARY LINE Farmers Thompson and White, who had lived neighbors to each other for fifteen long years, had always known that the line fence separating their farms was about a foot or two out of the way, but they had been too sensible to care who wins favored. Things changed, however, when Carr, the contractor, and Allen, the broker, bought the two farms for building purposes. The services of a surveyor were called in, and each man stood on his rights.

When the surveyor found that the true line took in eleven inches more of the contractor's land, the broker said that settled it. It didn't, however. The contractor sent a lawyer to search through the old laws and fish up musty old documents, determining to continue the fight any number of years to prove ■that the surveyor was wrong. While the contractor was planning, as contractors will, the broker was acting, as brokers do. In plain English he liaa that fence moved over to give him the eleven inches due. Two days later the contractor had it moved back.

It was moving time thereafter for two weeks. Five times in all was that fence moved exactly eleven inches to the west, and five times did it go back eleven inches to the east.

Then the movers rested, but only to get a better hold. While they were drawing their belts a notch tighter, two new actors appeared on the scene. One of these was a good-looking girl, named Nellie Carr, only daughter of the contractor, and the other was Harold, a stalwart 'Varsity man, the only son of the broker. ioung Allen was home for his long vacation, and 'Nellie Carr had come home because her college had a long vacation, too. Of course, each one heard' of that fence before they had been home an hour, and, of course, each one was loyal and indignant. "As father is busy, I'll just take (this quarrel on raj own shoulders," observed Harold. "When that scoundrel finds he has got me to deal with, instead of poor old .father, who is for peace at any price, there will be no more moving." "It is the moat outrageous thing I ever heard of," exclaimed the girl from college, when .she had heard the story. "I've always thought papa was a fighter; hut it seems that he has bowed his head and been walked on without shedding a drop of blood. Well, things will be different now I'm at home, thank goodness!" Next day the newcomer's went out to view the scene of action. As they didn't happen to go at the same hour, no one was killed or wounded. The fence still rested on disputed ground. "That fellow Oarr has dropped out," observed young Allen, as he strolled homewiard.

Fate waited three days longer; then Harold was told that Carrs forces were advancing, and he cut across the field to the fence.

At almost the same moment Miss Nellie heard a rumor that "old Allen's men" were going to give a fence a new shift, and she clapped on her frilled sunbonnat and made for tile, spot. She was not even armed with a hatpin when she arrived at the scene of hostilities and came face to face with a young man sitting on the fence in dispute smoking a cigarette. She halted. The young- men stared, raised his hat, and stammered—

"Good—good morning. Are-you looking for someone 1" '■Y-yes," was the panting reply. "I heard that that horrid Mr. Allen was going to move our fence again, and—l—well, I just won't allow it." ''And I heard," said the young man who bad the advantage of position, being on the top rail, "that that fellow Carr, whoever he is, 'was coming out here to take things into his own hands, and I want a chance at him and his gang." "You said 'that fellow!'" exclaimed Miss Nellie, as her eyes flashed and her cheeks grew redder. "And you said 'that horrid Allen,'" replied Harold, as he slowly dropped off the fence. "Mr. Can- is my father!"

"And Mr. Allen is mine!"

They stood staring at each other for a moment, and then began to smile. The smile had become a good-natured laugu, when Harold again lifted his hat and .said, "Beg pardon, Miss Carr." "And I'm sure I also apologise, Mr. Allen," , . „.„;,„,

"I did not iknow." "Nor I, either." "And now that both of us do know, set us sit down and talk things over. There is a dispute about eleven inches of ground, I believe!"

"So I have heard. You father con tends that it is his land "

"While your father naturally contends that it is his. V-cry foolish, Miss Carr — very foolish. The land isn't worth the cost of moving the fence over at once. It seems to me that I saw you at the last 'Varsity ball." "Yes."

And then they began to talk about collego lifn and the theatre, and new books, and the fence was forgotten. They had Ik'cii talking tor an hour, when the girl suddenly stood up with a laugh.

"(ioodiiess me! I wonder 'what mother will sayV She will think I have been murdered oil account of that fence."

"Oil, vcs, thr foiioe," replied Harold, as ho scowled >a.t it. ''Miss Oirr, 1 think wo. should take the feneo question °ut of tlio Jumds ol' our ruspectivu fathers." "But why?"

"HooaiiHo. I think wo can settle-it to our niutunl isaUsfiaclion. You see, (i fence is neither a "luill" nor 'a. 'hoar,' nor yet a .liuihling in It wants •to 1)0 dualt with troiii ii.ii entirely different .standpoint. T shall >ask my governor— —"

"I certainly must £o a I once," she interrupted. "Ami then T shall hope to have an invitation to cull- anil we will talk—- • ml ■" Kill Nellie had lied. Her jroiiij.'. however, did not allVcl the results. Tlio suniuo'r wliieh was ii joint weihluur >rift firm two delighted fathers, stands -ipKUvh on (lie disntil,\l roiTilui'v.