Cecily had for some time been listening to
Lochinvar, who was known to have been endeavouring to "cut out"
Frank. She was staying in the township with her mother preparing for
matrimony, and her horse was in the stable at Howell's Hotel.
When Frank rode away to his farm on that fateful evening, Lochinvar
was watching him. He saw Cecily going home to her mother for the
last night, and while he was looking after her wistfully, and the
pangs of despairing love were in his heart, Bill the Butcher came up
and said:
"Well, Lock, what are you going to do?"
"Why, what can I do? She is going to marry Frank in the morning."
"I don't believe it: not if you are half the man you ought to be."
"But how can I help it?"
"Help it? Just go and take her. Saddle your horse and her own, take
'em up to the cottage, and ask her just to come outside for a minute.
And if you don't persuade her in five minutes to ride away with you
to Ballarat, I'll eat my head off. I know she don't want to marry
Frank; all she wants is an excuse not to, and it will be excuse
enough when she has married you."
These two worthy men went to the Hotel and talked the matter over
with Howell. The jolly landlord slapped his knee and laughed. He
said: "You are right, Bill. She'll go, I'll bet a fiver, and here
it is, Lock; you take it to help you along.
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