East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1862-04-15

got out ~ bel for the purpose OF
waking my companion; and having llt a
candle, saw that the commissions were
received, aud that he presented all the
appearance OF man in tit. | took hold
of his arm aud awokc him. Hc stared
wildly about him as did sn, and then re-
cognzing me, he sunk back with tlcep
sigh Of relief. $50
"Garlner," said, "whcreis Long Nei?''
lie raised his head with a scared look,
aud put his hand over his iace
Why don't you answer mc?"
"What makes you ask that?' he
groaued out.
"No matter; do ask il. Where is
he?p
'I--I don't know" he gaspcd
/ felt certain that he was not telling
tho truth; and suspicion had occurred
TO me which was determined to set at
rest at once.
"Look you, Gardner, l must know
what's the reason of your groaning and
crying out in your sleep. Such dreams as
those don't come to honest men,"
"What do you take me for?"
81 believe you have got something on
your mind. If it is anything You dare
tell, / would advise you to tell it, or /
shall think the worst"
He made no reply, and continued:
"Did Long Ned go to the Ovens with
your" al $50 1855 w o-
"Don't ask me. can't tell You"
~ ask you again, what has become Of
him?"
He made no reply for some minutes,
and then suddenly raising himself up, he
said ~ ret
81 will tell you. You won't wrong me,
will you?" m
"Wroug youl--why should Ig What
do you mean?' h1f
"I've got bad story to tell you, and
perhaps you won't believe it; but it's all
true. You asked mo where Ned wasp
"Well," said l, impatiently.
"Well, poor Ned's gone; he was mur-
dered in the bush-not by me--don't
look like that; didn't do it."
My companion became so much agi.
tated, that l got him drink Of tea, after
which he grew calmer. le
"Tell me all about this,' | said; chow
did it happenY" will not trouble the
reader with the questions by which OBJ
tanned the narrative of the murder. 1t
vas in substance as follows:
Gardner and Long Nod had sot out to-
gether for the Ovens, carrying nothing
with them except their blankets. The
latter had wrapped up in his bundle forty
ounces of gold, which he would not send
to Melbourne by escort, as he said he did
not want to be short of money at the
new diggings. Long Ned was very
good sort Of fellow, but unfortunately he
could not pass "grog.shop" or drinking
tent without going in; and he invariably
stayed by his bottle till ho finished it,
Gardner said his companion would often
get so drunk in the middle Of the day,
that it would be impossible to get him
away from the place until the next morn
ing; and on this account they travelled
very slowly.
One afternoon when they were going
to stop by the roadside for dinner, Long
Ned caught sight Of a tent standing back
from the road, on which dirty cotton
handkerchief was flying in the breeze as
a sign Of more or less good cheer to be
had within. On nearer inspection this
place of entertainment proved to be a
frame Of rude sticks, covered with piece
of tarpaulin and strips Of old blanket, aud
beside it stood small shed for horse
and cart. The proprietor was DOING
before the fire with short stump of a
pipe in his mouth. Long Ned, in his
usual way, declined the offer of coffee,
aud desired the man to bring ont bottle
of "stuff," at which all three were pres
emily occupied. mlc
The owner of the tent, the only person
they saw there, was short squat man,
unusually dirty even for the diggings,
and with face so covered with dark
matted hair that the features were scarcely
distinguishablc. However, he seemed OF
a social character, and did his best, in a
rough way, to please his visitors. Long
Ned began to brag Of the gold he had
found; how he hal got forty ounces in
his "swag," and tickets for above fifty
ounces more, which hc had sent down to
Melbourne. The landlord said it WASN'T
everybody had as much luck. u
There being no room for all three to
sleep in tent, Gardner, with good deal
Of trouble, persuaded his companion to
resume the journey. The landlord offered
no opposition to their departure, but on
the contrary, directed them to lodging
tent, which he said, stood about three
miles further on, and which they might
reach before dark by short cut over a
ncighboring hill. He bronght' out an
other bottle of spirits, and offered them q
parting glass at his own expense, civil.
ity which neither refused. sn
They took their way in the dusk over
the hill he had pointed OUT but, before
they had walked mile, Gardner began
to feel a stupefication of brain. accompa.
MED with giddiness. His companion soon
began to suffer from the same symptoms
in a greater degree, although they were
both tolcrably sober few minutes before.
Staggering along, scarcely conscious Of
where they were going, they came to an
IA -. MA ~.