Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-10-04

about the whole of the time, and run
ming before me as if [ wasn't quick
enough for him. We had been out
five days, and had walked, I daresay,
matter of hundred and forty miles.
Within the last mile or two had no
ticed few shallow holes sunk a long
while since, and I thought it likely
that they had been sunk by Sandy
Jim and German ALI. But with the
exception of my notion that there had
been foul play, and my faith in Lion,
and my belief that he was leading
me to a place where I should make a
discovery, had no clue to guide me.
When we came to the wooden hut,
Lion behaved as if he had really goue
mad. He barked and whined to such
degree that he set two other dogs
at the back of the hut barking and
whining in chorus. The noise brought
to the door a man who asked what
the hell I wanted hanging about
his tent for, and whether | saw any
thing that did not belong to me that
| had taken fancy to.
"'Do you take me for thief, mate ?
| asked in q pretty quarrelsome man.
ner, for my blood was up.
"'Yes, do,' he said, and that's
fiat. l suppose your mates are pref
ty close behind you?
"'What mates 2 | asked.
"'What mates 2 he shouted, in a
furious passion. Dye take me for a
greenhorn, you 8kulking thief? DYE
think | don't know that dog there ?
The last time l saw him the two
skunks that were with him stole my
tea, stole my sugar, and stole ny axe,
curse them! They wouldn't have
stolen much more, l can tell you, if |
had caught them. l would have shot
them as lief as | would a dingo.'
a was civil in a minute. That
was more than year ago, mate |
said.
"'Yes, it was more than a year
ago, mate, he repeated, in such
sneering manner that it was as much
as l could do to keep my hands down.
And you pretend not to know any
thing about it, do you? Look here
now. l am going to fetch my gun
and if you are not off when | come
back, | will put few slugs into your
thieving carcass With that he ran
into the hut to fetch his gun.
Il knew he meant what he said /;
and as didn't want to quarrel just
then, walked away. | was so con-
fused in my mind, what with passion,
and doubt, and fear, that did not for
a long time discover that We were off
the track; but when | did notice it, it
did not trouble me; for Lion was
scudding along in front Of me, with
his chain trailing loose on the ground,
and looking back every minute to see
if | was following him.
1--WE must have gone about six
miles from the hut, and were in the
midst of the thick bush. when Lion
suddenly stopped still, about fifty
, yards ahead of me. He appeared to
be very agitated, and when [ reached
his side he was scratching at the earth
[ furiously, and tossing it wildly about.
: When saw that, ! was prepared for
f everything.
r Il went away from the spot where
/ Lion was tearing at the earth, and
the dumb beast looked at me wistfully,
as if he thought | was going to give
up the search at the last moment
= But l didn't intend to do that. was
: going farther into the bush to see if |
could discover Something-I did not
r know what; perhaps button of San.
dy Jim's clothes; perhaps handker-
q chief, anything. And | did. Sodden,
a ed down into the earth with the rain
0 buried beneath fallen twigs and
branches. with its handle worm.eateu
t and rotten, and its steel black and
rusty, | found-an axe. The very
2, axe, perhaps, that German Alf had
Y stolen from the hut. | took it up very
l. carefully; for | knew that some O
S the rust upon it might be the rust o
d poor Jim's blood. | went back tC
(, the dog; he was standing in the mid
die Of hole he had scratched out
and he was whining in a most awful
e ly distressed manner over some char
[ red bones. AS the dog raised hi!
head to the skies, | saw the tears run
e ming down his face, and his whine'
e sounded like lamentation for tht
dead and an appeal for justice.
? thought how strangely things come
about; here was a foul murder dis
< covered all through a little MATCHBOX
not worth two-pence. | knew how
D, the murder had been committed a
:; well as if had seen it. Here wa
y my poor old mate asleep. There wa
German Alf standing over him wit
lie the axe, thirsting for his gold. Dow
y. comes the axe, once, twice, ay, agai
lie and again, to make sure. Goodbye
d: poor Jim /! you've got your ticket.o
e, leave in real earnest, and nobody ca
s. cancel it now. Then German All ha
D. burnt poor old jim, and buried wha
le he couldn't get rid of. | hadn't ha
- anything to eat all the day, but
IN didn't feel bit hungry; | was file
with something else. | talked to L
st, on, and tcld him all about it; and h
u, whined and lamented as | told tn
to story; and when | finished, his fac
grew as grave as mine was-he ha
On made up his mind to avenge his ma
Id ter's murder. But there was wor
gu to do, and there was no time fc
Ill idling. | was no time finding m
er way to the hut, and making friend
to. with the hut-keeper; l was no tim
&c, getting sack, ana placing in it e
90 erything | could find that would prov
as the murder; and placing in it, to-
*, the few remains could find of poC
- Sandy Jim. | was as little time ;
I'D possible getting back to the Ne
ell Rush, where German Alf was workin
l walked all the way with my sws
lat on my back, and the sack safely s
ay cured in the middle. 1t was mig
me when got in. | don't know how
eft was that | didn't think of taking an
body with me; | was too excited
th cupuoca xroll-oJ o+,o;rbt +0 Go