Ellsworth American., 1876-06-08


minnit longer, and we'll start agin. It's a
goodish SWIM
He kept playing with the water with his
great hand, and frowning from time to
time as he gently raised bubbles and
watched them float away down toward the
house, till some thought came upon him,
and he struck out once again without speak
ing. II was, as he said, q 'goodish' swim.
aud he seemed very fish. for he not only
got along with ease, bu. appeared to enjoy
the bath. With me the excitement Of the
apprehension that felt was Of itself ex-
hausting. could barely keep abreast of
his long, powerful strokes. Away behind
US the trembling lines OF ripples were r.-
diatlng to the banks; before, the quiet wa
ter seemed TO travel up upon us, the stream
was so slow. Swimming as we were over
great blue deeps, over fleecy clouds, over
the deep clear concave, 1t was like dream
the more like for the wild probabilities
OF the next hour. l watched the well-known
.,...u. ous ..,o 'UUvss,ty Ioi eAuftrvu "VuIu
not allow me, and in a bewildered, excited
way my mind travelled on to the ladies Ia
the power of the ruffians. This, | think,
gave me fresh strength. for labored on
tiresomely but steadily till the boat tree
was visible just rising from the turn. In
ten minutes more we were standing thigh
deep beside the boat. l was giddy with
the effort.
Now, then, dress never mind the boots
Let's git ready for the play; the curtains
up by this time. Where does the boss keep
the POWDER
Its locked up
Bad news, mate said Norris, pauslng :;
no worse hev | heard this blessed day.
You're not in wind for a rough-an-tumbley
he said with an Interrogation in his voice.
You'll see | returned. feeling myself
getting back both strength aud breath.
I'm as iit COW as when we started
That ere tea-tree fence runs down to
this stump he continued, before the reply
was finished. Il ought to Anow-I planted
1t. Let's creep up on this side an look at
the yeranda.
We crawled up carefully and peered out.
There was not a sound. Both OF us had
our eyes intently turned on the house,
when Norris said, without moving his head,
'Hev the family's habits altered siuce
were herei
No. why?"
Then" he pursued, pensively, They've
done it as they said. They've locked all
the doors"
That end one on the yard veranda, I'M
der the creapers, like as not they wouldn't
notice it,"
Its not likely" whispered back catch
ing GOODNESS from him, aud treasured by
the silence. 1T only opens little way,
though, but enough TO admit US without
noise"
That's the 90, then, ,matey. Well make
for there from the hedge, an if"
lie paused Us If struck. There came
hoarse roar daughter from the still house
rolling down charged with warnings Of
crime and violence.
"Ah. they're at 1t. Like AS not they're
goin' to begin the DEVILS courtship.
There's no time TO lose. lad. Git up on
the other side o the hedge I'm after ye."
1t few minutes We had stepped bare.
footed upon the yeranda, and in perfect ST.
lence. | could see the kitchen doors wide
open. could hear loud conversation and
laughter within, but there were no sounds
of women's voices. put my parched lips
To Norris's ear There were two servants
an old woman and chamber-maid.
inside, an gagged If they was noisy, to
be sure"
held up the creepers for my companion
who was not more than minute ia trying
the handle but it seemed an hour. trem
1Ied So excessively that the net work Of
woodbine and passion-p plant fell Just Is he
had opened the door aud passed in. |
wormed myself through the mass of foli-
age, and nj last stood beside him, land,
thank God.' breathing out my thought, in
time.
Look here" whispered Norris, angrly,
putting his hands on my shoulder, and Civ
ing me shake attended 10 restore cool
ness 'wot the devil dye mean iussin' with
them bl anches? We'er in plenty o time.
They're all In the dinin' -room-d'ye heary
lie put his lips upon my ear. which he
brought forward by pulling my head upon
his face. They y'er-ln-the-diuiu -
room
Even in my excitement recognized the
hard, steady GOODNESS of his voice, and felt
the Importance oi the warning. The room
In which We stood opened upon where the
bush-rangers were. Norris placed a hand
on each shoulder, and walked me firmly
back TO the door by which we had entered.
Then he looked keenly round in the semi
darkness-ior creepers covered windo" as
well as door. There WAS an old iron
stanchion OF a bullock dray lying among
some iife-wood close to where was, and
his irowning eager face lighted with salts
faction when he saw it. 1t was within his
grip ia IA minute, As II might have been an
old friend, and again he stood at the door
opening upon the carouse. The next move
ment he made was TO turn the handle with
out noise. This he set about So carefully
that IL would have taken two or three min-
utes 10 accomplish had not stepped beside
him with an assurance that it would give
no sound. The door was silently opened
without attracting attention; and through
the chink. a couple of inches wide, We got
full command OF the scene.
Not handsome, but with face wearing
"a Al I'M tel llaafiai or n rnss ii sNtInn
seen in women: with fair hair and thought
ful blue eyes; with maturcd, yielding
figure that in every position presented =
graceful contour; with the hand and arm
of a duchess, and bearing. even then.
that carried the mint stamp OF nobility
such was Marion Walmer. She stood at
the farthest corner of the mantle-shslf from
the door past which we looked. Behind
her was the dark, usually merry, face of
Emily Ritcher, now pale and drawn with
terror. Upon the table were decanters and
tumblers, and at the end next the fireplace
the three men whose names had long since
been sufficient to raise execration upon
every lip. There was but one voice against
them; it was the voice OF q large cOmmuni-
ty living scattered in the solemn loneliness
of the two Austrian colonies. and that
voice bTeathed fervently unanimous mar.
anatha.
The CANCER ad turned his face and low
forehead, upon which the red hair appear.
| ed to have crept down like noxious weed
to where the ladies stood. A blue serge
shirt lay back from his broad chest. His
heavy features showed evidences Of the
brandy he had been drinking, as he sal
with mis- heels resting upon the table, re
garding them from his coarse, flushed fea
lures. while apparently fascinating theiI
| eyes with his.
| Tom, look at the smoke
A dark, sinewy man, who would have
been singularly handsome but for the
| queer expression of his eyes, with an easy
suppleness and lightness that, taken with
his figure, indicated formidable strength
rose and walked to the window.
1T has nearly all disappeared the latte
replied, in an accent that was pure and ed
ucated, while he rested muscular thOugl
slender.lOOking hand upon the window
frame. "Mr. Walmer will have tnrne'
his horses head homeward by this time.
So he will,' spoke the Ganger. Harry,
to short sailor looking man, who had ,
ship tattooed on the back Of his hand
have Won got a coin? Well toss for tn,