The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-12
CLAWDEVIL.
fBelgrayiai

TBelgrayiai
Coming across with the pocket book,
Julian found the ex-bushranger's face
ghstening in the feeble lampiight. The
big starting tears had lodged in the lab
yrinth OF wrinkles like fresh-fallen rain
in thirsty watercourses. The tendency
of Clawdevil to extreme fits of exhaust
ion alarmed him sitting by, pocket-book
in hand, watching the invalid. He had
already found out that the Paintings, of
which we have seen something, had been
Of growing recurrence, and that on the
last occasion Of Clawdevil's descending
for water he was warned by premonitory
symptoms into determination to fill all
his spare vessels while strength yet re-
mained, so that, in case Of a severely
sudden attack, he might not be left 20
die Of thirst. And it was at this time
that Julian and Nelson happened to ap-
pear upon the scene. s@
iBy-and-by the old man woke from his
dose, reused himself, and beckoned for
the pocket-b0ok. It was q battered old
'Ready Reckoner,'' full Of curious en-
tries, memoranda understandable by the
writer only; receipts and names; tallies
of native eats, bears, possums, and birds.
Sometimes in the earlier and dirtier
pages there would be cross; twice there
was double cross. Julian observed the
trembling fingers a. they clutched leaf
after leaf, yellow with age. The sick
man paused and pointed with his fore
finger to one Of the pages bearing cross.
He shook his head, saving:
"These are also entered in what the
chaplain use to call the judgment book.
But they have been struck out, and
struck out by the Mercy that pardons a
sorry sinner. Strike 'em out for mehere,
if you please, Mr.. Fullerton"
Wherenpon Julian drew pencil line
through dozen crosses and more,
EVERY cross" Clawdeyil explained,
represents somebody robbed; every
double cross, and there are three Of them,
represents somebody killed. sIdon't say
murdered, mind you-kiIed. But that
was long SINCE" ..-.,......
" From one Of the pockets Of the book
he took ont treasured bit of tissue
paper. 1t contained lock Of beautiful
hair, tiny crisp curl that clung round
his finger when he released it from the
pocket. VI
y ''That was my kttle girls hair, SIR
md that little. girl does not know that
am her father, or that her father, but fol
the accident Of your presence, would
have died Like a rat in a hole" he
said.
"Is she alivep' asked Julian.
"God only knows Lost sight Of hel
some years ago."
And then pausing from time to time
70 allow memory its perfect work, and t.
husband his waning strenth, he went
through the history Of his marriages; TIE
crime he had committed while his first
babe was still in arms, and the sequel to
it all. He had married the daughter of
a small farmer who, Of q piece with the
startling condolences which had already
marked these cavern secrets, turned out
to be one of the Fallerton tenants. He
had married her rather from necessity
than from love--so much was he willing
to do to save her from disgrace. When
he was sent across the seas the young
woman found living in, the village intol.
cradle, and set out with her little one to
the other end of the world, that she
might be near her convict husband. Her
story, her good looks, and her pretty
child gained her the friendship Of a few
humane ladies; but the woman was by
nature hght-o' love, and before long de-
serted her child and ran off with the cap
tain of a merchant brig. The news,
being bad, travelled comparatively fast
into the Convict Establishment, and was
duly told to Shipton, who, until then,
had fully regulated his conduct in hopes
of that partial liberty which well-be-
haved convicts might obtain, It was the
last drop in the cup Of Luke's despair.
He became sulIen, refractory, desperate,
and going from bad to worse, joined two
other convicts in murderous attack
upon the warders; ran the gauntlet Of
the sentries, dogs, carbines, and mounted
troopers and through incredible priva.
tions, which he of the trio alone sur.
vived, gained the mountains. Here his
daring exploits won, him the name of the
French highwayman,; Of penny fiction,
and here he held out in solitary defiance
until news reached the authorities one
day that Clawdevil was at last dead and
buried in the bush. The rumor was &C.
eepted and from that period the bush
ranger, was merely wild figure in the
local annals Of a erime-stained past.
"And the childg inquired Julian. u
"The child, sir, fell into sood hands
but, like her mother before her, she one
Say vanished and left the lady and gen.
.ieman who had adopted her. The blood
was bad. That was where 1t was. -Four
times 7 risked detection by going to sgd.
ney to see her. I used to hang about the
house to catch glimpse Of the lass, and
then, though my heart burst to speak
even one word, and get one smile to bring
back with me to- the mountains, never
sentured to speak to her. II was the
only way could make amends TO her fol
being her father" '.t'
Such cold comfort as Julian could
think Of was spoken; but twas clear, as
x~o,n:no advanoad that nld CIauduv;D,