The National tribune., 1882-03-11

dare-deviltry and knight-crrantry the old
constabnlary has never been equalIed. The
reason is a simple one Men Of gentle blood
younger sens and Wild rabes who had oEt-
run the constable, were sent of to Australia
with some wlld idea of ma, ing their fortunes
On arriving, they found Melbourne by no
means the FL Dorado they expected, they
were unfit for any employment, their money
was soon dlssipated, and they unerrngly
gravitated into the mounted police Thus a
sort Of colonial "Maison Rouge" became
formed, where the lowest private had as
much pride of birth and education as his
officers. They were men who might have
swayed the fate of empires, yet who squan-
dered away their lives in many lone wild
fight with native and buah-ranger, where
nothing but Il mouldoriug blue ragged skele-
ton was left 10 tell the tale
1t was glorious sunset The whole
western sky was blaze of fame, throwing
purple tint upon The mountains, and gid
ing the sOmbre edges of the great forest
which spreads between Trafalgar and the
river Wawirra. ItstretChcd out, Il primeval
unbroken wilderness, save at the one point
where 4 rough track had been formed by the
miners and their numerous camp-1ollowerS.
This wound amid the great trunks in zig
gag direction, occasionally making a long
detour TO avoid some mayshy hollow or cs-
peCIalIy dense clump Of vegetation. Often
ii could be hardly discerncd from the ground
around save by the scattered hoofElaks and
an occasional rut.
About fifteen miles from Trafalgar there
stands a little knoll, well sheltered and
overlooking the road. On this knoll q man
was lying rs the sun went down that Friday
evening. He appeared to shun observation,
for he had chosen that part in which the
foliage was thickest; yet he seemed decd-
edly at his ease, as he loIled upon his back
with his pipe between his teeth, and broad
hat down over his face 1t was a face that
it was well to cover in the presence Of so
peaceful a scene-a face pitted with the
sears of an immaterial small pox. The fore
head was broad and low; one eye had appar-
emily been gouged out, leaving n ghaStly
cavity; the other was dcep-set cunning, and
yindictive. The mouth was hard and cruel;
a rough beard covered the chin. 1t was the
cut of face, which, seen in a lonely street,
would inslinctIvely make one shift the grasp
of ones stick from the knob end to the
ferrule-the face Of a bold and unscrupulous
man.
Some unpleasing thought seemed to occur
to him, for he rose with Il curse and knocked
the ashes out of his pipe. "A darned Gne
thing" he muttcred, " that I should have to
lie out like this 1t was Barrett'S fault the
job wasn't clean one an now he picks me
out to get the swamp fever. If he'd shot the
horse as | shot the man, We wouldn't need
watch on this side Of the Wawirra. He
always was q poor white-livered cuss. Well"
he continued, picking up a gun which lay in
the grass behind him, there's no use my
waiting longer they wouldn't start during
the night. Maybe the horse never got home,
maybe they gave them up as drowned; any
how it's another mans turn tomorrow, so
I'll just give them five minutes and then
make tracks" lie sat down on the stump
of tree as he spoke and hummed the verse
of song. A sudden thought seemed to
strike him, for be plunged his hand into his
pocket, and, after some searching extracted
Il pack Of playing cards wrapped in piece
of dirty brown paper. He gazed earnestly
at their greasy faces Cor some time. Then
ne took pin from lis sleeve and plicled
small hole in the corner of each nee and
knave. He chucklcd rs he s!fufled them
up, and replaced them in his pocket "I1l
have my share CT the swag," he gr0wled.
They're sharp, but they'll not spot that
when the liquor is in them. by the Lord,
here they are!"
He had sprung to bis feet and was bend
ing to the ground, holding his breath rs he
listened. TO the unpractised ear all was rs
still rs bef0Te-the hum of passing insect,
the chirp of bird, the rustic Of the leaves
but the bush-ranger rose with the air of a
man who has satisfied himself "Good-bye
TO Bluemansdyke," said he; 81 reckon it
will be too hot TO hold us for 4 time That
laundering idiot! he's spOilt as nice lay
as ever was, an Tisked our necks in the bar
gain. I'll see their number an who they
are, though" lie continued; and, choosing
point where Il rough thicliet formed an cf-
fectual screen, he cOiled himself up, and lay
like some vonOmous snake, occasionally rais-
inc his head aud peerirg between the trunks
at the reddish streak which marked the
Trafalgar road.
There could be no question now as to the
approach of a body OF h0rsemen. by the
time our friend was fairly enscOned in his
hidng-plaCe the sound of voices and the
clatter Of hoofs vas distinctly audible, and
in another moment a troop of mounted rsen
came sweeping round the curve of the road.
They were eleven all told, armed 10 the teeth,
and evidently well On the alert. Two rode |
in front with rifles Inslung. Iesully scan
ming every bush which might shelter an
enemy. The main body kept about fifty
yards behind them, while a solitary horse
nan brought up the rear. The ranger
scanned them narrowly as they passed He
seemed to recognize most of them. Some
were his natural enemies, the troopers; the |
were miners who had volunteered
to get rid of an evil which affected their in |
terests so closely. They were a fine hrenzed
set of men, with deliberate air about them |
rs if they had come for a purpose and meant |