Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-05-04

once more, at that very moment, n long,
low whistle YVES distinctly audible in the
distance. blending strangely with the
moc,iiug laugh. Don't blasphoiGe," he
cr ID with saucy GncJncern. 1T duea no
good, and hear that my friends the cur
LEWIS are not far off. l can bring them to
my side in minute. But I prefer to do
things quietly. must have your horse, |
you see, for am hard up and must help |
myself. I'll have to trouble you, too, for
tlat suit Of clothes of yours. They're
very NICE. and mine ore sadly The worse
for wear"
What depths of humiliation may await
even the brave in this clangefu life
The Major looked helplessly round, but
there was no possibility of escape 1t
was fatally true that there was nothing
to be done but to submit or die by that
felon's hand.
1t is fine thing to die on the field of
bottle fighting for home and country.
with thousands of spectators 20 watch
your gallant deeds and to hand down your
name as glorious inheritance to admir-
ing pcsterity Mt least, we try to think
SO, when the necessity comes. But to be
shot down like dog by the hand of n
common robber, and to be left lying, "all
unhonorcd and unsung," IN n lonely for
est dell, to become the prey of the fierce
dingo and wild carrion crow Pit were n
wanton waste of life
So Major Mornington decmcd-and
deemed wisely, no doubt, under the cir
cumstances. With deep, but impotent
anger raging in his breast, he was fain
nevertheless to make outward submits
sion, which was doubly CALLING to his
pride, when we remember his vainglori-
GUS speech Of the morning. Slowly and
sullenly he proceeded to divcst himself of
one garment after another-whilc the
bushranger, having hung up the horses
by the bride to a low stretching branch,
coolly did the same, never however, for Il
moment relaxing his cautious watch of
his victims movements.
81 want new suit badly ~ he said
cheerfully, as he examined each article IN
turn. "Mine was good enough i'll its day,
but have taken the shine ont of it, and
besides it is II triile too well known by
this time. Don't trouble yourself to re-
move the pocketbook, Major detecting
II dextcrous but Intellectual attempt Oh
the part of the latter 10 conceal itl. at
will come III fine and handy for me"
When the exchange OF clothes bad been
effected, and the bushranger stood array
ed i'll the Majors fresh, well-made suit,
he glanced at himself with keen satisfac-
ton, and nimbly leaping on the others
horse, raised his bat to him with mock
| courtesy
"Good-byel" he cried II must not
hope 10 meet you again, for fear the
meeting would not be pleasant for either
of us not for me certainly. Let me
hope you bear no malice. We fellows
must help ourselves AS we eau.
He pointed out the direction the Maj or
should take IN order TO recover the track.
Finally, AZ he was riding away. he turn
ed back as if by an aftcr-thought, and
drawing oiit his revolver, threw it down
on the ground whore Tie Major stood,
speechlcss with modification and futile
rage.
There ~ and he laughed again. You
to-day. 1t may be useful to You, i'll case
you meet some of my fellows by the way.
And don't mind telling you now-it
isn't loaded. shot OFF the last Larrcl to
let the boys know where l was, aud there
was only flash of powder in that, SO it
wouldn't hurt Point it well and look
dangerous. THAT answers all the pur-
pose quito as well as il it were loaded,
and is much less risky fol the neck Ha,
ha ~
"You impudcnt scoundrel-" began the
irate Major, MS he darted forward in the
vain hope Of arresting the bushranger.
"YoG----"
But tho words fell on tho empty ,ir.
The saucy rogue put spurs to the norge S
side, and, being an agile rider and light
weight, was over the hilltop and out of
sight in what seemed n moment Of time |
Pursuit, with the jailed horse now left to |
him. was hopeless, and the bniiied magis-
truts paNSed in his first brcnthlcss run as
he realized this tact, and uttered in deep
and angry tone the solitary but eigniti-
cant word :
"Sold!"
Then he sat down ruefully, to think it
NIL oyer. 1t seemed almost like dream
the whole thing had been done SO quick
ly. The transfornatio of his lively
companion into the notorious bushranger,
had been difficult to realize at first. Sur
prise had to some extent paralyzed him,
and he felt horribly mortified to think
how he had been doubly fooled. He
looked down upon himself, in the dusty,
soiled garments of the cunning thief,
with disgust, hut resolved that he would,
by all meana, keep the secret of his adj
venture from the outer world. Then, MS
there was nothing else to be done, he
picked up the revolver, which he found
to be unloaded, as the fellow had said
bestrode the jaded horse, and fearing lest
the storm should oyertake him, made the
best of his way lowe,
1t was dark when lie arrived, apd hay
ing contided his experience to the wife of
his bosom, they agreed to keep the matter
close 1t oozed ont, however, after
time, as even the most carefully kept Sc
crets have somehow q knack of doing
but the Major having overcome the first
smart of humiliation had the grace to
join in the laugh its narration invariably
provoked
Black Robin meanwhile rode away
triumphantly ON the stolen horse and
hourished for some time longer in his
borrowed plumage. On quitting the Ma
jor, he fell in with party Of police, who
babe him stand and give M account OF
himself.
II am Major Mornington," he said
boldly.
The police, fresh detachment, were
not acquainted with the new magistrates
personal appearance but they thought
the man before them looked too young to
be an officer on the retired list and Robin,
all unarmed as he was, ran imminent risk
OF being taken up on suspicion. Per-
ceiving that his statement was received
with evident demur, the fellow, never at
a loss, saucilv held ont his arm, and
turning down the neat white cuff of the
Majors shirt sleeve, said, with n smile of
superiority:
''All right, my men. Look at the mark
and satisfy yourselves.
The chief of the police was convinced,
and became profuse in his apologies for
doubling the pseudo magistrates word.