The Washington critic., 1885-07-01
THE GOLD THEE.

all sat around cheerful fire after dinner.
Uncle John, who had come home from
Australia n week before, was giving us
various bits Of information about the eli
mate, people, etc, in that favored country.
He paused for whilc, so | asked him:
"Couldn't you tell us n story of your adj
ventures, or something that happened to
you, unclc?'
We'll" Inc answered, 'I've had so many
adventures small and great, that it's hard
TO pick out one; but suppose ] tell you the
first that happened to mc-will that satisfy
your
We all declared that we should be de-
lighted to hear it; so, giving the firen poke,
and all of us drawing nearer the blaze, he
began the following:
"You know when first went to Aus
tralia there was great excitement about
the gold that was being found in several
places, and, like great number of people,
] was seized with the gold mania and
went TO the gold diggings. You all know,
also, that was very fortunate there-but
of that have nothing to say now, as | am
going to tell you what befcl me one night,
about u fortnight after my arrival at the
diggings.
was up the country for Il couple of days,
with an old schoolfellow, whom he had
lOunu III tnut rclllOte region 50 ! lOunu
myself on this particular night the sole
occupant of our hut. ! had retired to my
hammock rather early that night, but I
could not go to sleep, but kept tossing
about for a long time. At last | opened
my eyes wide with the conviction that
sleep was not within my grasp for tnat
night, and began looking round the hut
at such objects as the remains of the fire
made clear enough to he seen.
Gas looked around dark object in
one corner arrested my attention; it was
in corner not lighted by the fire, so that
took some moments to make out what
it was; but ut last | came to the pleasant
conclusion that there was some one else in
the hut besides myself
"Now this was particularly inconve-
nicnt firing, TO say the least of it, for !
knew nobody personally that lived about
us but knew very well that, as gen
cral rule, they were low, coarse lot Of
ruilians, u great many of them convicts,
and men who had had to fly from their
countries for various reasons best known
to themselves, so you may, perhaps, form
II slight idea of my feelings. | knew it
was not my brother, for he would not be
| back for two days; besides, why should he
come in so silently and stand there so
mystcriously? But what puzzled me
| most was how any one could get there, for
| had most carefully fastened the door be-
fore retiring to rest. thought my eyes
might be deceived, but ON looking more
intcntly at the dark object, ! distinctly
| saw the outline of pair of shoulders and
one arm, but ii was impossible to see the
| head or feet, as the shade was so heavy in
the corner.
Now, in this very corner we had
| chest, in which we brought various
| clothes and other nccessancs, and in
which we meant to put any gold we
| might find-I say meant because we had
mot not a nv tn I1n 90 |
| of course, concluded that my visitor was
| examining this chest with view to rob
berry, and ] thought the best thing ! could
| do would be to remain quiet for the
present; but spoiled my plan by turning
on my side, so rs to watch the robber bet
| ter, and in doing so | made what seemed
| 10 me a great noise.
81 now thought there was no use in con-
| ccalmcnt, so drawing Il revolver, which
| always kept under my head at night,
| called out, Come forward at once and
show yourself or I'll blow Your brains
| out
made as much noise rs | could in
| cooking the revolver, so rs to give my
| threat more weight; but the gentleman in
| the corner seemed to take no notice for
| he remained perfectly quiet. ! was un-
| decided what to do till the thought struck
me the robber might at that moment be
| mcditating shooting me from where he
was, and this thought made my blood run
cold, for thought OF the friends and rela-
| tives had left mt home, and of the state
they would be in when they heard had
been shot in Australia; 50 ! again called
out, Whoever YOU are; ! II give you but
| one chance; I'll count three, and fiat that
word you don't come forward, III fire.
II told you ] could not see the mans
| head, so | aimed at where thought it
ought to be and counted slowly, none,
| two, three
'At the word three fired four shots
| i'm quick succession, for thought that in
the almost total darkness my aim might
not he very good; but they seemed to have
| taken effect, for when the smoke cleared
| away looked in vain for my midnight
| visitor.
~ could not summon courage to get up
and look for his body; not that was eN-
actly afraid, but had horrible feeling
of having shed human beings blood
| which had never done before and !
firmly believe ! would almost rather have
been shot by the robber than have the
fearful thought ON my mind that had
killed him.
"Nevcr did | spend such. a dreadful
night ] could not -,yet rid of the one
thought of having deprived a poor fellow
creature of life especially while he was in
the act of robbing and perhaps intending
murder; but more horrible than all was
the idea that might possibly have been
the means of sending him to fearful
| eternity.
"ln vain tried to persuade myself that
| il was Ia save my own life had done it ;
| this seemed to me poor excuse.
"llOwcver, at last fell into disturbed
| sleep, which lasted till morning; but the
| moment ! awOke the dreadful night re-
| CURED to my mind although ! felt rather
| more calm. thought | had Il horrible
dream, but, on examining my revolver, I
| found four chambers discharged
II rose and looked about the room, but
in vain | sought the body of the intruder.
| his, however, relieved me greatly, rs !
| thought he could not have been killed,
| but only wounded, and had escaped out
of the hut while ! was asleep but on gO-
| ing to the door | was more perpleNel than
| ever for the door had evidently not been
opened, rs it was securely fastened on the
| inside.
That day ! could not bear 20 do any
thing but sit by my fire and think over
my adventure, and try To solve the mys-
terry, for mystery, ] concluded, there GER
| tainly was; but could come to no satistac-
tory conclusion with regard to it,
"Thc next day my brother came back,
| but | thought il better not TO say any
| thing about my visitor to him--at all
events not until found out who or what
the intruder was,
THAT evening | returned TO the hut
| after my days work, ! had found my
| first nugget, which, however, was a very
| small one and was entering the door
| when saw my brother sitting on a stool
| with coat across his knees which seemed