Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-06-20

man at bay, and as 1 ran down the hill /
heard shout: "McKean! remember
your wife and children! your wife and
children" Bat the Sergeant never stop
ped. Two bright flashes shone through
the gathering dusk from behind the log,
followed by tremendous splash as the
policeman jumped into the waterhole.
firing his pistol as he did so within d
yard of the bushranger's breast. Then
the latter fell slowly forward across the
log without sound spreading out his
hands and then lying, still, his pistol
slipping into the water.
As the echo of the shot died away
among the mills I rushed down breath
less, meeting Mexican as he staggered
out of the water, exhausted, and gas ping:
rs he deads Is be deads"
I helped the Sergeant up the slippery
bank and saw that he was bit. One of
Thunderbolt's bullets had passed under
his arm, just grazing the rib and cutting
his jumper and shirt. Lucky for me that
it was so, for had the Sergeant fallen 1,
who was unarmed, must have beaten an
ignominious retreat.
As soon as we had seen to this we pull
led the dead man out of the water and
AnAo I'LL oh bhS oaAh. Tic OlS RONSIu-
ment bullet had caught him fair In the
middle of the chest and gone clean
through him, and the pistol had been
fred SO close that the powder had set
mis- shirt on fire. Poor Jim Curtis dead
face had no look upon it either of pain or
fear, only a slight expression of astonish-
ment; his beard and hair were powdered
with the yellow dust OF the waffle flowers.
It was nearly dark as we caught our
tired horses. Mexican said that he was
closing with his man, though his mare
was nearly done, when the poor old Doc
tor stopped and whinnied, as a horse will
do sometimes when wofully distressed.
Thunderbolt jumped off and ran for the
water hole, and the sergeant shot the old
horse as ne passed him, to cut off his en-
emy's chance of retreat.
was very sorry for the poor old horse.
He must have done severe journey that
day, or we never should have caught our
man. And we were, both of US, anything
but jubilant as We led our horses slowly
back through the bright moonlight, soon
hearing the "cooee" of a party which,
with our policeman, was in search of us.
The latter had wisely pulled up, early in
the chase-neither he nor his horse was
fit for such gallop. We had come four
miles as crow flies over very rough
ground, looking rougher still in the
moonlight. With some trouble we took
cart into the range and brought the
dead man in the morning to Whites.
After the necessary inquiry we buried
poor Jim, rolled up in sheet of newly
stripped bark, the bushman's coffin,
under a big tree on the baHk of the
creek.
And the ooy? His history is soon told.
Peter Whites history of ThunderboIt's
visit was TO the effect that the bushranger
had walked quietly into the bar and in
formed Peter as to who he was, which
was superhuous, as Peter knew him well
showing revolver by way oe oreden-
tial. After having a drink Thuadertolt
ordered White to pack up lot of slops
and grocery, including, to the publican's
mystiicatiop, some women's stockings
and other female belongings, and had
handed out one parcel to the boy, who
pistol in hand, was minding the horses
and keeping guard outside. AS for the
two Or three men about the place they
had far too much respect for revolvsrs,
aDd perhaps sympathy for the wieiders
of them to do other than keep carefully
out of sight. Then our arrival changed
the aspect of affairs, and 1 have tried to
describe what ensued.
Not many days after all these things
had happened, there came in one night
to the HON estead of New Englend sheep
station, not very far AS distances are
reckone in the hush-from the scene of the
bushranger's death, an old shepherd, a
Grabbed and ancient relic of convict-day VS.,
who was she pherding flock near the foot
of the main range. This old fellow went
to the store where he after the manner of
shepherds, invested in tobacco, boots,
soap, Holloway's pills, and other com
modities popular among those who fol-
low sheep, Offering, to the establishment
of the JackarCo VINO was acting store
keeper, to pay for the same in gold. Aud
when the elder man was questioned by the
younger as to where he had obtained
coins so rarely seen in station stores, the
elder replied with the aphOrism that
"ther as axes no questions gets told no
lies"
However,, glass of rum exhibited by
the master, ELECTED, in conversation, the
fact that that morning young cha . had
ridden up to the old man, out on his run,
given him some money, and bounced
him" into going into the herd station,
some IA miles away, telling him to be
sure and bring out a newspaper and
"uews about the rangers" the young fell
low promising to look after the sheep in
the meantime"
81 axed him why he didn't go HIMSELF"
said the old man, ''but he just ups and
chucks me two quid, and tells me to mind
l. l., II.
The old man was given a newspaper
and was off before daylight. A note was
sent to the nearest Inspector of Police.
The inspector, with the wounded SER
geant and trooper, called at our place
on his way to see into the matter, and l,
pretty sure that We were on the track to
the bushranger's boy, consented to &C
com pany him, and took with me two
mounted black boys-good trackers.
Arrived at the sheep station where the
boy had been seen, we had but little diff
Guilty in picking up the track of a shod
horse, which led up deep into the heart
of the mountains deep among gullies
which bore marks of being filled with
snow in winter-and over stony ground
where the boys sometimes were at fault.
We camped upon the track that night,
serenaded by wild dogs. Next day the
boys puzzled out the iron shod tracks
slowly, sometimes over very bad ground,
until, in gully, deep among The hills, we
found the track of hobbled horses, further
on, the horses themselves. At the enc of
the steep, blind gully was wall of rock,
under which an old log stock yard, patch
ed up newly cattle stealers; close to it
small hut of slabs and bark, with the
usual big chimney at the end. The door,
made OF green hide, was closed; no smoke
came from the chimney; nor was there
any sign of life or sound of living thing
to be seen or heard about the silent