Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-16

John, during the nine long years that he
had been held prisoaer by these savages,
had never found an opportunity to make
his escape. Mrs. Allaire's answer
had been specific and to the
point According to the testimony of Shell
ton, during all this long term of years but
one single opportunity of escape had pre-
scented itself to taS captain and his mate
En opportunity which Allaire had not been
sble to take advantage Of As to the other
argument that it was not the custom of
BavRges to respect the lives Of their prison.
ers, the fact remained that they had done so,
as testified to by Harry Shelton, as his re-
turn alive irrefutably proved. Besides,
there was q case exactly in point, the case OF
the explorer and pathfinder, William
CIassen, who had now been missing for S5
years, and who was still believed to be held
q prisoner by one of the tribes of Northern
Australia This was in truth exactly the
case of Captain John, since, outside of mere
speculation, there was the positive declars-
ton of Harry Shelton. Other explorers,
TOO, had failed to maks their way back after
once plunging into the depths of these vast
wilderneSSes, but there was no proof that
thev had been slain by the savages
The train dashed past the smaller stations
leaving the bow-shaped Lake Torrens on its
left and coming in sight of the peaks of
the Flinders Range. The weather was
warm-the same temperature that is met
with during March in countries of the
northern hemisphere traversed by the
fhirtieth parallel, such as Algiers, Mexico,
OF Cochin China. There was threat of
sain in the atmosphere, even of one of those
violent thunder storms which the expedi-
tion would long for in vain when once it
had entered upon the plains of the interior.
Under such circumstances was 1t that the
train bearing Mrs. Allaire steamed into
Farina Town, the terminal station of the
road. at o'clock in the afternoon. Zach
French and his men were waiting at the
station, and as Molly stepped from her COM
partment they lifted their caps into the air
end sent up hearty cheer. The shaggy
brows of the honest old sailor were knit to-
Eether upon first catching sight of Godfrey
bv Nolly's side, but when he saw the trans
formation which had taken place in the
sailor lad and noted his intelligent and gat.
liant bearing as he swung his rifle across his
shoulder and aided Mrs. Allaire to alight
upon the platform, his heart shed its
wrinkles and he grasped the lad cordially
bv the hand welcoming him as one
Of the band of searchers. But how great
was his joy at finding himself again in the
presence of his loved mistressi For II
Gavs, u long days, he had not seen Captain
gOln Wll64 GuCu IuIuS udu not udp-
pened TO him since the last return of the
Mollv's Hope to San Diego. Molly herself
was delighted to meet her faithful friend
and serviJor again, whose devotion to her
bordered upon a veneratlon, and she
pressed his hand warmly and rewarded him
by smile as sweet as it was pronounced
and long continued. Zach could hardly
believe his eyes. l. was the first smile he
had seen on that beautiful face since she
stepped on board the steam launch years
ago! He was alInost startled by it. Was it
a good omezH Had the captains wife
slipped fr;,Sa that lofty standard of solemn
ald religsouI devotion to the great task of
her life An. Immediately his thoughts
reverted 10 the handsome lad standing by
her sid,, and his shaggy brows drew darllly
togetlaa. agai: and his bron2ed face took on
@ look of almost wrath. Was not his noble
mistress weakening uuder this sailor
boys influence? Would she not, after
few hundred miles had been put behind
them. become soit-hearted, irritable and de-
eponGent like any ordinary woman and
fret over and complain of the hardships of
the journey across these arid plains? He
feared so, he greatly feared so, and turned
Rway lest the captains wife might read
these uisgivings in his countenance.
Tom Marks and Zach French had done
fleir work we'll Everything was in readi-
ness for the start. Molly was deeply
touched when upon making a personal
examination of the long line OF pack
wagons, her eyes rested upon a seaman's
chest bearing upon one, and the words:
Captain John Allaire. She turned with
parted lips and fearful eyes inquiringIy
toward Zach.
''An outfit for Captain john" said Zach
In 6 low tone of voice.
Molly could make no reply, but she
reached out and took the sailors hard,
FouCh hand tenderly within hers
Mrs Allaire, " said Marks, $50 long as
we follow the Government roads the country
will furnish us with all the forage we need
for our cattle, but when we enter the wilder
ness il Will be necessary to abandon our
horses and oxen and replace them by pack
and saddle camels; these we have sent on
ahead. The wells in these vast arid tracks
Rre often days apart and it would be i'm
possible for us to make our way from one
E5ation TO another except by the use of
CamelG"
Il have complete confidence in your skill
end experience as a pathfinder, Colonel
Marks" replied Molly. 81 understand
that We are to exchange our horses and
oxen for a camel train at Alice Springs
station"
ETtClsclgs 4lduduls tubNeTcu hdIhhy
faud the moment YOU have sufficiently re-
covered from the fatigue of your long rail-
Nay ride, you may give US the signal TO
break away, for everything is in readiness
even to the motto painted upon our pack
wagons: No Step Backward.
4 faint smile spread over Molly's face as
she benz her shapelv head in acknowledge
ruent Of this thoughtful bit of sentiment.
''hTcve at once, then, Colonel Marks"
Ehe cried out cheeTily; 'it too late to-day,
Jet ii be at sunrise tomorrow"
Tom Marks bowed il acquiescence, and
tpriaging lightly on his horse rode away to
give the necessary orders.
Farina Town was one of those villages
which spring up mushroom-like in single
night along the route of an Australian or
American railway, and in a few short
pouJhs arrogate to themselves all the dig
uiJy OF a city a century old. The cunning
OF the surveyor and land agent is visible
from the very start, and the incongruous
legend, ''city lots for sale," makes its ap-
pesrzuce the day after the town is located. |
Nothing is left to chance or individual taste |
for settlement, but streets, boulevards and |
squares are laid out with geometrical and |
mathematical regularity which, as the town |
Is built up, gives ii monotony that Is as |
depressing as il is valuable commercially |
speaking The whole population of Farins |
Town assembled at sunrise the following |
dav TO witness the departure of the brave |
lady and her band of intrepid searchers. |
4 bout one-half of the men were white, the |
Others being nalf breeds or semi-civilized |
natives wei acquainted with the language,
customs and habits of the wild people who |
sVere supposed to hold Captain John close
prisoner.
The progress of the expedition was, on
account of the thick forests and rugged ma
&rre Of the country necessarily slow The