Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-09-23


 the very center of which the expedition was intended to pierce in search of the sole survivor of the wreck of the Dread naught What would there be to guide these intrepid searchers when once the outer line of hamlet and isolated ranch had been passed and nothing remained but the vague indicatid&s obtained at Harry Shelton's death-bed? In her i'm terview with the governor general Mrs. Allaire had been called upon to answer this supposition, to wit: How was 1t pos sible that Capt. John, during the nine long years that he had been held a pris oner 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 Shelton, during all this long term of years, but one single oppor- tunity of escape had presented itself to the captain and his mate-an oppor- tunity which Allaire had not been able to take advantage of. AS to the other argument that 1t was not the custom of savages to respect the lives of their prisoners, the fact remained that they had done so, as testified to by Harry Shelton, as his return alive irrefutnbly proved. Besides there was ease ex- actly in point, the case of the explorer and pathfinder, William Classen, who had now been missing for thirty-flve years and who was still believed to be held prisoner by one of the tribes of northern Australia. This was, in truth, exactly the case of Capt. John, since, outside of mere speculation, there was the positive declaration of Harry Shel- ton. Other explorers, too, had failed to make their way back after once plung- ing into the depths of these vast wilder neSses, but there was noproof that they had been slain by the savages.
 The tram 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 w eather was warm-the same tenn pernture that Is met with during March in countries of the northern hemisphere traversed by the thirtieth parallel, such ns Algiers, Mexico, or Cochin China There was a threat of rain in the at mosphcrc, even of one of those violent thunder-storms which the expedition would long for in vain wheAonce 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 three o'clock in the afternoon. Zach French and his men were waiting at the station, and as Molly stepped from her compartment they lifted their caps into the air and sent up hearty cheer. The shaggy brows of the honest old sailor were knit together upon first catching sight of Godfrey by Molly's side, but when he saw the transformation which had taken place in the sailor lad and noted his intelligent and gallant bearing as he swung his rifle across his shoulder and aided Mrs Allaire to alight upon the platform, his heart shed Its wrin- lles and he grasped the lad cordially by 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 mistress. For l twelve days, twelve long days, he had not seen Capt. Johns wife. Such 0 thing had not happened to him since the last return of the Molly's Hope to San Diego. Molly herself was de | lighted to meet her faithful friend and servitor again, whose devotion to her
 
 pressed his hand warmly and rewarded | him by smile nS sweet as it was pro nounced and long continued. Zach could hardly believe his eyes. | It was tho first smile he had seen on that beautiful face since she stepped on board the steam launch years ago. He was almost startled by | it. Was it good or bad omen? Had the captains wife slipped from that lofty standard of solemn and religious devotion to the great task of her lifei | And immediately his thoughts reverted
 to the handsome lad standing by hel side, and his shaggy brows drew darkly | together again and hls bronzed fact
 took on a look of almost wrath Wa:
 not his noble mistress weakening under
 this sailor boys influence? Would sh'
 not, after a few hundred miles haC
 been put behind them. become soft
 hearted, irritable and Respondent, lik
 any ordinary woman, and fret over anC
 complain of the hardships of the journe,
 across these arid plains? He feared so
 he greatly feared so, and turned away lest the captains wife might read thes
 misgivings in his countenance.
 ], Tom Marks and Zach French ha, done their work well. Everything wa in readiness for the start Molly wa
 deeply touched when, upon making
 personal examination of the long line O ) pack wagons, her eyes rested upon r seaman's chest, bearing upon one en 3 the words: Capt. John Allaire." Sh : turned with parted lips and fearful eye inquiringly toward Zach.
 "An outfit for Capt. John," said Zach : in n low tone of voice.
 ] Molly could make no reply, but sh reached out and took the sailors harc : ! rough hand tenderly within hers.
 | Mrs. Allaire," said Marks, ''so lon as we follow the government roads tn !, country will furnish us with all tn forage we need for our cattle, but whe we enter the wilderness 1t will be nece! a sary to abandon our horses and oxe . and replace them by pack and saddl '. camcls; these we have already sent O ahead. The wells in these vast ari :. tracts are often days apart and it woul z be impossible for us to make our wa