The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1892-02-04

II CxCl0Anlcu- IN - tO1S u tLllnk
"Merciful heaven! what blind, weak
trusting creature have been Now !
al comes back to me. Ny own wonde
1t the change you refer TO, my mysteri
GUS and unaccountable feelings upol
Yes, yes; you're right. Colonel I IN
the mother Of that child, and God for
give me for being 20 blind, 20 weak, .
unwomanlyl But, Colonel, It Ii no
too late vet to right this infamou
wrong. Where are those wretches
Let us hunt them down at any cost"
''Calm yourself, my dear Helen" sal.
the lawyer, with kindly look gather
ing in his gentle, gray eyes by
strange coincidence learned Of thei
whereabouts at the very time I di.
covered that there never had been any
reason for Thad's fleeing the country.
And where are they?' asked Mrs
Faircamp breathlessly.
Somewhere in Eastern Australia, n
answered Barstow, where Thad is the
owner of an extensive sheep ranch, and
the devil has looked after his own, for
Thad has prospered in business. He
has become a veritable robber baron, il
i may so express il, full of reckless lar.
ing and the boon companion and as
sociate of the worst characte.S uf the
Australian bush''
81 care not how great a robbr is
or how bold and reckless he L
come" cried Helen Faircamp, str ht-
ening herself mp to her full h, hit.
iii face him in his den and ~ =
mothers scorn and indignation at
head. / don't fear him. 1 never Z
II n n6 M a n ma ,nlr--r.ll f.
! shall not now; besides, nave I not q
champion as brave as he-a man never
| taught to spell the word impossible? {"
And who is he, HelenP' inquired
Barstow with an air OF amused inquisi-
| tiveness.
None other than Col. Heber Bar
stow" exclaimed Helen, laying her
daintily gloved hand confdingly In the
lawyers soft aristocratic palm.
The Colonel blushed.
What could we be afraid of, NV
dear Colonel. )" exclaimed Helen. Have
we not the law on our side?''
The Colonel smiled.
Col. Barstow learned that an English
steamer would leave Honolulu in about
ten days for the Australian port of
Brisbane. They took passage at once
on the outgoing China steamer, which
touches at the Sandwich islands.
Col. Barstow's intention was to in
woke the assistance of the authorities
at Brisbane and, under the protection
of substantial escort, to strike across
the continent in a westerly direction.
The railway would set them on their
journey as far as Charleville. From
that point on it would be necessary to
proceed on horseback. 1t would be q
long and dangerous expedition through
this vast tract of almost wilderness, for
IL the lawyers information was correct
Thad's ranch was situated somewhere
beyond the headwaters of Lake Eyre
to the north of Macumber river, and
was known as Waldeck hill. Here in
fancied security, with a retinue of
servants and hangers-on, Thad lived
life of wonderful fascination for him.
Looking down from his veritable bar
onial hall he could sweep the valley
for fifty miles. 1t was impossible for
friend or foe to approach Waldeck hill
without his knowledge.
At Brisbane, Col. Barstow, like q
good soldier that he was, resolved 70
place no reliance whatever upon hik
own knowledge Of this mysterious con-
tinent. He at once proceeded to ed
gage the services of Capt. Jim TerriU,
one of the most noted scouts of his dAy
and to authorize him to engage rheh
and purchase horses and provisions.
"Thad will never surrender alive"
said Capt. Jim with chuckle; take
my word for it, siri''
I'm regularly armed with a warrant
for his arrest" said Barstow quietly,
land the commandant of the black Do
lice on the Cooper river has been
ordered to place his whole force at my
disposal"
Capt. Jim merely nodded his head ap-
provingly. but there's something to |
be guarded against" he added.
whats that, Captain?" asked the
lawyer.
"why, to keep Thad from killing
the child through spite"
A suppressed cry Of terror burst upon |
them. 1t was Helen Faircar p who had |
just entered the room. Jim Terrill |
started back with an exclamation of /
wonderment. There's no mistake in |
your theory, SIR" cried the scout, as hk /
stood with his eyes riveted upon Helen's |
face. That boy, which Thad and his |
wife cclaim to be theirs, is the perfect |
image, line for line, of this lady"
"You hear, Helen" exclaimed the
lawyer, with a CLEAN of triumph in his
gray eyes. II knew 1 could not be
Helen Faircamp's heart was too full :
for words.
Come, Capt. jim" added the law :
yer, lets get off at the very earliest
moment possible. God knows / hest ,
tated as long as could before cutting
the Faircamp estate in two halves. I,
They must be Joined again"
Amen" cried Jasper's widow, with |
clasped hands and uplifted gaze.
1t would have been well il this en-
petition in search of the heir to the |
Faircamp millions could have delayed /
its start for five or six months. During
the winter the fatigues of such jour
ney would have been much more bear
able. The slight degree of cold would
have been far preferable to the extreme
heat, often 100 in the shade. But Helen
faircamp would listen to no postpone |
ment and the little caravan set out,
under the command of Capt. Jim Ter
rill.
fro RI CONTINUED.