Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-04-16

BY REGINALD HORSLEY.

nation, and I was beginning to despair
Of ever coming up with my man, when,
at last. and quite Unexpectedly. l did so.
'Clever Capture, the newspapers called
II. Bosh! Il was sheer luck, and no.
body ever heard me blow about it. III
It had not been for piece Of superb in
science on his part and fortunate acci-
dent on mine 1 might very we'll have
missed him altogether.
Il was about / o'clock one afternoon
that I rode up TO the homestead en-
Toom burra, the owner Of which station,
Mr.. Ingram, or "the Squire" as he was
usually styled, / knew very we'll. l
came in by the back way and was riding
toward the stables when l noticed q
horse hung up TO post by one OF the
OuthOuses. glanced carefully toward
il as went by, and then, as my eye
took In the details, Jumped hastily out
OF the saddle aud hitching my horse to
a sapling ran hard across the interven-
ing ground. My heart thumped against
my ribs from excitement as saw that
nv i'm preston had been correct. The
strange horse carried a regulation sad.
die and bride aud bore the Government
brandt GENTLY" l said to myself. ut
won't do TO jump at conclusions: this
may not DO Fosters horse at ALL" Then
examined the holsters. One was
empty, but from the other drew out a
revolver-not regulation. breathed
more freely. That's BETTER" l nut
tered; "he's got the other on him for q
certainty. I'll make sure OF this one at
any rate;" and / drew the cartridges
and slipped the weapon back into its
case. Then I went swiftly round to the
front OF the house, and, sheltering my
self behind the creepers which grew
thiekly over the veranda post, peered
cautiously into the dining room through
the open window. They were all there
the SQUIRE. his wife and daughter, and
a young son home for the holidays. But
there was some one elsa Swapping
fellow in police uniform, whose fea-
lures, as he sat with his back to the
window, I could not make out. 81 don't
know him from this side" said TO my
self: "but he seems 10 be on capital
terms with the Squire. What II l have
made a mistake? And then l remem-
bered the pistol In the holster and was
cOmforted.
Making my way round to the back
again; ! entered without ceremony, and,
going noiselesSly along the passage,
paused for q moment at the dining-room
door. There I halted aud looked In,
and, In tue rapid glance shot At the
handsome trooper, who was evidently
the life aud soul Of the party, reeOg-
nlzed, by certain peculiarlties Of feature
which Foster had described TO me, the
man 1 was after, the redoubtable George
himself. / took In the situation Ia An
instant. "By Jingol" / grinned TO my
self, 'fsn't he a daisy? What magnifi-
cent cheek"
Just then-of course, 1t happened in
much less less time than it takes to tell
the Squire saw me and jumped up
with a loud outcry. "Sergt. Sparks!"
he roared, upsetting his chair In the
fervor Of his hOspitable greeting.
Bravo! Are there any more OF you?
Well have the whole force here pres
emily. Come and have some dinner.
That's right" And he pushed me into
a chair opposite the stranger, whose be-
haVier ever since my entrance l had
carefully watched out OF the corner OF
my eve. 1 must say it was remark
able. His face never changed at all
only I noticed that, as the Squire called
out my name, his hand dropped from
the level of the table to his belt. That
was all; otherwise he sat perfectly still,
and then, seeing that took no manner
of notice OF him, he resumed his dinner
and nodded pleasantly at the Squire,
good easy man, with no notion Of tires
on, plots, aud stratagems," who intro
duced US to one another.
"You won't know Merton, / expect,
Sergeant" be said, Hes from the
Melbourne side on SPECIAL duty"
Now, bluff Is a game that two can
play at, and. besides, didn't want bull
lets flying around The room while the
ladies' were in it, so l answered, quiet
ly: Indeed. Secret Service?"
"Oh, dear no." said my soi-disant
comrade in an extremely pleasant voice,
and with an amount OF manner which,
If he really were ''Gentleman George"
plainly showed how he came by his So
Oriquet. sob, dear mol not at all. I'm
out after Gentleman George who
skipped from our side after that shoot
ing affair at Rosewood lately"
Iwasn't ready for that, confess; but
managed TO keep straight face as
replied: Are you, really? Then we
can look him up together, for am out
after him, too"
"GadP' said the Squire, che shouldn't
get very far with two such chaps as you
after him"
"Ah," said my Opposite neighbor,
'I've heard Of the Rrowess OF Sergeant
Sparks. Who hasn't? l think we
ought to be sure Of our man. Two
hundred aud fifty apiece. Sergeant,
eh9" And he looked at me and laughed.
Eyes" / admitted carelesslY, "if we
get him. But don't seem to hear the
money juggling in my pockets yet, any
way. Do you know George by sight?"
| continued, not looking at him. as l
poured out q glass of claret.
Rather" he returned, laughing
again. "Do you?"
Unfortunately, mo-" / answered.
1--WE only somewh At imperfect de-
scriptiOn to 90 upon. However, with
yOGrAslp-"
aud yapr own we'll known clever
ness. " he coS7Sipentedi
Thanks" d, s6ffSng n pleased
fashion. "W we shall see ,hSye
you been here hg?'' / added.
''No; l rQ up just about dinner
time, and NJ Ingram insisted on my
stopping. bunked at Watarah last
night"
Fatal eru / lowered my eyes that
he might bt see the triumph that
shone 10 n. Watarah was station