The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-16
"where's the herders" he growIed as

Where's the herder?" he growled as
prepared his coffee.
Gone off the run, according to or
ders'.'
"And you are company inspector?"
"Yes. l just got here this evening
and will have to stay till man comes
ont"
"Yes. remember your face. How
did ye dare come out here?"
"A man who minds his own business
dares to go most anywhere in this
county" / pleasantly answered as put
on some meat to cook.
"Mebbo sol'' he growled as he leaned
his rifle against the wall and sat down
before the fire. II suppose you ordered
the herder to notify the traps that we
had shown up here?"
Don't take me for fool!" replied.
"It is the business of an inspector to
look after the fiocks. 1t is the business
of the police to catch bushrangers. Ev-
cry man TO his trade. If I'd been in
with the traps, some Of You ought to
have found it out long ago."
"Mebbe so-mebbe sol" he growled,
but noticed that his face cleared up,
and he seemed in pleasanter mood.
prepared him as good a supper as !
had eaten myself, and not word was
exchanged between us while he ate.
He was not overhungry, and when he
had finished ! handed him pipe and
tobacco and my flask of whisky. He
took a moderate drink, lighted his pipe
and smoked for awhile, and was feel
ing bit nervous over his sullen de-
meanor when he turned on me with:
"I'd have been different man IL
they'd given me fair show. When /
think Of it, how I've been bounded and
hunted like wolf, feel like killing
everybody within reach!'
"You were transported of course" !
replied as sat down facing him.
AYE, and what for?" he fiercely
shouted. "Out Of thousands of hares !
shared one--a wretched little animal,
hardly worth the salt to season it. 1t
was the first poaching had ever done,
but the gamekeeper perjured his soul,
and was given penal servitude. was
man before that. have been a devil
like wild beast, and at the settlement
they were determined to finish mo off
as soon as possible"
Il have heard how you escaped"
said as he rose up and began walking to
and fro.
Then you know that I left three
dead guards behind me. They had
or nd
l was desperate. They were torturing
me up to the point when should make
a break and they would have due ex-
cuse to finish me off, but they did not
know what desperate man could do.
Had they let me alone, had they given
me fair show, would have done my
work and obeyed all the rules. They
drove me to murder and robbery, and
may they be accursed for it'll"
lyon were badly used, as the story
goes" answered as he stood looking
at me with savage expression of coun-
tenance, "but were you driven to this
sort of life?"
"Wbat else could do?" he shouted.
las an escaped convict / could not get
out of Australia. How long could !
have escaped detection if / had not
taken to the bush, and how was l to
live without becoming ranger? The
government has outlawed me and set
price on my head, and il taken I'd get
the rope in short order. There no show
for me but to keep right on till the end
comes"
"You see the papers now and then?"
"Yes, and l see that every murder
on the road is laid to me. I've got
enough Of them to answer for without
any extra, but they pile 'em on. saw
by Sydney paper the other day that
the reward is up to e1, ,000."
"That's the figure, believe"
"And wouldn't you like to earn it?"
"No. want no blood money. From
what have heard your trial and trans
portation resulted from perjury. ! have
been told that they used You brutally at