The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-02-01

to take advantage of. AS to the other
argument that it 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 rct11rn alive irrefutably
proved. Eri - tN""G was a case eX-
actly in point, II" ,NSc of the explorer
and pathfinder, William Classen, who
had now boon missing for thirty-fve
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 more speculation, there was
the positive declaration of Harry Shell
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 train dashed past the smaller
stations leaving the bow-shaped Lake
Torrens on it's left and coming in sight
of the peaks of the Flinders range.
The weather was warm-the same tenn
perature that is met with during March
in countries of the northern hemisphere
traversed by the thirtieth parallel, such
as Algiers, Mexico, or Cochin China.
There was threat of rain in the at
mosphere, even of one of those violent
thunder-storms which the expedition
would long for in vain when once it had
entered upon the plains of the interior.
Under such circumstances was it 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 a 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 it's wrin-
kles 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
twelve days, twelve long days, he had
not seen Capt. Johns wife. Such
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
bordered upon a generation, and she
1oreSSe1 his hand warmly and rewarded
him by smile as sweet as it was pro-
nounced and long continued. Zach
could hardly believe his eyes.
1t was the first smile he had
seen on that beautiful face since she
stepped on board the steam launch
years ago. He was almost startled by
vt. Was it good Or bad omen? Had
the captains wife slipped from that
fCfty standard of solemn and religious
I5votion to the great task of her life?
And Immediately his thoughts reverted
to the handsome lad standing by her
side, and his shaggy brows drew darlzly
together again and his bronzed face
took on a look of almost wrath. Was
not his noble mistress weakening under
this sailor boys influence? Would she
not, after few hundred miles had
been put behind them, become soft
hearted, irritable and respondent, like
any ordinary woman, and fret over and
complain of the hardships of the journey
across these arid plains? He feared So