The Opelousas courier., 1894-01-06
country, and he'd be welcome, that's

NS' eAt 49, nv "NASoiAS, Si1N =
| all"
She shut the door upon them, draw
ing a stout bar across it, Are those
the men he works wihh?" she cried,
finging up her hands. "Heaven help
u.s.
| was casting round for smother job.
when she stayed me by asking if l
would go to meet her father.
"But you
"Nay; I do not mind. The little
house is secure. Why" with a visit
full smile. 81 am always alone from
daybreak until dark"
l knew it was the fact so. bidding
her open to none until she heard me
or ssthe Squire" whistle, / started on
my errand.
Not very fer had I to go, for [ met
| him in that same little ravine of which
| his daughter had dreamed it skirted
the pinewood. His pick was over his
shoulder, his right hand in his pocket
feeling the nuggets, perhaps. he
was singing a song in some foreign
lingo, italian or Spanish. He looked
more content than I had seen him
more at rest, nodding to me in his
patronizing fashion. Aftera few stray
words, I related what had happened,
advising him to be on his guard.
"Thanke, I will, "he replied, hauHht-
lily, amused at the scamps asking him
to pay a visit N their company. "8ut
I've a secret to tell you, Ned, he
added. ~ have done with Green VAL
ley Greek, and shaken off its crew.
Luck has favored me beyondmy hopes.
[ can afford to turn my back upon 1t.
| shall take my daughter to Mel
bourne. I have thought of settling
there
AS he spoke, the little tie of COM
radeship between us shattered; in a
moment we were sunderedas the poles,
SO quietly he brushed it away.
"You were always an honest fellow,
Media trusty creature! Be ure that
you come tomorrow; my daughter
will like to shake hands with you be-
fore she leaves" and he went on gay
ly through the rich, thick grass.
No rest was mine that night; evil
was IN the air. So, as l could not
sleep, I got up and went out. Not
being a fool knew / must keep my
misery to myself! but my life was
empty! empty! You see, I was hard
hit, mate, like the donkeys. What
was Miss Helen to me? What could
she ever have been to me?-a lumber
ing, vagabond chap. not worthy to
kiss the dust she trod on
But I must go back and watch the
house that covered her for this last
night, so I returned to the ravine. In
it were many little dells swarming
with the wild flowers of the grand
Australian spring. Now, i'll n CT
these same dells what do you think I
saw?-a dead mans face. Yes, [ knew
at once that he was dead; but SO cas-
ily 'tthe Squire rested on the wet moss
that the song I had heard him singing
might still have been on his lips. His
pockets, turned lining outward, were
empty. Snatching up his fallen pick,
| tore on to the log house, knowing
we'll whom I should find there. Ny
long, sharp knife was in my belt. l
raced round to the back the little
kitchen door was undone; the fiends
in possession had small fear of inter
ruption. They were in sthe Squire's"
bedroom, making free with some whis-
ky which he had kept in a cupboard.
Where ves Miss Halen2
I found her in the sitting room, tied
in her chair, her lips bleeding over
her white teeth; the cursed hounds
had struck her. ''There are three OF
them" she whispered; "those two
who came and another man. They
watched for my father, and murdered
him-they told me so. Hark they
are coming. Ned, they have pistols,
and will shoot you where you stand.
Go away this instant-only-kill me
first ;" and she lifted her white pillar
of a throat.
"Now, my beauty" roared a drunken
voice through the thin partition,
"we're bringin' you a cup O. whisky
to drink our 'ealths in. Amt you
longin' for us to make love to ye?
Well stow away the rhino first, and
then-you shall have your turn
"Be quiet" I whispered back to
her, hacking at the cords with my
knife /; and in a few seconds I had her
out OF the chair, and We dashed out
of the house together.
On and on and on until the last tree
was at our backs. Then we made for
a lane which led to Johnson's tavern,
leaving the yells faint in the distance;
there we stopped, and there she told
her tale.
News spread quickly at the diggin's,
and Judge Lynch is for immediate
action. Before noon the stolen gold
including the two big nuggets-had
been recovered, and a couple of fig.
ures dangled from an oak by the way
side.
As soon as it was possible Miss Helen
started for Melbourne, whence she was
to set sail for England, where she
would join her mothers relatives
very heavy swells indeed, I believe.
And I followed her in secret every
inch of the way, though she knew it
not until I stood by her on the deck
of the steamer, after had helped to
stow her boxes safely in the hold.
Then I blurted out that I hoped she
"would not be offended at my coming,
but And then I shut up.
"Ned!" she cried, "brave Ned!
dear, kind, good Ned! There are
debts which can never be repaid, and