Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-05-08
or ''the Squire" whistle, started o,

4 the plueWOOu. ulb plch WAb over LII
shoulder, his right hand in his pocket
feeling the nuggets, perhaps. HI
was singing o 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
patropizing fashion. After q few stray
words, I related what had happened,
advising him to be on his guard.
"Thanks, I will, ," he replied, haughi
Iy, amused at the .scamps asking hin
10 pay q visit in their company. 'But
I've o secret to tell you, Ned" he
added. 81 have done with Green Val.
ley Creek, and shaken off its crew.
Luck has favored me beyond my hopes.
can afford to turn my back upon it.
II shall take my daughter to Mel
bourne. I have thought OF settling
here"
As he spoke, the little tie of com
:adeship between US shattered; in 4
moment we were sundered as the poles,
30 quietly he brushed it away.
"You were always IN honest fellow
lNed-a trusty creaturel Be sure that
ron como tomorrow; my daughter
will like to shake hands with you be.
,ore she leaves;" and he went on gay
y through the rich, thick grass.
No rest was mine that night; evI
vas IN the air. So, as I could mo-
sleep, I got up and went out. Not
being q fool-I knew I must keep my
misery to myself! but my life was
empty emptyI You soc, was hard
ait, mate, like tho donkeys. What
was Miss Helen to me? What could
she ever have been to me?-s lumber
ing, vagabond chap, not worthy to
kiss tho dust she trod on.
But I must go back and watch tn
iouse that covered her for this last
night, SO returned to the ravine. In
i. were many little dells swarming
with the wild flowers Of the grand
Australian spring. Now, in one Of
these same dells what do you think 1
aw?-a dead mans face. Yes, I knew
1t once that he was dead; but SO cas-
lily "the Squire" rested on the wet moss
that the song 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 1 should find there. My
long, sharp knife was in my belt. 1
:aced round to the back; the little
kitchen door was undone the fiends
in possession had small fear of inter
ruption. They were in ''the Squire's'
bedroom, making free with some whis-
Ky which he had kept in q cupboard.
Where was Miss Helen?
I found her in the sitting room, tieu
n her chair, her lips bleeding over
der white teeth; the cursed hounds
bad struck her. ''There are three OF
tnem," 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
irst ;" and she lifted her white pillN
If throat.
"Now, my beauty" roared drunken
1oice through the thin partition,
'we're bringin' You q 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 t,
Ter, hacking at the cords with my
knife and in 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 tre>
gas at our backs. Then we made for
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'k.
md Judge Lynch is for immediate
action. Before noon the stolen gold
including the two big nuggets-had
been recovered, and couple of fig.
ures dangled from an oak by the way.
Ide.
AS soon as it was possible Miss Helel
started for Melbourne, whence she waa
to set sail for England, where she
would join her mothers relatives
very heavy swells indeed, I believe.
And 1 followed her in secret every
inch of the way, though she knew il
lot 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 hoped she
would not be offended at my coming,
out"- And then shut up.
"NedI" sb, cried, "brave Ned.
lear, kind. good Ned! There are
debts which can never be repaid, ano
L an, your debtor always-always,
NedI" and holding out her hands to
rne, she bowed her lovely head upon
ny big, brown fists and sobbed.
'You are very welcome, Mia
Helen." I spoke with quiet voice.
81 wish-I could have been q gentle
nan for just little while, so that ]
night have served you better"
"a gentlemanl" she cried, liftin.
her face, and looking full at me, and
then she raised these hard fists of mine
to her soft lips and kissed them. Yes,
she kissed them-and I!-how was
to help it?-the touch of those soft
lips broke me down smash. Yet she
was not angry-not offended. She
put out her little hands to me again, !
neaning-I knew it-both to silence
and to comfort me. She did not
,peak-for what could she have said
what could any stately lady such as
she have said ?-besides, the steamers
engines were putting, and time wal
mp. She laid her head down on my
arm a moment, and then left me with
a rain of pityins tears.
When the vessel had passed con-
pletely out of sight, and its long
smoke line had died out from the sky, I
1 hurried back to Green Valley Creek,
and took up my work again. Hard
work is the best friend life has for us,
sometimes. A.,
But I have never forgotten Mis-. !
delen-I never shall forget her; and !,
I've trudged to the old spot often and
stood before the empty house. |
That's my story, old chappie; we've