The Press., 1895-12-05

sons. and hired myself to be one of his shepherds. I had a good berth with him, nothing to complain of, either In the way of work or meat or wages, but 1t was an out station, and it was terri ply lonesome. I missed my mother, poor old body, more than I can tell you Many time 1t would have done my heart good just to have heard the click of her knitting needles or seen the whiak of the skirts of her old black gown, and sometimes I laughed and sometimes almost shed tears when thought how it would have amused her to have seen me with my sleeves turned up kneading damper or toastlng a DaS of mutton at the smoky fire. s
 However, it was better, as often said to myseh, to be alone than tether- ed to a bad neighbor. and my sheep kept me in so much work that had very little time for thinking. Every now and again they would take wan dering fit, and would get up some fine mornirAR and find the half of the hirsel gone, and nothing for it but to SCOUT the country far and near till l came upon the track of them. have seen me ride 50 miles before came upon them. "'
 "Eh, man, but you would be fear some when you did?' said an old school fellow appreciatively. t.
 The big Australian withered him with look and went calmly on. "I was out one day after a lot of these long legged woody trespassers, that were as swift as a deer and as. cunning as the oldest fox in your spinneys here, and had not seen as much as a print of one of their feet I had been riding since the morning broke, and l was spent with hunger and fatigue, when the night came down upon me pitch dark, not star visible-a deep Egyp- tian darkness that could almost be felt. I could not so much as sea my hand when held it up before me-
 "Ye were aye baul billy" said an- other retrospective schoolfellow, "but that would daunton ye. What did ye do?"
 "What could do? To turn back was more dangerous than to go forward. ! let my horse solve the difficulty. He seemed to see what was before him. could not, and we went on and on and on till saw shimmering gleam flash through the mirk darkness of the night and heard the rush of water. It was creek, as we call them in those parts, and as the horse made no pause rode boldly on, and, by Gods mercy rather than my good guidance, we stumbled on place that was fordable and got safely to the other side. The steep bank was overgrown with bush, as could see by glint of moonlight that flashed out all of sudden, and was just talk ing look round to see if could make out where was, when my ears were pierced by the most awful cry think l ever heard. It was so loud, and so shriu, and so full of pain, that it fairly made my blood run cold. I leaped out of the saddle insheer fright and looked around me like man bewildered. The wide, bare pastures and Acrubby bush around me were void of any human habitation, and yet it was like the cry of some poor human creature in the extremity of dis tress. It was so ghastly, so unearthly, that the horse I was riding, although he was 8 steady old brute. sbied and swerved sharply round. He was in such a panic that could not help remember ing mothers old world stories about ghosts, although tried to tell myself that there was no such thing. However, ghost or no ghost, l was bound to go on, so set stout heart to stey brae, and when found that could not force the terrified brute up the bank I dis mounted and tied him to 8 young gum tree.
 1T had scarcely set my face to the bank again when the same cry sounded out once more. I tell you, mates, it made the blood run cold round my heart, it was so shrilly wild, so unearthly, so despairing, and, to make it worse, the black night came down on me again mirk and heavy like the blackness of the parish mortoloth I used to wonder at when WAS 8 boy. had not the least idea in what direction to turn and was standing irresolute when heard the cry again. and it sounded nearer and was so distinct that thought I could go straight to the very spot it came from. The bank was so steep that I had to scramble up on my hands and knees, of ten slipping back and stopping to listen, but I could hear nothing except the soft, gurgling plash of the water down be- meath me. was not sure which way to turn when heard the cry again right out of the scrub before me. l was in the right direction, that was one good thing, but I will never deny that was fright ened bit, it was such terrible cry and the spot was so lonely. 1 had that spirit in me, though, that would not go back, and crept forward on my hands and knees toward the top of the bank, which was covered with close, low bush. It was bit of climb, and had stopped 8 minute to get my breath when ] thought I heard low moaning noise close to me. gripped my revolver, but it was of little use in the darkness, SO ! took out instead big bowie knife al- ways carried and held it ready in my hand, The next moment there was sort of hurtling rush through the air above me and something leaped right down upon my shoulder. gave a yell and then another, and then away down the bank we rolled, irving and tearing at each other in an agony of mortal fright. As soon as could get my right hand free gave desperate thrust with the knife, and with a yell of rage and pain the creature dropped off from me, and l heard the thud of it's fall on some pro- jecting rock or bush that had caught it in it's descent.
 'I was more frightened than hurt and soon scrambled to my feet. As a smoker is never without matches, soon had 8 light, with which groped my way down to where the creature lay, and what do you think found?''
 "A teeger maybe" " said another old school fellow. .-.... }
 'Ye silly gowk, there are no tigers in Australia. I found Bill; but, my word. he was not the comfortable well fed beast he is today. I don't think I ever saw such dog as he looked then either | WR- .