The herald., 1895-12-15
A TALE OF ADVENTURE
Thrilling Experience Awkward Fix in AustraliaThe
Mystery Cleared


beggar you happens to find lying under
a gum tree, and whom you don't know"
well, Billie MAN," said, II happen
to know you; and do not mean to as
sert that the honor of your acquaint-
ance is such that I'd care to go blowing
about it to any of my very particular
friends. But that has nothing to do
with it. I've had the fever myself, and
don't intend to let you lie here; so get
up, my bold hero. Here, give me your
arm: drenching in the state you're in
now would just about fix the business
for you"
"Well, you are a rum uu," he said,
raising himself wearily on his hands
into a sitting position. Then looking
at me with a somewhat more treasured
and pleasapter expression on his face
he added: "S'pose I've got to do as
you tell me, boss"
His was pinched, pale, wearylook ok
ing facs-not the kind of face one
would associate with the companion
ship of horse thieves and perhaps MUIR
derers. His voice was pitched in that
soft, drawing intonation peculiar to
natives of New South Wales, and in
spite of the reputation he bore he
could look one squarely enough in the
eyes. "a good man gone wrong" l
thought, "and neglect and ignorance at
the bottom of it all" That his natural
inclinations were neither OF the uu-
grateful nor vicious sort when unin-
financed by the "flash.' bad company
he had weakness for. l knew, and
despite what he said 1 believe that
Billie would have been the first man TO
help q stranger.
He was weak as kitten; so. giving
him my arm, l led him over to the
shanty, where he muttered few words
thanks, | suppose-and flinging him
self down on rude stretcher under
the versnda lay silent with his head in
his hands. An hour or 80 later, when
the fierce and sudden thunderstorm
had lifted, we hitched up our team and
went on again. But as for Billie, |
did not see him again for two years.
Strange rumors were afost concerning
him in the meantime, and once he WAS
reported as having stolen horse at
three different places, widely apart, at
tho same time, which goes to prove the
truth of the sdage, "Give dog bad
name and you may as we'll hang him"
A cold-blooded murder had been
committed on the Georgetown gold
diggings, and the police wanted man
named Mcdonnell badly, for it. Indeed
he had committed more than one muir
her; but as he was we'll known to be a
desperate and dangerously reckless
man, those who were inclined to assist
the law we're chary about med
ding with him. Since the George
town murder the police had been
securing the country everywhere; but
then Australia is quite respectable
sized hiding place, and nothing had
been heard of him.
1t was late in the afternoon, in the
month of October, and l had occasion
to visit distant part of our main pad
dock fence, some ten miles away from
the head station. This fence ran par
allel to the only track (that is, trail or
road in that part of the country,
which was the Port Darwin track, but
was some two miles off it. ! WAS alone
and, strange to say, contrary TO my
wont, had left my revolver behind. I
was pacing along easily, admiring the
beauty Of the evening, aud thinking of
nothing in particular, when among the
trees, some hundred yards outside the
fence, | observed the glimmering OF
fire. Blacks or white men? At lsastit
would not be difficult to see; SO, put
ting my horse at the fence, l took the
top rail neatly. This practice OF mine
always teaching my horse to jump
was to stand me in good stead yet.
White men at the "Yellow water
hole"-but what were they doing 80 far
Off the track? In another minute |
had ridden right in among them and
unthinkingly jumped off my horse. In
another minute | would have given all
l possessed to have been on his back
again and anywhere but in that COM
pany. There were three men, and they
had neither seen nor heard me ap-
proach. One was STOPPING over the fire
in the act of taking damper from the
ashes, and the other two we're sitting
with their backs against a fallen tree,
evidently enjoying smoke. However,
| stammered out, Good evening,
mates" and tried to look rs if | were
glad at having dropped across them.
Then L experienced chilling sensa-
ton of dismsy, for as the two men
leaped to their feet | recognized the
notorious Mcdonnell, as bloodthirsty
and unprinciL led a wretch as ever
lived. There was no mistaking him;
the same bill that offered $500 reward
that would lead to his capture describ-
ing him too fully. There was the blush
scar right across the left cheek; the
cruel, shifty black eyes, and the coarse,
animal face. The second man, Smythe
-McDonelrs companion in crime
was not an unhandsome man, but still
evil-looking. They were both men who
would think no more of shooting any
one who stood between them and liber-
ty than they would think of crushing
a spider. But suddenly the third man
turned, and | saw who it was-Billie
Main. He looked somewhat anxious
for minute when he recognized me,
but suddenly his brow cleared and he
came forward.
Now, | confess that though Billie
bore none of the best of characters
indeed, the reverse Was somewhat
relieved at seeing him there. ] could
not help thinking that there was a
something about him, in spite of his
unenviable reputation, which limited at
his not being destitute of common
humanity. l had a pretty shrewd
guess that Mcdonnell and Smythe, d.
vining | had recognized them, would
not care about letting me 60 back again
to civilization, knowing that the police
were somewhere in the neighborhood.
o. how foolish | appeared in my own
eyes, having come out without my re-
volver! | was in an awkward fix. truly
l saw the two first mentioned men slip
their hands down toward their re-
yolyer pouches. Then Mcdonald look-