Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-01

with motion of superior knowledge, and
without looking behind him turned Off at
an angle toward the stream. We followed
him without question, and in a few min
utes we had reached the bank. The chan
mel OF the stream was shallow and the bank
low and covered with thick carpet OF
ferns and flowers, and still there were no
visible marks of a horses hoof to be seen.
Jacky stepped from the bank to the large
Water-Worn pebbles over which the stream
rushed and gurgled as it ran with q sharp
ttnkltng music A few yards down the
creek he crossed and assembled the bank
into the cool shadows of the trees beyond.
There he waited till we Joined him.
White fellow make q walk here" he
SAID, pointing to faint mark among the
leaves and moss; then, without another
WORD ne turned. and with his head bent low
1t was no easy matter to keep up with on
the rough, sloping ground amongst the
trees.
In this way we had Travelled for perhaps
an nour. and in the meantime had almost
recovered from the effects of nv fall The
sergeant was not laxative companion.
anu the monotonous arcades of the gum
lorest were not disturbed by conversation.
Cur GUIDE mad never once lifted his eyes
from the ground since we started At the
same dog-like trot. his huge head bent for
Ward at the same angle and his slender
neyed on. ~ 'o"
suddenly Jacky pulled up and waited till
we reached him. He pointed to q faint
,i. like bride path that crossed our
line of march and wound aWay among the
trees to the right. 1t was quite distinguish
aDle, but evidently was but little used.
White fellow go here?' asked the sergeant.
pointing to the path; Jacky nodded The
sergeant knit his brows as if in thought
Whlle Jacky stood and looked at him exact
" as dog might at his master. well"
ne SAID, at last. we've got to chance it.
t imere may De more of them. and again
mere, mayn't-anyhow, We'll see." He
looked up at me suddenly. How do you
seem to feel now. young fellow" he asked.
Fit to walk for bit, eh?" 1 declared that
changed places. Here" he said, pulling a
revolver out of his belt and handing 1t to me-
you better carry this till we see what
up. lie unslung the short carbine he car
Jacky' he continued. you make a look
Whlte fellow-burra, burra." Jacky opened
ms mouth In a portentous grim and ap-
peared to hnd keen enjoyment in a sound
less iaugh entirely to himself as he turned
and trotted along the bride track
For three or four hundred yards the track
showed no sign of change. There was the
same dlsmal succession of gray tree trunks,
the same scanty underground of Towering
neaths and occasional crimson waratahs
WIN no landmark whatever but the faint
, pride path that wound through it all. At
last Jacky lifted his head and STONED and
the sergeant pulled up his horse and waited
Jachy threw back his great head and shifted
the air suspiciously through his broad nos
.hs. WI mite Fellow burn smoke he said :;
white fellow tupd fellow"'
Right you are, Jacky," replied the SER
geant. grimly. as he took look at the lock
of his carbine. Now. Jacky, you make-a-
walk easy-make-a-look white fellow"
Jacky nodded his big head and went slowly
forward along the track The sergeant and
l followed
1t was farther off than I had believed IT
possible even Jacky's nostrils could have
scented smoke. At last, however the gray
shadows of the forest were suddenly ex-
changed for blaze of sunlight, and we
Iound ourselves on the edge of little
natural clearing. 1t was perhaps a hun
dred yards across, and at the opposite side
there rose great shapeless mass of bluish
gray stone, against the side of which a
rough bush hut had been built Out of the
roof thin haze of blue smoke stole up the
race OF the rock. and horse stood tethered
10 sapllng that grew at one side
We stood looking at It in silence for a
and said in a low tone: rs that the horse
youngster? Do you recognize him?"
couldn't say. was sure of him."
SAID, looking hard at the horse. He looks
about the same color but l hadn't chance
TO see him rightly amongst the trees be-
fore the shot was fred
well, never mind: I'll soon fetch the
man out" l thought he was going to ride
forward when the rough bark door was
back the long black hair that hung round
her face and cast a quick suspicious glance
over the place Her eye seemed to rest on
our party in moment, for she gave a
shrill scream and turned as If to go in
again. Before she had taken step, how
ever the door was pushed open from with
In and a man stepped quickly out. He had