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

| plain in long tongues through which q
rough road had been cut broad enough for
| get to the station by 10 o'clock If possible.
| and 1t was now after I, SO that steady
| seven miles an hour would just about do it
| in the time. There was no need to push
| Cossack. He was going at his own favorite
! pace and seemed to enjoy it. He evidently
| liked the cool shade of the forest, with it's
| long arcades of shadow, flecked and splash
| ed with golden bars and spots of sunshine
and l fully SpmpathiZed with him. The
| wood was full of life; parrots chartered
and called in harsh conversational tones
from tree to tree; cockatoos scolded and
swore in the leafy recesses where the flash
] of their white and golden plumage combin-
ed with their voices to betray them; bandit
coots scuitled across the track with shy,
quick motion; an occasional green or brown
lizard darted up tree, its bright eye turn
ed inGuiringly on the intruders; and now
and then striped or spotted snake would
glide with swift sinuous motion that
taxed the eye to follow it into the DINNER
shadows of the forest.
Now We were drawing closer to the
range, for I could hear the gush and muir
muir of the stream that ran along its foot
On my left hand, and 1 knew that 1 should
soon have passed the forest road and have
! to strike across the open plain in the full
blaze OF the morning sunshine. At that
moment my ear caught a new sound which
| belonged neither to the forest nor the
stream. 1t was dull and sounded distant
at first, but it was the tramp Of horses
hoofs, and 1t came from behind. There
was nothing much in that, and yet / felt
my hand steal invoiuntarily to my belt
where the bag of money hung concealed
under my coat. The horse was travelling
faster than mine. for the sounds grew
louder every minute, and 1 turned half
round in my saddle to see what my new
compa non might be like. He wasn't fol-
lowing the road. but riding little way
within the edge of the forest on my right.
1 could just make out that his horse was
a tall bay, and that he was coming with
the long swinging gallop of the old bush
stager through the trees. 1 was wonder
| ing whether l had better pull up or take
no notice till he came alongside, when sud
denly he hailed me in deep. strong voice:
Halo, young fellow!" he shouted. Hold
| hard there!' The voice was peremptory.
| and there was a hardly concealed threat in
| the tone. What was the man? Could he be
| n bushranger? Then Macallisters words
| came back to me: "Bless your heart,
youngster. that sort of things played out
years ago" No. it couldn't be a bush
ranger. Question and answer passed
| through my mind at lightning speed but 1
neither replied 10 the hail, nor checked the
| speed of Cossack's canter. In another se,-
| ond the summons came again, and this
time in louder and if possible a harsher
| tone than before: Hold hard. say, young
| ster," The tone decided me-
| And who the mischief are you?"
| shouted, as l touched Cossacks flank with
| the spur; a hint which he instantly ac-
knoTledged by breaking into gallop. Cos
/
| and ] had little fear of the tall bay over
| taking him. Perhaps my pursuer was of
| the same opinion, for in another half min
| Ute heard fierce oath that came rolling
oit OF the wood; then there came a sudden
| sharp report of pistol. which reached my
| ears just as Cossack made wild, head
ions plunge throwing me like a stone from
| a sling | heard the report. felt myself
| hurled through the air; I struck against
| Soreth.ng-and that was ALL
PART II.
Halo" 1t was the first sound that
reached my ear. I opened my eyes and
saw mans face bending over me- HAL
| 20. L answered, as 1 struggled to rise
Hold hard, youngster," said the man.
| They were the last words had heard and
| like flash the whole thing came back to
| ne. 1 sat up and looked stupidity around:
| no, 1t wasn't a dream. There within half
| dozen yards of me lay Cosseck on his side
| In the very middle Of the read dead, evil
IDENTITY dead. A big. powerful man stood
| at my side unscrewing the top of pocket
flask and looking at me with inquiring eyes,
| A few yards away there stood a shock
! headed black holding big, brown horse.
| Here. young fellow, have a drop Of
| this the man said 1 glanced at him as
obeyed. and noticed that he was dressed
| In the quiet uniform of the mounted police
What. l said, stupidity. where's the
| IT an lnat Shot my hOrSe?'
He IL oked at Cossack as he Law on the
track, and then back at me- "Sloped, I
should say" he replied ,dryly. What did
ne take Of yours with him?"
AS he spoke my hand went instinctiveIy
| TO the place where my belt had been-it
was gone. l sprang to my feet with cry
Hes got the bag" shouted Hes rob-
bed me of the wages-thirteen hundred
| pounds"
| oh he said. that's 1t, is it?" Then he
| turned to the black.
Here. you Jacky, take horse-make
| look you. Burra horse gone"
Jacky leaped like a cat upon the horse
| he was holding, and disappeared down the
! track. wa 'Ae
The constable pulled out his watch. "You
ieft Hutchen's about Z. didn't you? You'd
be mere about the half hour. It's close on
now Well. half an hour isn't much of q
| start. after all How do you feel yourself
now now young fellow?' he asked suddenly;
| felt my arms and legs little doubtfu,,,,
Wv ell, there's no bones broken, I fancy
put I've felt better in my time T must
| nave come on my head, think, for it's
precious shaky. but I'm not much the
! worse" 'ie
He ran his eye quickly over me as I
spoke Right you are" he said you
! come along with Jacky and me, and wen
see II we can't hear something of this bag
| OF yours. I've kind of notion that rye
got business with your friend, anyway.
How the devil you could have been fool
4 know
about the bag, 1 can't think
| Il didn't let soul know" replied in
! dignantly. Nobody knew about it except
| Macallister, the manager" I continued. in
answer to his tone, and the look of search
| irg inquiry in his eyes that were fixed on
| NE as / spoke.
| "Only the manager" he said
well" added, come to think of 1t, It's
| just possible Tom might have known if he
| was listening, for he was in the store at the
| time"
Tom. Who's Tom?' he asked
| Toms the accountant and storekeeper
| at Bundalla. He was in the store when
| the manager gave me the bag In the office
| and the office is part Of the store.'
| Gould he have seen. do you Think"
! Not he; but he might have heard us
| talking-the partitions only thin. He might
| have heard Macallister tell me not to take
revolver" added. sense Of injury max
| ing me for the moment inclined to throw
the blame of my disaster on Macallster or
| anybody else.
! The sergeant whistled. "Oh," he said
| land how long have you known Tom?"
| IT'S only about three weeks since he was
taken on. He came up with letter from
! somebody in Sydney"
| The sergeant whistled In a meditative
/ way again. "Ah, 1 shouldn't wonder" he
| said. But here's Jacky coming back. Now
| hat oh 10 Of froc rper