The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-24

1Outiuucl iioih ycStttAay.
Again came that horrible laugh; and
still with one finger on his grinning lips.
the mailman beckoned with the fingers
of his other hand 60 Farley TO follow him.
'Hushv was the ono word he uttered
and then, with long swinging strides, no
stepped Backward I'm the moonlight, still
bockoniug to his friend to follow on.
Farley trein bled, and walked after
the mailman, with arms outstretched.
Bob, Bob. dear he said. don't go away
again Conc into the humpy and let mo
take care of you
Z" Come, comet said the mailman, In
a hoarse whisper. pressing the bent fore
finger OF his right hand TO his lips, rs no
moved toward the thick scrun Farley
quickened his pace. as he realized with
horror that his friend, this grinning mad :.
man whose bones almost showed through
his wrlnkled skin-was strlding backward
toward the verge OF n rocky gorge one
side of which was sheer precipice Ihe
appalling weirdnoss of his position IN
that glistening moonit bush, wa' swa
lowed up In his fear Tor his friends
danger; and Farley began TO run.
Bob Carter quickoned his swaYing
steps; but as they crossed the outor limo Cf
She scrub. Farley stretched out his hands,
and felt his finger tips touch the warm
flesh of his friends breast where tail
sword grass and hanging twigs had
scratched it,
- Bobi dear old Bob' he cried. for
Gods sake stop. and lie never
finished the sentence. for there came "A
tearing crashing sound over his head,
like thundor booming down the Snowy
Ranges. Perhaps you've heard ity'
Kerr paused: and / nodded, TO hasten
him on with his story
''Only the upper half of giant black
butt grown too heavy for she trunk
below. but the sound inakes one think Of.
the end of the world and to Farley the
world did end. and he knew no mora.
one tiny outstretched limb struck his
head after tearing through 800 feet OF
moonlit space. Senseless as "a stone he
fell, and was pinned under a green tango
Of shooting twigs. Aftarward waking
into dreamy half consciousness. with
warm blood trickling from his wounded
forehead into his eyes, he heard iaintiy.
and ms though from under the ground,
he sound of that hidcous laugh-the mad
gibLering laugh with which Bob Carter
had answered his cry in tho humpy.
''He listened, and very family, as with
the laugh, he heard the sound Of his
friends voice, and of the words he spoke
the unconnected words of madman's s
raving. Gold hundreds OF thousands of
tons-enough FOR me and Run TO marry
on Poor old Ron poor old Ron But
j must bring him-bring him, fetch him
fetch him before IL melts. Hal ha !
The gully with the cruciflx-the crucifix
in iron bark Hush Come quickly.
Ron Bushed' ma busbed Why,
know every .pch-every inch.
But mustn't forget The gully with tho
rrucifix in iron-bark, right down in the
center, and the grey boulders-the grey
boulders. tho big blazed gum. on the
crest of the slopel Hushl Come quickly,
Ron
"It seemed TO Farley as he lay there,
.lC ,tolr.
sometimes To free himself but always
falling back into his network Of green,
that again and again, In the same mad
chuckling tone. be heard his friend re-
peat all this, and much more of the same
kind. Then came sudden access of
pain, and again the world ended as far as
Farley was concerned.
ION the afternoon of that day some-
thing had moved Jack Webster tho old
bushman who had discovered the body
which he pronounced TO be that Of Bob
Carter. to wonder how Farley was getting
on all alone among tho Warroo Hills. In
the evening Webster saddled his chestnut
horse for the first time since his ride with
the search party, and started alone for
Farley's humpy. Finding IL empty on
his arrival there. he followed tho fresh
tracks which led toward tho scrub, and
wondered at these having been made ap-
parently by two men. He was confused,
in opposite directions: but having found
Ronald Farley, lying bleeding and insen-
sible under the leaves OF fallen tree, no
thought no more of the nature OF the
tracks he had followed. Having cut
AWAY the little branches that lay over
the lower portion Of the wounded mans
body. Webster carried him into the
humpy, and proceeded TO wash and dress
his head
when the Englishmnn recovered con-
seriousness he stared fixedly mt his grizz.ed
old nurse for a moment and then, NUT
tcring the name of his friend Carter
larsei once into deirious wanderings
Webster was puzzled for some timo as 10
whnt course to adopt but finally. when
Farley WAS In lucid interval of weak
and silent indifference. the bushman sad
died the younger man = mare and his own
chestnut and managed 10 get Fnrloy into
tho saddle. Then, riding close beside thc
ELglishmnn, and supporting him with
one strong arm, Webster started at "a fast
walking uace on tho eighty-mile ride
rom Farley's humpy TO the mining camp.
With frequent rests just seventy miles
were covered In just TIVE cnty- iwo hours, ana
then. leaving Farley lying tairting under
hast III constructed shelter Nehstor ral-
Hoped into camp 10 return Two hours later
with sprinl-ca and ed
"For wecSs. lowering naywepn life and
death, Ronald tarlcy lay In the little hos
pita cf che minipg TOWNSHIP 10 passed
through fever resulting from cnncnss sion
u the brain. aud then began slowly 20
regain MS old good health. II, rcnom.
Lered absolutely nothing atout the cause
cf bis accident end did NOT even know.
Until Jack Webster told him. that he nad
been injured hy a falling TREE Once tbini.-
ing of tbo queer double tracks In tho scruh.
Webster asked him ~ be ! al a visitor at
tho humpy before the accident FARLEY
stared as the man Visitor No. Wby
who should visit moF lhnt WIS al.
the rcply Farley made SO tHU buslman
learned nothing about tho backward
tracks be had seen.
After aironth of outdoor convalosconce
In the mining camp. konuii Farley came
20 the conclusion that he aid nor caro- tn
remain any longer in Australia. since his
frisnu was dead. lie bad malo enough
money 10 ho able to repay tho loan which
had first enabled bin 90 leave home aud
80 lie decided. that. for the sake ~ ITS
familiar faces and associations be- would
re.u To England Old Jack Mebetpr ygs