Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-10-19
CHAPTER TX.
a BACK BLOCK sHANTY

mistake, he insisted eXClISulS' 10
the man John Farquharson you speal
of is dead as a red herring and burier
on Scrubby creek near the Calver
river Why, helped to bury him my
self
''Do you think you could prove tha
it was John Farquharson who wa
buried?" asked the police officer, witt
the quiet, dry smile of one who IS s.
sure of his case that he can afford t
toy with it.
Don't worry, Savile, old man, in
terrupted Jack, ''the sergeant can
help himself Luckily Parker a quail
fed devil dodger and will see me SAT
through Keep what you've said 70
him and don't forget the red herring.
Despite his words it was not difticul
to see that my mate fully realized III
position.
Just thon. glancing around the httl
crowd. l caught sight of Days face. l
might only have been fancy, but i
seemed to me as if there was an uneas,
grin there.
care yoa sure you haven't made
mistake. sergeantI" he asked.
The sergeant, thought, looked a
him rather contcmptuousiy, but mad
no reply.
"Yes. that's my swag, said Jack t.
a trooper Then it was searched, rollet
up. and placed on the back of a pacl
horse.
For mercys sake, take me out o
this, sergeant. Tie had seen the figure
of two WON approaching the group
The sergeant made no demur when
spoke 70 the prisoner ont Of hearing o
the others liy mind was made up. NJ!
belief in Jacks honor was as positive
as my belief IN the Immortality OF tn
soul Til refore we would fight. VIII,
should the innocent suffer for tn
guilty. After all, | could not swea
positively to having seen my mate tax.
any papers from his own pockets IN.
transfer iarn to those of the man mur
dered 10y The blacks on Scrubby creel.
Besides. | had always known him q
Jack Tyn3ali. And there was the squat
ter 5 recognition of the murdered man
The whole affair was a preposterou
plot. and, no doubt. Daily was at tn
bottom of it. But Jack only shook hi
head sadly as talked.
"Im afraid, old man, it's no use,
he whispered to me huTTiedly. ''How
ever, III tell you nothing just now tha
might interfere with your evidence
you understand. | dare say it might b
as well to fight them, for | don't lik
the idea of being 'bested by villain
like DAILY I'm sure he's at the bottom
of this. -
Perhaps said the sergeant, 81
any of you think you can do the pris
oner how he WINGED at that word
"any good. you can come into the Mac
arthur tomorrow at 10 O'Clock. He
be brought up then before the magis
trates. Some Of You may be served will
summonses to appear.
They We're leading Jack away to ;
spare horse they had saddled hard b!
when Norah Mackenzie went up to him
There was slight flush ON his face
most likely arising from his painful po
sition. Still with head erect, and lool
of quiet dignity, he waited for her t,
speak At first he had tried to pass her
but she stood right in his way.
She took both his manacled hands il
hers and held them whilashe said;
81 have heard most of what has pass
ed, Mr.. Tyndall. You must got min'
this silly mistake, or rather this blacl
piece of villainy on some one part. Ev
erything will be put right tomorrow
depend upon it. -
There is no denying it, Jack locke,
queer for a second or two when h
heard her speak like tfIat 1t was some
thing that he evidently dad not expect
ed She had always. though perfectl
frank, kept him at arms length, bu
now that the handouts were upon hi
wrists she treated him as if he was
very old friend.
Jack thanked her, but it struck IN
that her action comforted him NOR
than her words There was something
in his face that filled me with suddel
fear. 1t was not the face of man VIII
considered his arrest the result of
mistake, but as something not unex
pected and the outcome of which b
dreaded Doubtless Miss Mackenzie say
it, for she added pleasantly as if to re
assure him>
"Goodby just now, Mr.. Tyndall
Well ride into the Macarthur townshi
tomorrow morning. Perhaps you coul
spare Mr.. Parker, Gordon? I'm sur
he'd like to go some little way with hi
friend.
But Jack would not have this "Oh
no, you are too good, Miss Mackenzie,
he said THAT would be too much
But perhaps Dick, you could come j.
tonight after you have finished tallying
I'll be all right then-not convicte
felon yet, you know" Then aside t
the sergeant he whispered, "Get on
please, for heavens sake And poo
Jack rode off between two troopers, on
of whom had a leading rein attache
to the horse he rode.
When he had gone, it was as if ther
had been death in camp.
An hour before sunset Gordon toll
hit u i'th btbb'l EO w tilt HpllIC btil
racks and see Jack. He said he himsel
could count the bundles of wire tina
came from the vessel. ! went up tn
little rise TO the tent that had bee
pitched for the two women. When
had seen the way in which Norah Mac
kenzie had spoken to Jack on his arres
by the police, it not only surprised bu
made me speculate on the sentiment
that had prompted her to interest her
self on his behalf. What if, after all
and L thought it not unlikely-Jac
had made an impression on her whic
was to be the deathknell Of my hopes
When reached the tent door, the bark
ing of the dogs before they had recog
nized me brought out Norah Mackenzie
She spoke first, probably to relieve III
of any embarrassment. Elsie Gordo
left as | came up.
''Oh, come in, Mr.. Parker Somehow
| thought you'd come. " Her manne
was much as usual and as if she wer
unaware that anything disagreeabl
had occurred
II suppose you're going to see Nj
1