Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-07-25
CHAPTER XII.
rdR HI.ACRR SHOW UP.

NuAP lGH ALI.
rHR BI.AcKs SHOW UP.
Next morning Gordon hired a China
man cook. no white man being found
IN q sufficient state Of sobriety to take
the billet. We recrossed the river, load
ed up the teams with the most perish
able goods, and prepared 10 start for
the station Gordon's intention was TO
leave one man in charge Of the remain
ing stores. stacked on the bank, until
we conld send for them.
After dinner we were ready TO start
back again to the station. Gordon told
me that he had half mind TO discharge
DAILY. but that individual gave him no
excuse for summary dismissal. Mr.
Mackenzie was always averse 10 parting
with good hands. because they were
scarce "out hack" Although / agreed
with Gordon that il would he mistake
to dismiss him. ! knew well enough
that DAILY had endeavored 10 make him
self useful TO Gordon for the sake Of his
sister. But I also had vague idea that
by keeping sight Of DAILY we might, IN
course OF time, get rome clew to the
murderer Of Sexton.
And now we were all jogging along
at an easy pace in the bright sunshine.
hut had not AZ yet left the track. /
was strangely glad TO think that We
were leaving the scene OF so much trou
BILE behind us. But perhaps the fact
that Norah Mackenzie had not been left
behind on the Macarthur under the
wing of the police magistrates wife
had something 10 do with that Ishould
at least have another fortnight which
would give me an opportunity Of max
ing myself better known to her. perhaps
winning such share in her regard ms
would encourage me to hope for GER
tain happy contamination. But she was
10 utterly unlike any other woman l
had ever met that hardly knew what
TO make Of her. Was she simply .
bright. excitement loving and impul-
sive creature. whose strange ways might
be ascribed rather 70 craving for
change and novel experiences than TO
any sterling individuality! Sometimes
1t seemed to me that she only adopted
those erratic ways in order 10 disguise
her warm. sympathetic nature. At 9th
er times thought they were merely
the outcome Of want Of heart. Then
the questions would suggest themselves;
Would she have done for me what she
had done for my mate, Would she have
masqueraded in the outre character OF
half caste boy and have braved that
strange rough throng for my sake'
But was jealous Of Jack. and did she
not show decided preference for himf
Here her conduct bafiled me Sometimes
the evil one made me wish my friend
thousand miles away, and l was not
quite 40 civil TO him az one mate ought
10 be 10 another, But Jack either did
not OF would not see these signs. So far
as his relations with the squatter's
daughter were concerned could take
NO exception TO them. His manner to-
ward her had changed since the trial
He no longer treated her like spoiled
child or a frivolous girl, as he had done
at first, and she indeed seemed pleased
when in his company. She had under
gone metamorphosis in his eyes--one
that. alas. meant trouble for me.
1t was significant that none OF us re-
ferred TO the proceedings Of the day be-
fore. We observed an unnatural reti-
cence regarding them
As for DAILY, he discreetly kept him
self aloof from the rest Of us. perform
| ing his duties silently and well.
On our journey back to the station
| little Of interest occurred. OF course we
| took longer to 40 back being heavily
loaded-tha in coming. but on the
morning of the third day Gordon sad
died up the. horses for Norah Mackenzie
and his sister, telling me to get ready
and accompany the two women to the
station. which we would possibly reach
| in the course of the afternoon. he said
| he would come on himself about night
| fall The teams would probably reach
| the station some time next day.
We talked of many things as We rode
back, but we never once mentioned
| what had occurred at the Macarthur
| river caught myself looking curious
| " mt her several times. 1t was q strange
| thing that should have been 30 blind
as not TO recognize her in the character
| of that half caste boy. Freddy, who had
caused such sensation in court Hers
were those great soulful eyes that had
40 struck me when I looked upon the
boy. Hers were those clearly cut and
mobile features that had captivated my
fancy in spite Of myself. She must
have dyed her skin with some simple
decoction peculiar to the bush, to have
transformed that face as she did.
could understand now why the boy had
covered his head with that ugly, gaudy
handkerchief. In 1t were gathered those
great, silky, brown tresses. As for the
broken pigeon English which came sc
naturally from her lips, that was not
10 be wondered at / had often heard
her counterfeit the -gibberish OF the
blacks with such startling realism thai
had not her lips moved would have
sworn a black gin talked. There was M
doubt she was q born actress and mimic
| In the course Of the afternoon w
reached the station and found thing
much as we had left them. The squat
J ter had not returned. but one OF th'
stockmen, by name Mooney, had some
thing to tell. he had been out on th'
run up the river, when in little poke
in the main range he had heard tn
chattering Of some blacks On riding
J up with his black boy he came right OF
! TO mob Of these gentry who, having
} run one Of Mackenzie's bullocks int
) this natural yard and speared 1t, wer
: cutting up and dividing the meat III
II had fired upon them with fatal result
and then retired.
Il CHAPTER XIII.
II rHI HEART OF THE NEvRR-NEvEk
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