Evening star., 1900-10-27

thrift lords and opulent members of assem-
bly): the girl who might have aspired to a
German prinCeling in Europe, bowed her
head. meekly accepted her fate and con-
sented to become the wife of ambitious
but poorly paid inspector of Australian po-
lice Was il to be wondered at that when
the sequel about which | am going to tell
you was given to the world We all laughed?
Now, wooing and winning the girl was
one thing, but convincing her father that
the union WAS in every way desirable was
quite another. Cavesson realized this when
he went into his office the morning after
his acceptance and sat down to write his
letter. However it had to be got through
and the sooner the better for all parties con-
cerned. As it turned out later, he might
have saved himself the trouble, for the let
ter never reached its destination. The
coach by which it Travelled was stuck up
by the Centipede'S gang at the turn in the
Blind Mans gully in the Ranges and when
the mail bags. which were expected to con-
tain money. had been searched and found
wanting, the balance of the letters were re-
turned. and the whole lot thrown into
the creek, where the bag containing the in
speCtOr's missive discovered later on
in quite unreadable condition This little
circumstance naturally incensed Cavesson
more than ever against the Centipede: and
when Miss Walkett returned to the south
week later he collected his men, and for
the hundredth time secured the country in
search of him. The result was the same as
ever. The Centipede not to be caught
so easily as some people imagined
Then came the unkindeSt cut of all. While
Cavesson Wa looking for the gang in the
west they appeared in the east, and next
day news reached US that Nollaba station
Mr.. Walkett famous property had been
stuck up, the manager stockkeeper and
OverseerS bound, the office ransacked and
considerable amount of money, to say
nothing of three valuable horses, stolen.
When all this was reported to the inspect
or he sat down in his office chair speech
less with rage, finally bringing his hand
down with thump upon the table. he reg
istered another VOW that before a month
should elapse he would have the outlaw in
his hands If he had to walk his feet to the
bone to do ii.
Having considered the case in all its
bearings he ordered horses to be saddled
and rode out to the station, accompa MED
by a sergeant and half a dozen troopers,
with the intention of making such inquiries
as he hoped would eventually lead to the
apprehension of the offender. The only thing
of any Importance. however that he could
CLEAN was the fact that the men had been
bound, the messenger had said, and that
the report to the robbery correct in
every particular.
Cavesson stayed the night discussed the
situation in all its lights, secured the neigh
boring country without success and next
day rode back to the township to await
the letter of reprimand he felt certain
he would receive from the commissioner. In
due course the mail coach arrived. and his
correspondence was handed to him. 1t in
cluded the wigging he expected and an
other letter, the writing of which he had
never seen before. To his astonishment it
proved to be from Mr.. Walkett himself,
who was in Brisbane, and referred in angry
terms to the sticking up of his station.
He could not understand, he said, why the
perpetrators of the outrage had not been
brought to book, and he stated his inten-
ton of immediately coming out west, in
order to inquire more thoroughly into the
matter. He brought his letter to a close
by stating that, all going well, he would be
| in Mulga Flat on Wednesday afternoon,
when he would be glad II the inspector
| would spare the time to visit the station
with him. Then followed paragraph which
set the young mans heart beating like a
wheat fail: My daughter has Informed