Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1901-11-22
a NIGHT
WITH THE
GOLD ESCORT
By s. II. VEpDER.


l don't know that ever felt greater
regret for a dead and gone holiday
than on the occasion OF leaving Too
warra. the station Of my old friend
Charlie Wilson, after the happiest OF a
happy two months with him. 1t had
been gorgeous timel On horseback
from sunrise to sunset, with the glow
OF life in ones veins, the scent OF
waffle blossoms In ones nostrils. the
blue sky overhead, and the low, mu-
steal hum of the day animal and insect
world that thronged the deep scrub
around one-the days went very well
then.
Twas merry in the glowing morn among the
cleaning grass
To wander we've wandered many a mile
And blow the cool tobacco cloud and watch tho
white wresths pass,
Sitting loosely in the saddle all the while
Or, again, when the fun grew fast
and furious and there was work to be
homework that wanted men to do Il.
men with nerves and sinews OF steel
then
the station roofs
To wheel the wild scrub cattle at the yard
With q running Gre Of stockwhips and a running
FIRE Of hoois.
Oh, the hardest day was never then too hsrdl
But II had come to an end. The last
dawn had risen over the gum tree tops
that backed the homestead, the last
sun had set behind the belt OF timber
that fringed the far bank OF the lagoon,
and now Charlie and / were driving
quietly into Moruya in the cool of a
starlit January evening, where 1 was
to coach on the following morning that
would take me to Aralven, Braidwood,
and Tarago, whence l should entrain
TO Goulburn and Sydney. The drive
from Toowarra into Moruya was about
twenty miles. and Charlie invariably
drove me In overnight SO that | might
sleep at the inn and start off afresh by
coach in the early morning on my
hundred mile journey.
On this particular night we both felt
tired. and conversation had Jagged con-
siderably. We were great chums and
felt sorry TO part-he more especially
so seeing that he was going back to the
solitude OF an up country station. We
both looked forward TO bed. and even
the tired horses quickened up a little
as the lights of Moruya came to view,
and we ratified down the one long,
sleepy street that the township could
boast Of
Presently we drew up at the veranda
OF the low. struggling inn. In front of
which we noticed the dark figures OF q
small knot Of men. Charlie had scarce
ly refined in the horses when a tall.
powerfully built man I'm the uniform of
sergeant OF police stepped forward
into the belt OF light thrown from the
buggy lamp.
rs Mr.. Fame there?" he asked, in
tones that to me sounded menacing In
their deep, cultural ring.
/ was Mr.. Fame, and the effect, of the
grizzled veteran in front OF me and his
unexpected question woke me to a
sense OF mental activity. Like a fash
my thoughts ran back over my past
misdeeds, and wondered for which of
them was to be brought to Justice. l
really couldn't think of anything OF an
aggressively criminal nature, and was
framing an expostulation when his
next remark sOothed me-
Il want to ask you. sir (Oh, the COM
fort OF that conciliatory "sirrD, "wheth-
er you would have any objection to
coming on in the coach tonight with
the gold escort? We have some gold
that we want to deposit in the bank at
Aralven the first thing In the morning.
1t will only mean that we shall reach
Aralven for breakfast, and you will
have the whole morning there to rest,
as the regular coach will go on as usual
at O'Clock after dinner. / hope you
won't mind coming on, sir. There is
only one other passenger besides your
self, and he has agreed to go on. What
do you say, sirT'
TO be strictly truthful, didn't like
it at all, as / was dead tired; but. of
course, there was nothing to be done
but to assent with the best grace pos
sible.
Thank you, sir, very much Mr..
Jones (the accountant OF the bank here)
Will be ready in half an hours time.
and then IL you and the other gentle |
man will kindly be ready too, we could
start off at once"
Shortly afterward Charlie and were
seated at the dining room table max
Ing the most OF the short space of time !
left to me. Charlie ate his supper In |
a more leisurely manner, as he had no
coach to catch, and would go quietly to |
bed later, returning to the station In |
the morning.
Presently we were Joined by the |
other passenger, who hustled in with |
a pleasant smile and a CHEEKY good |