The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1906-11-13
I'M THE COURT OF LAST RESORT
A True Incident of the Australian Bush.
BY WILFRED FRENCH.


II was fresh opening for the Elixir.
and he was in It in an instant, bend
ing over the fellow and gently as a
woman asking what he could do for
him.
'Ys kin mind yer own BUSINESS"
the fellow muttered Il got into a
landslide four days ago, comm down
from Kalgoory. Lost my horse and
been clingin by my eyelashes ever
since till the postmsn give me a lift
m bit done, same's you'd be, but
ask no odds from God or man and [
don't take none from such as you. Hi,
you monkey! Where's that whiskey?"
Undaunted the Elixir stood, his soul
ful eyes fixed on the poor fellow in
mistaken sympathy The half-caste
was ambling slowly across the room
with bottle and glass. The man on
the bench sat glaring with bloodshot
eyes at the Elixir. Just as the inn
keeper reached him he muttered:
Didn't | tell yer to-er- Ye lob
eyed-er-"
With words still gurgling in his
throat he fell over on the bench un-
conscious.
1T is better So the Elixir said
gently stuffing a blanket under his
head for pillow and lifting his feet
TO the bench. sleep will help him
more than that hell-fre you call whis-
key. Go heat up some of the stun
you said was soup this noon"
The Elixir returned to the window
u nd &c 1.
conscious face till the CLINT of the fire.
light across it dazzled me and the
hypnosis of his steady snoring made
me sleepy. | was beginning to doze
when the Elixir touched my arm.
pointing to something he had written
on the margin of the paper opposite
the description of the murderer: Com
pare this with the man on the bench,
and if you agree with me pass it on to
Father Belcher."
The only thing which astonished me
was that | had not thought of it be-
fore or that the mans own account of
himself had not suggested it. The
priest read il carefully, then went over
to the bench and read il again. He
crossed himself and muttered a prayer
Allowing for such days and nights as
he had spent out in the storm the pen
picture was perfect. The Elixir stood
up and looking out of the window
said:
"A red sunset and fair tomorrow,
so we shall part in the morning. Let's
have a breath of fresh air together
first"
We understood and followed him
outside Close upon the horizon the
masses of gold and crimson cloud were
following the sun away The Elixir
cast one admiring glance over the
glorious wilderness, then his being
changed to something entirely new.
even after all that he had been before
He spoke rapidly and earnestly:
That fellow is stark mad" he said
he was demented when he did it,
II is like the work of a maniac Per-
haps he'd lost everything up there and
charged It to Sir Robert. Besides he
is helplessly i'll. DO unto others as We
would, applies to us. If we leave him
here and go our ways. the fends from
Kalgoory will tear him i'm pieces. II
he is crazy he ought at least TO have
a show of justice, and we can secure
it for him if you will help me have
handled maniacs several times and all
ways successfully. We two can easily
get him to the coast if we are not over
taken by a mob from behind You
are starting for Kalgoory I'm the morn
inf. Father, and will doubtless meet
searching parties coming down 1t will
insure success If you Will tell them
that the man is already captured. in
safe hands, and we'll on his way to
the coast by way OF the Lower Fork,
where he will be given into custody.
Keep them from following If possible.
If not, then send them by the Lower
Fork The day after tomorrow wire
privately to some one YOU can trust
Say that the prisoner viii be at Bald
wins by Friday noon Tell them OF
his condition, so that they will be pre-
pared to care FOR him properly"
After a little parley the priest con
scented and did his work so we'll that
the plan worked ont to the end. 10 did
not rouse the man even when the
Elixir made him drink the soup and
relieved him of a rusted revolver some
cartridges. and an ugly knife with
blackred rust spots ON the blade Then
the moon rose in clean-swept sky.
and the Elixir proposed that we start
at once. lest the people OF Kalgoory
do the same
We borrowed a cob from the half
caste for the prisoner. who was evil
IDENTIFY an old horseman for mo- sat thc
saddle by instinct He would not pay
tho slightest attention to me. but heed
cd every suggestion of tho Elixir. no
whose watchfulnoss ne owed his life
many times over during that rapid and
dangerous journey.
The officers with n physician met us
at Baldwins, but for the FIRST time the
prisoner became obsueperous He
chung 10 HIS deliverer. fighting and
yelling. and kicking every one else
tll for the sake OF peace they pcrsuad.
cd him 20 continue with them. and va