Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-10-17

die of Brickfield hill.
Tom was at his side in an instant.
No bones were broken. He was sim
ply fast asleep. Tom shook him up
and managed to get him to the nearest
inn, where he again fell asleep, anathe-
matizing the sun, and so never stirred
for hours.
And the convict servant stood over
the granting carcass of his free mas
ter, and now he marveled at the sys-
tenn which sought to accomplish the
amelioration of the felon by trusting
him in such hands as these. The thing
had not even the excuse Of an irregu-
larity. There was a brand new gov
eminent document sticking out Of a
pocket of the loud check coat within a
few inches Of the bloated face, and
Tom guessed rightly that it referred to
himself. Then there had been more
preliminaries than he had thought, but
that only made matters worse, since
what was a scandal in itself was i'm
measurably more scandalous as part
and parcel of a system.
Evening came, and Mr.. Nat still Law
snoring, with his swollen lips wide
apart. Tom had not left him yet, be-
ing partly occupied with his own
thoughts and partly taken up with the
various sounds of the inn. Some of
these sounds were sinister, as when
stealthy steps came along the passage
and an unseen hand tried the bedroom
door, which Tom had locked. He did
not care to leave the room, not know
ing what the other might have in his
pockets, but at last he did so after
turning the key behind him and put
ting it in his pocket.
He went first to the stables, where he
was surprised to find the horses sad.
died and bridled in their stalls. He
had unsaddled them himself after en-
gaging the room for Mr.. Nat. There
was nobody about, however, to afford
an explanation, and it occurred to Tom
that the sooner they did get away the
better. So he left the horses as they
were, but looked into the taproom on
his way upstairs, when all he heard
and saw confirmed his impression not
only Of that particular inn, but of the
widespread corruption of the convict
town. A cattle stealer was drinking
with a constable and openly boasting
before the latter of his exploits. AS
Tom listened, however, he heard some
thing else that interested him more. It
was the sound Of hoofs in the yard
behind the inn. He darted out and
met a man riding his masters horse
and coolly leading the other two.
"What are you doing with those
horses?"
whats that to you? Hands off or
I'll brain ye!"
"They're my masters. Come out Of
that saddle. All! You would. would
you"
And Tom. receiving the loaded whip
on his forearm, sprang at the riders
neck and brought him heavily to
earth among a dozen hoofs. Then he
caught and tethered all three animals
and returned to his man as the latter
was sitting up and rubbing his eyes
in the moonlight. He was a little
horsy bowlegs, and Tom dragged him
all the way into the taproom in the
sitting posture, only relinquishing him
at the constable's feet.
Here's something for you!" he cried.
Caught him in the act of riding off
with my masters horses!''
"Why, it's my 'ostler!!" roared the
landlord.
II was only fetching Of ZEN round to
the door, eos 1 thought they was
goin'Y' whined bowlegs.
"It's you that I'll get run in, I'm
thinking" remarked the constable Sc
verely to Tom.
Fetching them round!' cried the lat
ter. ''Then why didn't you say so,
and what made you strike at me when
l said they were my masters horses?
Oh, 1 see the kind of place I'm in!"
And he rushed upstairs to the room
and nearly trod on something crouch
ing at the door that fed with a futter,
while a little instrument fell from the
keyhole and rang upon the floor. Tom
picked it up, unlocked the door and
strobe in.
Mr.. Nat took some waking, but start
ed up at length with clinched fists and
an oath.
Were in a den Of thievesv whis-
pered Tom. Don't you remember me?
Your new groom! We must get out of
this as quick IS we can"
why. where are WEI"
"At IN inn, the Bull and Tumble.
down."
Mr.. Nat whistled and flung his legs
over the side Of the bed.
Zone Of the worst houses in Sydney"
said he. Ring the bell, If there is
one"
There was one, and a woman servant
answered it's summons.
"Send up the landlord" said Sullivan.
'andt tell him to bring plenty of change.
Now. landlord" he continued when
that worthy appeared with a lighted
candle. give me change out Of that.
and don't you force me to give you any
out of this"
He presented a sovereign in his left