The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-05-19

: gang-for absconding, I understood:e
1--WE didn't know it them
'sThat he was one of the bushrau
gers?''
Yes"
"But you know it now?'
1--WE do so,
Dear me" again remarked the
major. whose expression was rendered
inscrutable by the rich shade of the
gigantic umbrella without which he
rarely yentured abroad. His small
shrewd eyes glanced from the visitor
to Tom, who was still looking down
and fdgeting with his pick. the speak
| ing image of suIlen guilt. More repul-
| sive to the major was the gloating ruff
fan in the saddle, but he signed to the
sentry to take away Toms pick and
| then favored the other with a slow.
| contemplative stare.
"A very singular thing, I'm sure" he
| resumed, with sarcastic information
| that punctured even Mats thick skull.
Every singular indeed. Upon my word.
| Mr.. Sullivan" exclaimed the major, Il
| find il dlmcuIt to believe what you
| say
sir
COR, if you like, to understand it,
eff you will allow me to say the rest
| and to say it elsewhere"-
mo, sir. Here." cried Major Honey
bone. Here or nowhere, which you
please. This man absconds one night
so 1 gather. and the next night you
are attacked by bushrangers. This
man is found the morning after that,
H.
one of the band that attacked you.
Yet you never recognized him at the
time. Come, now, did none of your"
Not then, but he threatened my Sis
ter and female whom we have since
returned, and Miss Sullivan remembers
hearing him call the female by her
name. Now this man and that wom-
an kept company" snarled Nat in a
perfect flame of rage and spite. land
Miss Sullivan will swear he called the
woman by her name. He fell in with
the thieves when he absconded, it's
perfectly clear. He was the very man
to join them In an attack on his own
masters even if he didn't instigate it.
Join in it he did. I can prove it.
Though not one of the original gang is
left alive, can prove
what about that Italian fellow?'
interrupted the major, and Tom held
his breath.
"ue wasn't in 1t. 7 believe he's
dead, and they put this Erickson In his
clothes. His horse was found a few
miles beyond where they found this
man, and now his coat has been dis |
covered with Erichsen's knife in the |
pocket. Yes. you may wince." cried |
this good hater. you shall swing for |
it yet.''
kindly confine your remarks to me-"
said the major sternly. You'll have
to prove the knife was his, and that |
won't prove everything. Never heard
such a story in my life! You'll have to
it up bit If you mean to
make a case. What do you want me
to do?'
Nothing at ALL said Nat ungra-
ciously.
'Then why the deuce do you come to
me?"
81 didn't. I was on my way to your
superiors.'
Major Honeybone turned to the SEN
try.
Cock your piece said he "and
shoot his horse if he attempts to go
till I've done with him. Now, you.
Sullivan" continued the major, per
laps you didn't know you were tres
passing when you came on these
works. But you were, and you'll stop
IN 'em now till I've done with you.
You came to gloat over the man you've
rounded here to tell him you'd hound
lin to the gallows, did you? To laugh
It him, eh? GadZooks, sir, the boots
N the other leg this time! The whole
hahn gang is laughing at you, and you
nay frown upon 'em as much as you
ike, but if you touch one you'll be in
ronS yourself in two minutes. I know
'ou, sir We know all about both Of
ou here. Half the men who come here .
ave been driven here by you and your !
ather. Silence in the gang! Go on to
ydney and tell them anything you
Ike about the man you mean to hang.
'ut, gadzooks, you don't get him out
this! No, and the governor himself
ha'n't have him out of this until he
nows on whose word he's acting! Go I
, my superiors. They'll never listen Z
, your clumsy yarn. If they do I'll
end down to Sydney myself to tell :
I'm what 1 know of you and yours. And
astle Sullivan will be swept into the 5
"a, and you-you slave driver-you'll =
2 where these men are now! Be off. Q
t. l hate the sight of you! Sentry, p
t him co.
About the middle of this TRADE Nat a
ad been ready with a retort as viru-
Mt. but the concluding sentences were :"
% much even for his hard nerves and
urdy ruffianisn. Muttering some
ing uninteliigible about an Outrage" '
Id reporting Major Honeybone he '
1t spurs to his horse and galloped off. u
aving nothing worse behind him than ~
look. 1t was such a look as might be VI
en- any day, any moment even, in an &C
On gang, yet Tom never forgot the
uel eyes. the low lips. the murderous a.
owl nor the peculiarly bestial whole -
hich they made on that occasion.
lie convicts cursed and cheered him Il
derision and when he was gone al
ere given to understand by the ma
+ that if they ever did it again he OF
Ia