The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1912-11-08

dressing for bed when he first
II, IN heard the voices through the
49, weatherboard walls. IN less
than a minute there was a knock at his
door.
Here's Mr.. Hardcastle from Rosanna.
sir. He says he must sec YOU at once"
THE deuce he does. What ahout"'
He says he'll only tell YOU. But he's
ridden over in three hours, and he
looks like the dead"
Give him some whisky. Tyler. and
tell him III be down in two ticks"
SO saying the gray bearded sergeant
of the New South Wales mounted po-
lice tucked his nightgown into his cord
b~reeches, slipped into his tunic ana
FASTENED to the parlor. which served as
courtroom on occasion, huttoning as
he went. Mr.. Hardcastle had a glass
to his lips as the sergeant entered. He
was a very fine man of forty, and his
massive frame was crowned with a
c~ountenance as handsome as It was
open and bold. but at a glance 1t was
plain that he was both shaken and ex-
hausted and in no mood to hide either
his fatigue or his distress. Sergeant
Cameron sat down on the other side
Of the oval table with the faded cloth.
The younger constable had left the
room when Hardcastle called him back.
Don't 20, Tyler" said he. You may
as well both hear what I've got to say.
It's-it's S~tingaree."
The name was echoed In incredulous
/ undertones.
But he's down in Vic" urged the
sergeant. Hes been giving our chaps
a devil of a time down there."
Hes come back. I've seen him with
my own eyes. But I'm beginning at
the wrong end first" said the squatter.
taking another sip and then sitting
back to survey his hearers. You know
old Duncan, my overseer?'
The sergeant nodded.
"Of course you know him." the other
continued, land so does the whole back
mt and did even before he won
this fortune in the Melbourne cup
sweep. ! suppose you've heard how he
took the news: He was fuddling him
self from his own bottle on Sunday
afternoon when the mail came. The
first I knew of it was when l saw him
sitting with his letter In one hand
and throwing out the rest Of his grog
with the other. Then he told us he
had won the first prize OF 100000 and
tina he had made up his mind to have
his next drink at his own place in
Co. ~ ),S% 80, %bnt nfto~rooy,
to catch the coach and 60 down to
sydney for his money. He ought to
have been back this evening before
SlndoWn.'
The sergeant put In his word:
"That he ought, for | saw him come
eff tn, coach and start for the station
! as soon as they'd run up the horse he
left behind him at the pub. / Won
dcrcd what had brought him If he was
! so SGT on getting to the old country"
Il could tell you" said Hardcastle
after some little hesitation, land l
may as we'll. Poor old Duncan was
the most generous of men, and nothing
would serve him but that every soul
ou I~t0>rnna should share more or less
in his good fortune. | am ashamed
to tell YOU how much he spoke Of
pressing on myself. You have proba-
nly heard that one Of his pcculiaritieS
was that he would never take payment
Nv check like other people: ! believe
it was because lie had Knocked down
too many checks in his day. In any
case. we used to call him Hard Cash
duncan on ltOSanlH. and ] am very
much afraid that when YOU saw him
he must have had III" Who'll" Of his
r.9,HGn upon him in the hardest form
Of cash.
.!,ut what has Happened. Mr.. Hard
castle"
..rhr very worst" said llarlcnS:le,
~stooniug to sip. The three heads came
closer together across the faded table
clotn. "Iilore was 40 sign OF him ut
He ought to have been with US be-
fore 6. We had done our best to make
II IN occasion. and it seemed that the
dinner would be spoiled. SO at I young
Evans. my s~torckcepcr. went off at a
aailop to meet him, and at twenty-five
past he came g%alloping back leading q
riderless horse. It was the one you
saw Duncan riding this afternoon.
There was blood upon the saddle. l
found it,"
Ito be c%ontinued.]