The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1916-03-01

had the m0sterful mouth and the dare
devil eye, and his horse seemed a part
OF himself A more promising com.
rade at hot work was not to be de
sired, and the work would be hot n
stingaree had half chance. After
all, II was better for two to succeed
than for one to fail. Half the money
and n whole skinw said Kllbride to
himself and raped out his decision
with an oath.
The troopers eyes Tt with reckless
mIrth, and a soft cheer came from TN.
der his breath.
by the bye, what's your name"
said Kilbride, before we startT
"Bowen-Jack Bowen"
"Then know all about you Why
on earth didn't you tell me before2 II
was you who took that black fellow
who murdered the shepherd on Wool.
shed creek, wasn't itY"
The admission was made with due
modesty.
"Why, you're the very man for mep
Kilbride cried lyon show the way,
Jack, and I'll make the going"
And of they went together at a can
ter, the slanting sun striking fire from
their buttons and accouterments and
lighting their sunburned faces as It lit
the red stems and the white that
raced past them on either side. For a
little they followed the path which
Kilbride had taken on his way thith.
or; then the trooper plunged into the
thick bush on the left, and the game
became follow my leader, in and out,
out and in, through a maze of red
stems and OF white, where the pungent
eucalyptus scent hung as heavy as the
sage green, perpendicular leaves them.
selves, and so onward until the sub.
inspector called halt.
How far is it now, BowenT
1.-TWO or three miles, SIR"
Good! It'll be light for another
hour and a half. We'd better give the
mokes a breather while we can. And
there'd be no harm in two draws"
II was just thinking the same thing,
SIR"
So their reins dangled while they cut
up a pipeful of apparent shoe leather
apiece, and presently the dull blue
smoke was curling and circling against
the duh green foliage. producing subtle
half tint harmonies and momentary
arabesques as the horses ambled neck
and neck.
Native of this colonyY' pulled xii
bride.
"Well, no-old country originally, but
I've been out some years."
That's all right so long as you're
not New South Welshman," said xii
bride, with chuckle. an be shot If
wouldn't almost have turned you
back IL you had been!'
"Victoria is to have all the credit. is
she, sir?'
Anyhow, they shan't have any on
the other side, or I'll know the rea.
sonr the Victorian swore. 'I-I-by
love, I'd as lief lose my man again as
let them have a hand in taking himv
"But why"
"Why? Do you live so near the Dor
der and can you ask? Did you never
hear about a Sydney side droyer blow
ing about his blooming colony? Haven't
you heard of Sydney harbor till you're
sick? And then their papersw cried
Kilbride, with columns in his tone.
"But I'll have the last laugh yet! !
swore l would, and will! l swore I'd
take Stingaree"-
$50 l heard"
Eyes. they put it in their internal pa.
persl But it was true-take him
willw
cor die in the attempt, eh?"
Eyes"
All the bitterness of previous fail
ure-indeed, Of notorious and much
criticised defeat-was In the subinspec-
tors tone. That of his subordinate,
though light as air, had a touch of in.
science which an outsider could not
have failed to detect, but Kilbride was
too excited to do so. The outsider
might possibly have fOreseen a rivalry
which no longer entered Kllbride's hot
head.
Meanwhile the country was chang
ing even with their now leisurely adj
vance. The timbered fats In the re-
gion Of the river had merged into a
gully, which was rapidly developing
into a gorge, with new luxurlant
growths which added greatly TO the
density of the forest, suggesting its
heart. The almost neutral eucalyptian
tint was splashed with the gay hues
Of many parrots, as though the gum
trees had burst into flower. The noise
OF running water stole gradually
through the murmur OF leaves. Aud
suddenly an object In the grass struck
the sight like u lantern flashed at dead
OF night. 1t proved TO be an empty
sardine tin pricked by a stray lance
from the slantlng sun.
I'VE must be near" whispered Kill
bride.
I'VE are there! You hear the creek
He has gunyah there; that's all.
Shall we rush 1t on horseback or creep
up on foot"
lyon know the lie Of the land, Bow
en-. Which do you recOmmendT
Rushing g."
Then here goes"
In a few seconds they had leaped
their horses into a tiny clearing ON the
banks of creek as relatively minute
And the gunyah-a mere funnel OF
boughs and leaves, in which a man
could lie at full length. but only sit up
right at the tunnels mouth-seemed