Year: 1869

CONCLUDED'


CHAPTER II.


There was a general cackle and
shrek throughout the colony. The
government was dreadfully puzzled
Lionel, who, in spite ofoblivion, strongly
disIiked his cousin, rode to town and
urged action on the colonial secretary
and governor He told them at once
that they need never ask the council
for the money that he would pay the
sums five times over out of his own
pocket to release his cousin. He urged
them to action on that basis, but the
governor and the colonial secretary
showed a great hesitation in 'going a.
bout" "Ee is perfectly safe,"' said his
excellency; "yOu, yourself my dear
Lionel, would never play out solitary
trump without single court card in
your hand. The bushrangers have got
a poor hand and our trump; they will
never play it out until they are forced" f"
And the secretary said in the ante
room: "We will try to deal with
them for you, only the free pardon busi-
ness must be dropped. 1 know how
fond you are of your cousin, and how
deeply attached your cousin is to you.
l have heard him speak of you. l per-
fectly well know the relations between
you, and see how generously and high
minded you are. acting. But I wish
your cousin was a more respectable man
We may get him back, but the devil
himself will never put his accounts
right. You really must wait"


care his accounts seriously wrongP
asked Lionel.


"Over four hundred pounds, answer
ed the secretary, sadly. "He will lose
his appointment, l feal and he is so
brutal, so wild, and so fierce, that he
is getting unfit for decent society. My
dear Lionel, I am sorry to say so to
you, but your cousin is a rufian.'


'TNow, I'll tell you what 1 will do
with you," said Lionel to the colonial
secretary (prime minister), "if you will
get him back I will pay his ransom and
set his accounts right. Will you do
the other half for me, and give these
psrdons"


81 honestly don't think that we will.
You heard the governor say that he
was quite safe. Can his excellency
err? Go along 90 slonpw


So they hesitated in action, and
meanwhile, noises and rumors went on
full swing, and before they had died
away Edward HorDby came back to
town, ragged and footsore, in a red
shirt and moleskin trousers, and resumed
his position as police inspector. His
cousin Lionel, through the instrumen-
tslity of the colonial secretary, had bis
affairs put right, and in such a way that
Edward never knew who had done it.
All that Edward ever said about the
matter was that the bushrangers were
kind to him, and that he had escaped,
but was never safe until he got near
town.


Lionel went back to his station. His
people were glad to see him again, and
there seemed to be on arriere-pensee
about any of them, save one-the man
he called murderer, SSJordan, the man
who had tried to shoot his colonel at
Gibraltar. This man was reserved.
This man knew something. He would
meet LionePs eye freely enough, but in
a very inquiring way. Lionel saw
that this mans expression was inter
rogatory, and that the interrogation
was How much do you knowl" But
he was not bad company LionePs friend
the would-be murderer, was the most
trustworthy man about the place The
others all fed; this man, rufian that
he was, never did that. He watched
Lionel about every where, in the wood
shed, in the sheep yards, in the stable,
and his look always said one thing
How much do you knowp


At last they spoke. Some sheep
were lost in the scrubby ranges, the
hunting grounds of Lionel. after a gate
from tie southwest, and Lionel took
this man on horseback. When they
were alone together, Lionel said:


"You have comething to say to me
Jordan. I have seen it in your eyes for
days"


And Jordan said-'1 have nothing
to ask of you save one thing how
much do you know"


"About " what ?"


"WeI, you are a gentleman, and
would not have me murdered; and
there is no one to hear us but the par
rots, and they won't preach, though
they can talk About this bushrsnger
captainl"


"He is alive and well. Beyond that
1 know nothing of him."


THAT will do. Don't say a word
more. But mind this, governor" 1 am
the only real old hand you have round
you; and 1 went near death for a girl
once, and I woud go near death for you
If you know any thing more than you
have chose to tell me, don't let out
among those twopenny clyfakers and
prigs up at home. There is order
among conyicts, 1 tell you. The big
ger the sentence the higher the station
You haven't got more than seven
year man among the lot up except me,
and I'm lifer. A man who has his
seven penu'orth, or his fourteen penn
orth, unless he aecumulates in the
colony is only used BY such men as me
as a ticket porter. We make 'em
fetch and we make 'em carry, butin q
business like this we never trust 'em-
don't YOU


In a business like this 2 said Lionel.
what do you mean!


That is no odds of yours. Only if
you know anything, don't you talk.
We know. And you are free from US.
So Marks is alive and well, is he?'


:As far as l know, said Lionel. i
wish you would speak out.


DO you see that there ants nest 7
said the convict.


Il see it.


The day 1 want to be tied naked on
that ants nest, is the day I'll speak
out, SAID the couvic.. ''Not before,
But if Marks comes near us, I'll follow