Year: 1865

uph ottIeu oul' cAccpO W 70 10 Jne store
and buy few nece ssaries. for which he
always paid, and never was known to
beat down the price of any thing. This
naturally led to the surmise that he had
plelty of money. Near him lived anoth.
single rnan in a slab and bark hut he
was shoemaker by trade, but in a small
township like this his customers were but
few, and his livelihood precarious. He
was known to be as poor as his neigh Dor
was rich, and was as much dependant on
the forbearance of his creditors as the
other was on his ready money. Between
these two solitary men. living on the rlv-
sr side there sprung up strangely inti-
mate friendship; always after breakfast,
often through the day, and regularly at
night, they had their pipe together, some-
times with pannikin of tea only, at 9TH
ers with a glass of grog There was a
dim mystery hanging over the supposed
rich mans history where he had come
from, or how he had made his money. no
one knew, and his churlsh ways forbade
any one to ask him he and the shoema-
ker were all the world to EACH and beyond
that neither seemed to care any thing. In
this uniform but curious mode of life,
weeks and months passed away; the only
difference observable being. that although
Stevens the shoemaker, had no more GUS
toners than formerly, he now seemed to
have money always at command, and not
only paid off his old scores but had mon
ey for all he reeded


One morning however-it was in the
winter season, and the Glenelg was rolling
its turbulent waters muddy and swift,
down to the sea-the old mans hut was
not opened wood splitters passing by
Observes that the old hermit was not sub.
ming himself and smoking his "cutty as
usual, and that night Stevens came run.
ming into the township, greatly excited
and calling on Mr.. t ut the inn,
told him that not having seen old Jeffrey
all day he had forced an entrance inc
the hut but that the old man was no'
there, and what had become of him he
did not know. A policeman, for f
is a police station, was Immediately sent
to take charge of the hut until the magis
trates should make inquiry. Some days
after the inquiry was made, but nothing
came of it. further than the suspicion tha


Jeffrey had met with foul play. Still
oothing was proved nor could be provec
until the body could be found for, &c
crentric as the old man was, who coulC
say he had not got up in the night, anc
suddenly started from H as he hat
made his appearance there9


AS soon as intelligence of this atfai
reached headquarters at Melbourne th,
matter was placed in my hands, with in
structious to exercise my own discretion
in my proceedings, absolving me from al
disgrace if | failed, and promising me { 1 OF
lif succeeded. My plan was adopted
after much consideration, and | have NJ
reason to regret the steps took, as viii


be seen in the sequel. took the LITTLE
steamer Western, Capt Lucas, to Portland
260 miles, and after stopping day o.
two at Macs hotel, | started by the mai
for the far interior After three days
tourney arrived at H as travelel
looking for job Of work had toler
ably heavy swag, and this with my pan
nikiu and billy gave me all the appear
ancc of bona tide one | went straigb
up to the bar, bad my nobbler, Lighted
my pipe, aud then sat down outside t.
consider my next IN ment. twas neccss
airy | should have some one in my con
fdence. but resolved not to trust the loca
police, as in these remote stations theil
life OF id)eness often makes them loafer
and gossips resolved to call Mr.. T
the hotel keeper and postmaster, aside
he had been an officer in the army man.
years--and tell him my GRAND. die
so---never was secret better kept--and re
turned as if nothing had occurred. To
ward evening the bar was pretty full, an'
took the opportunity of saying publlcl.
to Mr.. T. that | was out Of work