Year: 1870

1Ue utlSSdCu, uIdWH COunGeuduC6
of fSamsons Harris wife saluted them
as they hurried up to the door of
the hut, and in that encounter, where
each sought for news or hope, it,
= plain enough to read the bitter til
dings written in each anxious face.


Anderson turned away with groan
and was proceeding toward the
dense scrub, when Samson called to
to him to halt, as he kicked at the
black shepherd to rouse him from
his sleep.


Ten minutes after, with Teddy
leading the way, they were examin-
ing the ground, step by step, in the
hope of finding the track by which
Mary had entered the scrub, but the


grass was so trampled in every di-
reetion that the task seemed hope
less. Footprints and trails there
were lacing and interlacing, one de-
stroying the identity of the other;
but though seeking as it we're these


entirely in the dark, they pressed on


hour after hour. Ever and again,


either the father or Anderson shud-
dered when they came upon some


spot where blood sullied the fair
green herbbage with its crimson
stains, and when such a place Oc-
CURED, they traced the blood-spots
tremblingly and in dread lest they
should stumble in their next step
upon the body of her they sought.


But no such narrowing sight met
their gaze; and still to and fro they
searched, shouting at intervals, till
night again put stop to their ef-
forts.


Day after day passed of indefat
igable search, and the thought oc-
Cured again and again to Samson
that the blacks must have dragged
the poor girl off with them in their


retreat; but Teddy would not hear
lit, saying, "Wait a bit-fnd um


soon; black feller no take white girl


away" Anderson, too, seemed of


opinion that Mary was still near at


hand, and with torn and bleeding
hands and face he still kept up the
weary search, till long after it was


certain that if the poor girl were


found in the scrub life would be


there no more.


Dense-impenetrable almOst--the
scrub extended mile after mile, to an


indefinite distance, presenting ever
the same features; so that, if the


poor girl had been alarmed by the


savages and hurried for safety into


the wilderness, guide there was none,
and, like many others, she might


toll on till she fell exhausted to per-
lish in inanitisn. To dweller in
England the idea of being lost in
the bush seems absurd; but out in
the great Australian wilds, where
everything is on so grand-so appar-
emily inimitable-a scale, strong and
ardent men have been before now
known to wander from the beaten
track to where pathway there was
none through the untrodden wild,
and to wander on and on till death
put an end to their sufferings.


But had Mary wandered away in
dread, fleeing for safety through the
thony waste2 They could not an
swer the question; and, in spite of
making an ever-widening circle to
try and discover the trail, all SEEM
ed vain. Samson would have push
ed off by the track taken by the saw
ages, but for the persuasion of An
derson; and though so far disap-
pointment had attended his efforts,
Teddy seemed pleased at the trust
reposed in him, and often, down up
on hands and knees, he examined
every blade of grass and leaf.


The traces left by the marauding
party extended round the hut, and
for some distance back into the wild
in every direction: and it was be-
yond that circle that the principal
efforts of the seekers were directed;
but days wore on without any sue
cess, the difficulty growing greater
each hour, in a land where vegeta-
ton is rapid and grass would soon
spring up where the foot had pres
sed, as was very apparent; for on
the eighth morning, when they again |
started upon their apparently hope
less task, the tracks of the savages |
where in many places hardly to be
seen. All dread Of their, enemies
seemed lost in this great trouble,
and they wandered on, hour after
hour, needless of danger, till on this
last day they were at a spot many
miles from home, where there was an
opening in the dense scrub-the
rough head of rock and huge bould-
er being thrust here and there
through the soil to form a desolate |
wilderness, far as the eye could |
reach-mile after mile of rugged |
stony undulation, upon which the
sun beat down with heat that was
all but unbearable,


For days past Teddy had been
taciturn and moody, hunting on still,
and apparently examining every inch
of ground; but he hardly answered
when spoken to, apparently under
the impression that Samson and An
derson were disappointed as to his
tracking abilities, of which he was
very proud, and had before now
often proved to be of no mean order.


Evening was fast approaching,
when it seemed to Anderson that
the black had made some discovery,
for he was pressing on in one partic-
ular direction, though, when shout
ed to, he took no heed. Tired and
worn, however, sick at heart with
many disappointments, father and
lover sat down to rest, when at the
end of about an hour they heard the
well-known "eooey" of the black,
reiterated again and again. So des-
ponding, they rose and proceeded
in the direction of the sound, to
meet the black at last looking eager
and yet startled-apparently afraid
to communicate his intelligence to
Samson-and turning in his track
to retrace his steps for couple of
miles, when, just as night was fal-
ling, he halted, stepped aside, and
pointed onwards to where there was
a little eminence visible in front of
the father.


'sFor Heavens sake push on
cried Anderson huskily; but Samson