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i r
A Romance of the Aus
tralian Bush.
By Simpson Newlaitd.
PART I.—ON THE COAST.
Chapter XXIII.—{Continued).
All this he remembers and resolves to do;
but will they never reach the other side? Ye3,
almost without noticing it they are already
there; Oho Star's fore-feet are an the ground,
the force of the stream forcing his hind
quarters round on to the bank also and Darkie
leela himself in shallow water. Quietly, with
out a sign of flurry, the gallant animal puts
forth his strength and emerges with a snort of
triumph from the water and yielding sand,
with his rider clinging to his side; then break
ing into a trot, ho pusses into the shadow of
the sandhills and is gone.
There has been many a brave deed done by
the heroes of our race by sea and lanci, 'mid
ocean's storm, or on the field of battle, over
which we rightfully exult and which have
been honored by the rewards and plaudits of
admiring mankind ; but few have demanded a
higher form of courage than the deed per
formed by the fugitive from justice ou that
dark night, when he awam the" Murray Mouth
with his borae, the first—the last—the only
man who ever darsd to do so.
The troopers had galloped up the moment
the Star struck out from the bank ; they all
heard the plunge and saw the rider on his
hack; then they we.re both lost to sight in the
dark water. Intently they listened to the
snorts of the horse as he passed on, ever drift
ing lower and lower down; surely they will
both be swept out to sea. Yes, the sounds
have ceased, and almost with reproach they
looked the one at the other. No; the Star's
loud Bnort as ha lauds echoes over the river,
and they just distinguish his form, reflected
for an instant agaiust the wet saud as he
breaks into a trot away from the stream. It
was only a glimpse, for almost immediately
he disappeared.
"The man is drowned," said one with a
Bhudder.
" That is the end of Darkie, for he certainly
was not on the horse—that I will swear," said
the second. " I could see the wet saddle
shining."
" And so will I," affirmed the third. "No
mortal horse could ever carrv a man over tliat
torrent to-night. He was a good-plucked one
to attempt it."
" Which do you mean, comrade, the Star or
his rider V'
"Both,""was the answer; "and I wish I
had been in my blankets instead of chasing
that poor devil to his death."
" Well, neither you nor I would have tried it
to escape a charge of shooting blackfellows.
We can how odIj- wait for old Jake, when we
must cross over arid follow up the tracks of the
burse. Perhaps we may rind the body of
Darkie, though most likely ho has been carried
to sea and may be washed ashore miles away.
Now to camp, boys, at the old spot."
The morning's Eearch resulted iu no trace
being found of the lost man alivo or dead; but
from the terrific current running trie troopers
were more convinced than ever that he must
have been drowned. No horse that, was ever
foaled, they asseverated agaiu and aaain, could
carry a rider through such a broad rushing
torrent of water, as Grantley knew right well
when ho instructed Darkie to swim alongside.
About midday the boatman returned and
then two of the bind, accompanied by a black
fellow who had come with Jake, were ferried
over with their horses, to ruu up the tracks of
the Star. They first made a careful examina
tion of the place where the horse riad landed
for traces of the rider, but neither thero nor
anywhere along the river bank was there the
slightest sign. Then they took in a wider
radius, but without success.
" He has never come out of the rivc-r," said
one. " We saw the horse had no one on his
back and there are no tracks of a man on this
side at all."
"No v.-hitefellow come up, only yarraman;
that ope tumble down long ribber," pvotesteo
tho blacit tracker, evidently quite satisfied of
the correctness bThicffonclusiens after the most
cursory glance, though in deference to the
police he made a more extended search. The
tracks of the Star soon led down to the
beaoh, but as the tide was high they were there
obliterated. No doubt remained that he. how
ever, would make for his old run at Talkie.
At the rocks near the Nob, where he was com
pelled to leave the shore, they came ou his
tracks again and had no difficulty in follow
ing them. Indeed, the horse had gone almost
straight on to the homestead gate, where he
had been found shortly after daylight quietly
feeding hv the fence.
Though, as experienced bushmen, thev had
carefully watched, they had been unable to
find any trace of a rider. The horse occa
sionally stopped to crop the grass, and once
had turned off to drink, but there was no track
of a mau, and Eurely ho would have dis
mounted to drink. " It's all up with Darkie,"
they both concluded, although they deter
mined, faithful officers of the law as they were,
to do their duty to the utmost, and proceeded
to make enquiries at the Fishery.
"We shall be expected to search the
premises," said the elder, "and certify that he
is not concealed on them."
Mr. Clceve made no objuction and stated
that, to his knowledge, no one had arrived at
the station during the past night or day; but
the whole place was open to inspection. Thej
had better satiefy themselves tirst and then
take some refreshment. Ac this was not the
whaling season the place was compara tively de
serted, only Jack the Harpooner remaining
besides the Gleeve family. Jack had seen no
one, and, like a man accustomed to the pro
cedure, he took down a bundle of keys and
unlocked the outbuildings for the authorities
to examine, wearing all the while ah air of in
jured innocence.
"I don't think you have got him here this
-time, John," observed bho younger trooper.
"Or ever shall again," said Jack, "from
what you tell me of his trying to swim the
Mouth on horseback. I wouldn't do it for a
king's crown or a queen's either."
"Nor would I, particularly on suob a night,
with the ugliest current I have ever seen
there. Why, the saud kept dropping in by
tons and the horse was carried down to the
very- edge of the great breakers before he
readied the other side."
"Blast it, man, then why do you come to
look for him here
"Because," wa3 the quiet reply, "until W6
find bim dead we shall continue to look foi
him living. There is sure to be a big reward
offered for him, dead or alive, or for informa
tion leading to his apprehension, but of course
that does not interest you."
Jack taade no answer and the men having
finished their examination returned to the
Headman's cottage to enjoy hi3 hospitality.
This they most thoroughly did, like men
who had been subjected to severe and uncon
genial abstinc-uce, at the same time giving an
account of what had transpired at the Tatiara
and during the pursuit of Darkie. The meal
over they saddled up and departed to the
police-station on the Point.
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