THE SAWMILLER'S DAUGHTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11843, 21 December 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE SAWMILLER'S DAUGHTER.

" [by rata.} PART I. Christmas Eve. The scene of the story is the bush-covered ranges of the Northern Wairoa, in the North Island of New Zealand. ; Far from the buzz and noise of city life, beside a creek, stand the home and the sawmill of John Chatman.

Chatman is a widower, his well-beloved wife having died some years since, and his domestic life would have been lonely indeed had it not been for his daughter Nellie, a cheerful girl of about twenty summers.

Blessed with a pretty face, blue eyes, and fair, flowing hair, she was her father's darling, and the idol of half the millhands.

Although she had few girl companions Nellie never lacked admirers. Hector Graham, a young settler who lived close by, had already proposed to her, but all attempts to captivate her coveted • heart proved fruitless to him, for Nell was already in love with Jack Marshall, her father's foreman. Graham took ' the refusal very much to heart, 'and hated Marshall for it, and, although he remained friendly towards Nellie, he made a dangerous rival. Jack Marshall was by no means handsome, but possessed a fine open and honest face. He was about twenty years old, and had spent all his life in the bush at the timber trade. He made an excellent foreman, and was popular with all the millhands. As the story opens he sits in the mill office assisting Chatman :to pay the •men their cheques; some thirty or so of the millhands are gathered round about outside the office awaiting their turn. Within an hour they hope to be aboard the small steamer bound for Auckland, to spend a merry Christmas. ~ '

" Christmas Eve again, boys," said one of them contemplatively. It's exactly a year to-day since Joe Fraser disappeared.

"Poor Joe," returned an old bushman. "It's strange he was never found, and yet I am not surprised, for after all our searching I'm satisfied that he isn't above ground."

"What do you mean?" asked another.

" That there was foul play. , Poor Joe was done for. Ho left this mill with a six months' cheque on him. He was last seen on the track to his, whare in Rata Gully. The cheque was found in the Marshalls' whare, and Fred was accused of robbing Joe. At the trial the case went dead against him, and lie was sentenced to two years' hard labour." .... 1

" Was there a thorough search made for the missing man?" asked a new hand. .

"That there was, lad. The bush was scoured - for miles / round the swamp was searched; and even the creek was dragged. But it was all in vain. Poor Joe had disappeared as completely as if the ground had swallowed him tip." Here, the last man being paid, the millhands, like a small army, set out for the wharf. /

When Jack had finished "in the office he made for the house, and Nellie. He had an appointment with her. They were going for a walk before dark. He was soon strolling with her towards the bush. The lovers wended their way to a spot that was familiar to them, and were soon sitting side by side on the fallen trunk of a once mighty kauri.

It was an ideal lovers' nook in the quiet New Zealand bush. It was there that Jack had first told Nellie that he loved her, and many a happy hour they had spent there together. The native trees and timber surrounding them were lofty; the foliage overhead dense-ly-matted with creeping vines. . The trunks and limbs of the trees were, entwined with supplejacks and thickly clothed with mosses, filmy ferns, lycopods, and orchids; while the 1 ground also was literally carpeted with similar vegetation in bewildering variety, beautiful beyond description. As if to add a charm to the scene from above them came the tinkling, bell-like notes of the tui. » - At last Nellie broke the silence, saying: * "How lovely it all is, Jack. What a shame it will be if the rain comes and spoils our Christmas."

». " We must almost expect it, Nellie," said Jack,® " for it looks threatening now. The flooded .creek proves that it is raining in the ranges already. What matter if it is wet, we'll still be together, Nell." "Together, yes. It would be .a poor Christmas for me without you, Jack. , But the weather might spoil our ride through the bush." Jack's arm stole lovingly round her. " Do you remember your promise to me on our last ride, Nell, a promise to be fulfilled at Christmas?" '• I have been thinking of it ever since, Jack." " And you are willing to fulfil it to-day?" " You know I am." "My darling! I, too, am ready. See, here is the ring. Take it as a pledge of my true love to Nellie, the dearest girl in the world, my wife that is to be." Jack placed the ring on her finger. lie embraced her, and their lips met for one blissful moment. But they were doomed to be disturbed, for just then a dog scrambled through the under scrub, followed by its master. Their visitor was Hector Graham. He was tall, tolerably good looking, and looked well in his riding gaiters, for "lie had been out in the bush after cattle.

" Good evening, Marshall," he said as he noticed them, "I saw the shower coming over and made here for shelter. A merry Christmas to you, Miss Chatman," he added, as he turned to her, and they warmly shook hands.

"The same to you," said Nellie, pleasantly. " What is the weather going to be?"

"A wet Christmas, I'm afraid. A storm is coming over now." " Then we had better make for home," said Nellie. " Are you coming our way, Mr. Graham?"

"No, I'm going in the opposite direction/' he replied. "Good evening." They bade him good night and started homewards. When they were out of hearing Graham, who had remained there gazing after them, hissed out his wrath—he had not failed to note the ring on Nellie's finger "So they're engaged, curse it! Am Ito stand aside and watch him steal her from me? Is lie to win her from me without a struggle on my part? How I hate him for it. Oh! for a*chance of revenge/revenge!" Just then a horseman galloped past him and excitedly cried to the foreman : "Mr. Marshall, Mr. Marshall, sir." The horseman was Ned Martin, a gumdigger, whom Marshall had known for soma considerable time. He had often employed him as an extra hand when business was brisk at the mill. :" Halloa, what's this?" muttered Graham. "What's the matter?" inquired the forewondering. M "I've just passed the dam up the creek, cried Martin, "the flood lias strained it badly, and if it's not quickly attended to it may burst." " By Jove, that's serious," said Marshall. " The men will all be far away by this time. Could you come with mo and see what we can do, Martin? You shall b& well paid." " Yes," returned Martin, " will you come right away, Mr. Marshall?" " I'll see Miss Chatman home and follow you at once on horseback." "That's good," said Martin, as he turned his horse and cantered oft' again towards the dam.

"The dam is strained," muttered Graham, " and Jack Marshall is going to repair it. Go, my fine fellow, go. But Hector Graham is coming also, and woe to you if you give him a fair chance to harm you." And striking through the bush he made towards the dam. Jack hurried Nellie to the house, and quickly getting a bridle and two lanterns was about to leave her. " Good-bye, Nellie, dear. You can tell your father where I've gone." _ " Oh, Jack, I hope you will be careful ," anxiously said Nellie, as she clung to him, " I know the danger attached to these dams. You will return as soon as possible, won't you? I: shall be terribly anxious all the time you are away. Oh, don't go, Jack.

Leave it until to-morrow; it will be quite dark soon."

"Come, Nellie, this is not like you,' said Jack, as he gently took her arms from around. him—for she clung closer to him. "It will be a serious loss to your father if the dam burst and! the logs get away. Goodbye, I must go." "He kissed her and hurried away to catch a horse. .

Nellie watched Jack until he had ridden out of sight, then returned into the house. It was already almost'dark, and to make matters worse " the long-threatening rain began to fall and the thunder rumbled up in the ranges. How she loved Jack! Aye, and how he returned her love. As Nellie sat beside the fire thought of the long, happy days she had spent with Jack, of their strolls together, their long rides into the bush, and now of their engagement. One by one these thoughts left" her, and she Could only think that Jack was out in the dark and dreary bush on that wild night, and, perhaps, in danger—in danger. PART 11. A ten minutes' gallop brought Jack to the dam, .where he found Martin already arrived. Securing his horse to a tree he lit the lanterns, and taking one commenced to examine the dam. : •

It was a strange and almost weird sight to see them standing beside : the mill dam in the pelting rain, their - lanterns flashing 011 the huge logs rocking and bumping together in the flooded creek. Looming up behind them .were the dark, bush-covered ranges, from which there came a flash of lightning followed by a loud crash of thunder.

A mill , dam is a strong timber structure built across a creek from bank to bank. Into the reservoir thus formed huge kauri logs are made to come, being either dragged to the banks by teams of-bullocks or, in very mountainous country, allowed to roll, or rather crash, down the sides of the steep ranges, and with a mighty splash to enter the dam.

When a- sufficient number of logs are in the dam they are released by lifting a huge flood-gate, known as a " trip-door," which is generally placed in the middle of the structure, the lifting of the door being termed "tripping the dam. 1 To witness a dam tripped is a wonderful experience. The great logs forced by the amount of water so suddenly released rush with almost the speed of an express train down the bed, of the creek, bumping one against the other, turning end over end, and even leaping into the air several feet. Logs weighing over one ton have been known to leap upwards, then descending, to cannon off another, and be. flung high and dry 011 the bank. Chatman's dam was an unusually large one, situated at the foot of the ranges. Within it floated more than two hundred kauri logs, the water being banked up the creek for about a quarter of a mile. The sudden flood j - had , overtaxed the strength of the structure and threatened to burst it and sweep everything headlong down the creek.

The foreman was soon satisfied that the best means of relieving the pressure was to slightly lift the 'trip-door and allow the water to gradually escape. Everything seeming safe - Marshall stepped cautiously from log to log a short distance from the bank to thoroughly inspect the strained part. Little did >he dream that Hector Graham was lying amongst the flax and underscrub on the bank, watching his every movement. But careful as he was the log on which Jack stepped suddenly rolled, and the next moment he was struggling in the water. Martin pluckily rushed out, springing from log to log to Jack's assistance. Graham was not going to lose such an opportunity. With a bound he reached the lever, and quickly pulling it opened the trip-door as. full as it could open.' * ' There, was" a mighty ~' swirling roar—the huge mass, of floating logs crashed through the dam, sweeping the men and everything movable before them in their awful rush.

But luck was not with Graham. He was not to escape. 'The ground on which he stood slipped from under him, and iu a moment he was among the swirling mass of timber and debris, following his'victims in that awful avalanche to destruction—perhaps eternity. By this "time Nellie had prepared the evening meal, and. 'vvas anxiously awaiting Jack's return. She could think of nothing else but that he was away from her, out in the storm, and perhaps in peril of his life. "What's that?" she gasped, as she heard the ever-increasing sound of rushing water. She quickly crossed to the window and throwing it open, heedless of the storm, looked out into the creek. A flash of lightning showed her the logs and debris sweeping past, and she knew the awful truth. " What is it?" eagerly asked her father, rushing behind her. : "Merciful heavens, the dam has burst!" she cried, and with a shriek she fell fainting in his arms..

PART 111. Tt is past midnight. The storm rages in its fury. The moon tries with but slight success to pierce its rays through the black clouds which are fast scudding across the sky. The thunder roars, and vivid lightning flashes through the dark and lonely bush. Close to the swirling crek, under a nikau tree, where the flood and,logs have hurled him, lies the unconscious form of Jack Marshall. As if for. pity's sake the rain beats down through the overhead foliage upon him. At length lie opens his eyes—-all seems a blank to him— gradually his senses return and he remembers his terrible experience. With difficulty he rises to his feet. His limbs feel numb. His left arm is sprained, and a frightful wound on his head explains what rendered him unconscious. Marshall is well acquainted with the bush for miles round, and makes for Rata Gully, where he knows there is a gumdigger's hut at which he will be sure to obtain aid and have his injuries temporarily attended to. As he staggers on in the direction of the hut a faintness overcomes him, and fearing that lie might lose consciousness again he " cooees," hoping to be heard. He grasps a cabbage palm and listens, but nothing save the rain and thunder answers him.

Again he cooees, .and this time there is an answer faint cooee. This gives him strength. He staggers 011, cooeeing as he goes, and again an answer reaches him. "Graham!" he gasped, and true enough it was, for a short scramble through the thick underscrnb brought him beside the unfortunate young settler. " You here?" cried Graham. "Is it you of air others who has found me and come to my assistance?" "What is wrong? How did you get here?" asked Marshall.

"I got caught in the drive," moaned Graham, "I was crossing the creek when it overtook me."

" My poor chap, where are you hurt?" inquired the foreman. " My left leg and arm. They must both be broken, and, oh, God! my head! my head!" " Let me see if I can ease the pain," said Marshall, bending over him. " No, 110, not you. Stand back, keep away from me ; anyone but you." " What do you mean?" " It's useless to keep it from you. I know I'm not long for this world, I feel the end coming now. Listen, Marshall, I have something to tell you, something to confess. The dam did not burst— tripped it, and this—this—is my punishment." • " You!" exclaimed Marshall in horror. " Yes. Let me explain! A year ago I proposed to Nellie Chatman. She refused mo for you. : I cursed and hated you for it, and planned to injure you—but the rest you will never forgive." " Man, you have never injured me before," remarked his rival. "Oh, yes, I have. It was for my crime that your brother was sent to-prison— was I who robbed Joe Fraser." "You! Then it was you who murdered him." - "No, no! Not me, not me!" excitedly cried the wretched man, "I swear it wasn't me. I found him already dead, and robbed him, then hid the body." And you hid it well, for all search failed to find it.• Where did you bury the remains? Surely they're not above ground." "Above ground! Yes, they're ten feet above the ground,',' said Graham. ! "Man, are you mad. How. could it be ten feet above the grouud?" asked Marshall.

" Because I hid the body in the hollow ! trunk of a rata tree. Poor Fraser! I've been . thinking of him as I've been lying alone here to-night." " But you are seriously hurt, ; said Jack. "Let me go and get assistance," and he turned to leave him. • . Graham stretched out both aims, and. *n spite of one being broken, he grasped the young foreman round the legs and forcibly held him back, crying, " No, no, don't go. Don't leave me! It was here I hid him." "Here!" exclaimed Jack. " Yes, it seems as if heaven has sent me here to-night to bring mo to justice. Oh! the horror of the last few hours. " Every crash of thunder has sent a thrill of God's wrath through me. Every flash of lightning has shown me the tree—the tree. Believe me, Marshall. I've been through the tortures of hell itself. Promise you • will not- leave me.' I'll stay with you till dawn," said Jack. " But which rata was it? Show me the tree." '• ' ■ j " Raise mo and I will point it out to you." Jack assisted him to his feet, and Graham, leaning back on his arm for support, pointed to a tree, saying, "It was that one there— that one— one."

As he spoke a blinding flash of lightning rent the air and struck the tree at which he pointed. A great branch crashed to the ground, in its descent tearing away part of the decayed trunk, and revealing to their sight a human skeleton. j The lightning was followed by aloud, deafening peal of thunder. "Ah shrieked Graham, "I cannot stand before such judgment of heaven as that. It was I—l—who murdered Joe Fraser," and with a moan he fell back on the ground. A feeling of horror rooted Jack to the spot as he realised that he was alone with a murderer, and : that at 110 distance were the remains of his victim. His first thought was to get away, anywhereanywhere from that truly, awful place. " What's that?" ' gasped Marshall, stopping suddenly to listen, for he had already moved away a few steps. "Voices, lights! Thank God—a search-party." ■ And so it proved, for his cooeeiug had been heard, and many willing hands, with Chatman amongst them, had hurried to his aid. ■■■■■■ ■■ ; '* You're just in time," said Marshall, forgetting his own injuries. "This poor man is dying. He has just confessed the theft of which my brother was accused. . Speak, Graham, prove him innocent." Jack knelt beside him and raised his head. The men gathered closer to listen, and Graham moaned feebly, " I've told Marshall all. Mr. Clnvtman, you're a magistrate was Iwho robbed—and murdered Joe Fraser. Oh, God !—l'm dying—the thunder roars the lightning has struck the tree! The great branch is falling! It's coming; down upon me! The skeleton! My Godhis bones—his bones!" ' The strain had proved too much for him. His reason had gone. These were the unhappy man's last words. He sank back into Jack's arms dead. A rough litter was made, and placing Graham's lifeless body on it they carried it to his home.

Marshall was taken to Ohatmau's house, but before his bearers ; reached it he had swooned again and become unconscious. Nellie had remained alone in the house since her father left her to go and search for Jack, and it was with some relief that she heard the men returning. Her father hurried ahead of the bearers, and by the time they arrived he Had acquainted Nellie with the sad news. . -

She was a plucky girl, - and faced -her trouble bravely. - _ • The men placed Jack's still ■ unconscious form on a couch .and left the house. But it was. Nellie, with her father, who nursed and watched over him. It was Nellie who prayed that he might be restored to her —and as that Christmas morn dawned it was Nellie who kissed back the life to his almost lifeless lips. Christmas morn. Peace on earth, good will towards men. . ' '< What mockery the words seemed to , the characters of this life drama,. Little did Fred Marshall think as the prison clock clanged the doleful hour to rise on that Christmas morning that lie had spent, his last night in that cell, that - his innocence would be proved beyond doubt, and that that evening he would be a free man. The days passed by. Ned Martin, whom they had found far down the creek, unconscious, was able -to walk about : with difficulty, and Jack also had left his bed. When the millhands returned from Auckland Fred accompanied them, and three months later Nellie and Jack were wedded. ' [finis.] ./ " V '