A LINDSAY O' THE DALE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13590, 8 November 1907, Page 3

A LINDSAY O' THE DALE.

PUBLISHED, Br. SPECIAL .ABRANGEIOSNT.

. BY A. G. HALES. , Author of " Tho Watcher on the Tower,' " Driscoll. King of Scout?." " McGlusky, ' ••Jair tho Apostate," - etc., etc. COPYRIGHT. SYNOPSIS. The #torv j« written by Kate Killowen, who in the first chapter gives her family Wftory. iter father was of a capable headrtwntr Irish farn . who fcsd erased tho Scottish border and nwinril onfi of the Lindsay* o' the Dale. Mixing In p tun her father interested hinifflt in wild for the emancipation of Ireland. lest his' - and ■ cmiarrated to Australia when KtUo •.■liild. In Australia ho joined the mounted and served for seme years, rearing a. y™. L Davie, Bryan, and Kenneth. , ln^f C l o uulfi the of the mooted police. frequently vwited the. j house, and for unwelcome t . ,i« tioiw to Mrs Killowen he (KiUowen) one day horsewhipped Vernon. Killowen had to ■ the police and took to well-sitiWmtr and chn" l -® work, but Vernon gave the family a had '"1 t«r to the squatters, and they naa ainieiuiy get-ting employment. They wei« - KW and several of the t.uoily woiuiaeci in ' the flght, but. the hi neks were not punistirdowing to the intervention of Inspector V ernon. Iheme *1 the family leave home for some tunc on a UroMiig contract, and Mr*. Killowen aud hex. daughter and vounc son »re left alone. One ul ? 1 nO . thre men "enter tjje house, and after demanding food thev- atcdl tho horses from the stable and 1 "Jo a*&y. They are amateur bufhranprs.butM c pursued, and one of Biem '* - d ' d v 2!i« t u[cd. taurine squatters, the animals being tccaptntco. Tn«jVP-to r Vernon M iN.e n visit.i ttrt> horo« <?{ the Killowen*. aud after insulting the left Alone with the injured bushranger, whom l\e induces to JjJfoly implicit* Killowen 111 "If'! srraiigemsots. Vernon telle Mrs. ban d bo does this to be. revenged upon her h^hand »nr tho horfeirhipping ho admuji«'ered years before. KM.™ s"or the hnt he commands the ehiU Ken- to »in ff for him. Tho boy.reifu»e<s. and Vernon strikes him across the face v-lth his whin. At this juncture Bryan Killowen out. Virt a I ; most kills the nolico officer, ev eut u all re ru.«h g his (Vernon's) face with his heel. Biyan Lhtn leaver the house, announcing his intention to take to the husb. , .. ~ . . Bjyau nwi'<* his way m the direction of Kf>w--1 ana's Gap. to which place ho had requested his r>ter to convey a horse for him. lift encounters a splitters" puis;, to whom ho rebates his exMrienw with Vernon . These men know the Bollco inswetor. and wist the fugitive in evadmc pursuit. Tho narrator of the. story (Kate Killowen) aJid her mother and small brother Ken., while out riding that afternoon, are attracted by th« barking of a <ISC «hieh aecompanies them, the, animal snarling at something conccalcd in the PushesCHAPTER lll.—(Continued). I kxew irom the tone of mother's voice that she had seen something in the bushes out of. the common, and so, 1 think, did Ken, for ho said not another word. A? "we were taking the saddles off in front of the house, mother whispered to me that she had seen one of Vernon black troopers crouching amongst the bushes., • "He was there to watch us, child, and he is watching tho house now. See how uneasy tho dog is; he can smell a black at any time." That, night we look it in turns to sleep end to'watch, but nothing happened. The next day and tho day following we could not hit upon a schcmo to get tho blood mare to Rowland's Gap, and I was in an agony of fear lost brother Bryan should he imperilling his life, or his liberty, by matching foraer. Then mother hit upou this scheme. , "Littlo Ken shall ride his own horse,'' said she, "in the direction of tho splitters* oimp near the Box water-hole; an ' hour later I will ride towards Tulloch's Hill, which is in a different direction. Half an hour after I leave home, do you, Kate, saddle the blood mare and make for Bowland's. Gap, and trust to good fortune to win through in safety. If Vernon has.only left ope matt to watch us, we may manage j to' outwit him."'" "Well do it, if he has left a dozen,'' I ; «id.: > . Mother, smiled her sad smile, and went to • put on her riding-habit. Ken went away as'arranged, and. we watched to see if he ■were followed; but if so, the spy was too clever to allow 'us to see him. Next, mother rode off, and I was alone in the cabin. ' • I .do not know why, but scarcely had V mother gone , out of isight ere I began to •iperience % creepy s»rt of feeling—as if unseen eyes were upon me. I. tried to V.; laugh down the thought, but.it kept coming hack upon me until *"1 felt that I must .. away, or scream, ,or do .something of J ". port. My dog had been - behaving strangely,' too." Lying on the floor with his honest, ugly head on his paws, he watched ■ mo in . a -way that was uncanny. All at onco he sprang up and flew at a door, that led to a kind of larder or spare room that ? . had no window to it. We always used that I-,:-, room to keep our saddles in—mine was in it "at that moment. . • • I don't know what prompted me to act ; M I did, but when I saw the dog in a rage ' before. the door, I ■ rushed .to it and shot the heavy bolt that we used to fasten it \ into its place. The next instant a voice i from inside began to threaten me with all : kinds of horrible punishments if I did not open, the door, and I knew, by tho broken Lnglisli, that it was one of. tho n black troopers. Calling my dog. I van out of the, house, and fastened and locked both tho , front ; and the back outside doors, and pinned a note on each, warning mother and little Ken not' to enter the dwelling. .Then 1 ran- to the stable, and slipping Bryan's saddle and bridle on to the blood mare, I dashed away towards Rowland's Cap. There was no time to think of any plans. All I could do was to ride and trust to fortune. There was a selector at, the Gap named McAllister. I had heard father speak of him. once or twice as a bard bigoted man; and once or twice I had known Davie to f chaff Bryan about, this man's daughter. Bonny Jlary McAllister, Davie used to call , y her, but Biyan used to turn the chaff away •Tjth a smiloand a jest; and so I knew no oiore.tliau this, that there was'a' stern old "f- nan and a winsome lass somewhere in the I rap. Whether they would prove to be friends or foes I did not know. I rode on, nursing tho mare in case she might'be wanted for a big effort later. "Ride easy wlien you may; ride bard when you must," was a motto father bad instilled into all of us from childhood. As < \ I swung the mare into the mouth of the / (lap I saw a girl of about seventeen oil a little bush pony coming towards mc, and as she came she beckoned mo to stop. "I knew. that, this must be the lass Davie railed " Bonny Mary McAllister." She was fair and slight., and her faco was the prettiest, and sweetest I had ever seen, or ever have seen since. • " You are' Kate Killowen, aren't you?'' she .demanded in a, pretty, imperious way that seemed to suit her. "Lain Bryan's sister," I answered, draw, ing my bow at a venture, as girls and women will do at rimes. .Ait that the lovely pink colour came surging up into her face, and I could have talren her into my arms there and then and kissed her for I knew her secret, and I knew whom Bryan meant when he said : "J have friends who will help me at Rowland's Gap." "Wheel into the scrub on your left, Miss Killowen," cried she, "and don't waste any time, for the very grass may have eyes in it."

I did as I was directed, and she followed close behind me. After we had gone a little way, she called to me to halt, and I drew bridle, and sat on ; the mare looking at her, and admiring hex* and her fragile beauty. She was listening intently; I could tell that by the strained expression on her face, so, fearing danger for those I loved, I leant forward and listened also with all my ears, and I was nearly startled out of my senses /. when I felt a hand touch my boot as it lay in the stirrup under the edge of my riding«kirfc. Checking the cry that rose to my lips, I looked swiftly down into the smiling face of my brother Bryan. "Oil, boy Bryan," ! cried, "you nearly scared mo to death; how long have you ' been king there?" "Not moro than five seconds, Kate," he -,■ answered, as he rose to his feet. "I saw you from my. hiding-place and came towards vou, then it. struck mo that you might have open followed, so I circled round behind you, and made sure that such was net the i case. . Then 1 came to you as I did, just to '■ee if I had lost the old trick of silent movewent that used to amuse you and dear old , Davft long ago." I Jumped out of the saddle, and had my arms round his o-frek in a moment, and I :fancied that, the girl beside mo looked more '■ than a little hit jealous. - . Then . Jiryaq, lifting bis hat from bis . -Jrlv head, introduced me Co Miss McAllister. I was glad to know her, for 1 had \ ) jj never had a real girl friend in all my. life, m ' : ■ ■■

and I should indeed have been blind if I had,not perceived that , Bryan was madly 111 love with her. I " was a bit shy with her, and inclined to stand aloof, because of the life that Bryan had taken up, but she would not permit me to Stand long upon my dignity. Coming to me, she just drew my face towards her and kissed mo as if I had been her sister. A little later, Bryan bade mo farewell, and made off on the bonnv blood mare, aud I went, with Mary McAllister to her homo, but before wo got-there I had to say what was in my heart concerning Bryan, and then she turned and faced me, saying " Kate Killowen, I would lay down my ■ life for your brother Bryan, but thero is .mother matter which draws mo to you. Do not talk to mo of the disgrace of bushranging, for my own brother Basil is a night rider. He has been an outlaw now for nearly four years; that is why my father is so harsh and stern, for ho was wrapped up in my brother, who was his only son, and when Basil took to wild ways and hocame an outcast, father cut himself off from all the world. My mother broke her heart and died, and I was a. ver.v lonely, loveless girl—or, at leash," sho added, with a blush, "I was loveless until I saw your brother Bryau." When I heard Mary McAllister speak like that, it opened tho gates of my heart, for 1 knew how real her troubles* were; her only brother, a fugitive from justice, and the lad sho had given her heart- to an outcast also. Her father met us at. the slip panel that led to his house, and gave mo a harsh greeting. " I cannot say that I welcome you to my home. Miss Killowen," said ho, '""for I have heard that your brother has bccouio. a. desperado and a. bush ruffian, and I should bo glad if my daughter would choose her friends from amongst- more respectable folk; but. sho will go her own gait, 1 suppose, and make her own bed/'

X hung my bead, and walked into the house with Mary, and that, night, saw tho beginning of the sweetest friendship that girl ever knew. Inspector Vernon must have known in his heart that 1 had found means to hand the blood mare over to Bryan, but he could prove nothing against me* and for a while nothing was heard of our lad, and mother and I began to hope that he had gone to t he coast, and shipped away, either to England or to San Francisco.

But. our hopes were rudely dissipated when we heard that, he had been seen by the polico as he 'was acting as a drover, with a party who were ovcrlanding somo cat-tie.

A black tracker had recognised him, and had tired on Bryan for the sake of the. reward that was offered for his capture. Then Birwn had drawn a pistol, and had wounded the man. and the reward for him, dead or alive, was doubled. Wo next got news of him'in Queensland, where lie was working on a station, breaking in wild hoi scs.

The malignity of Inspector Vernon made him hunt. Bryan out. Armed with a warrant, ho went, to look for our boy, and shot him down like a dog. The lad was removed under police escort to Willigan township, where he had to bo medically treated. Whilst he was lying ill, father heard of it, and he decided that come what might, Bryan should not go to the penal settlements.

Ho said nothing to any of us concerning his intentions, but slipped away quietly on his big black horse one moonlight night, and rode towards Willigan township. He did not enter the place, because he knew that Vernon would have him watched if he did. At the trial Vernon gave -brother Bryan no quarter. He described him as a worthless reprobate, and did all he could to harden tile judge's heart against the lad. He even, went so far as to declare that Bryan had laid in wait' for him, and had fired at him from the cover of the bush, and the black troopers swore to the truth of all that Vernon testified.

Father had secretly instructed: a very able barrister to defend Bryan, and this gentleman did all that could be done, but in the end the lad "was sentenced to five years' imprisonment. Now this meant that for five years he would have to herd with men who were very little, if any, better than wild beasts— men who had been sent, out from England for terrible crimes. They were the sweepings' of the kennels of the old world. - . Death for our laddie would have been hard; but- death would have been ; preferable to such a fate as Vernon had planned. 1 One night a travelling stockman slipped a letter under our door. It was from father; ha told Davie that for the future he must consider himself as the head of the family, and work for mother and little Ken and for me, and guard us all from' hArm. The letter added that it was father's intention to free Bryan, and then escape from Australia with him if passible; if there were no chance of escape he -would be forced to become bushranger. I used to go and meet Mary McAllister and talk of our troubles with her, and it was from her lips that I heard of the next move made by my father. It appeared that the coach that was taking Bryan to prison also carried a lot of gold, as well as the mails, and was strongly guarded by black police. Father had picked a spot in a lonely glen where he intended to try arid hold the coach up single-handed. Having hidden his horse so that a stray bullet should not kill or maim it, he had drawn a heavy log across the rough track, and crouching behind it, carbine in 1 hand, waited grimly for whatever might happen. Ho was in that frame of mind when a man docs things that under ordinary circumstances would be simply impossible. When tho coach came bumping along in the f-emi-darkneis of the night, lie could just make out that, it was drawn by sis horses, travelling two abreast. • A white sergeant of police was riding in front, holding bis carbine, across his chest. Two or three black troopers rode on each side of the. coach, and a couplo of well-armed white police sat on the box beside the mail-driver. There were two other armed police in the coach with Bryan and another prisoner, who had been sentenced to a long term of imprisonment for cattle stealing. He was a reckless, careless fellow, who cracked jokes constantly with his guards. Just as the coach entered the glen where father was waiting to make his desperate effort., this prisoner said to Bryan— If we- only had half a dozen stouthearted friends, my lad, this would be a grand spot for a rescue." "Good job for you that you have not," retorted one of the police, "for wo have orders to shoot you dead on the spot if you try to bolt." '•'All the same," returned the cattle stealer, "I'd chanco it if my friends had the nerve to . :Diake an effort on my behalf." . Barely had tho words left his lips when a voice rang out on the nighb air — "Bail up!" Quick as lightning the trooper who was riding in front of tho coach lifted his carbine and fired. It was the answer of the law to the law-breaker. Then came other shots in rapid succession. The coach horses, only half-broken, bush animals, began to rear and plunge madly, the two leaders wheeled from the track and plunged down the steep side of the glen, overturning the coach in the mad rush. The prisoner who was with Bryan never lost his nerve for a moment, but raising his manacled hands above his head, struck one of the officers a tremendous blow on the temple with tho heavy steel handcuffs, and, wrenching open the coach door, leapt out and ran for the cover of the bush The other policeman, who had had his lesr broken by the upsetting of the coach, raised himself on his elbow and fired at the fleeing figure, and some of those outside fired at him also. (To bo continued daily).