A LINDSAY 0' THE DALE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13606, 27 November 1907, Page 10

A LINDSAY 0' THE DALE.

BY A. "G. HALES, Author of "The W-.itcUer on the Tower," " Driscoll, Khie of Scouts." " McGlnsky. •' Jair the Apostate." etc.. etc.

COPYRIGHT.

CHAPTER XI. A TERRIBLE PURSUIT.

Slowly, and with extreme care, the two outlaws moved through Green's Gap, for they had got out of touch with their "telegraphs," and they did not know what thepolice were doing. The ranges through which they hud to pass were just suitable for police ambushes, and it would not have surprised them if they had heard the challenge to surrender ring out at any moment. -.They had made their plans in case of such an emergency. " It's the man who hesitates who is shot or captured, as a general rule," Davie had remarked. " So, Basil, if we hear the cry 'Surrender,' no matter if they are fifty strong, no matter what kind of position they may hold, we must drive the spurs home on the instant, and hurl ourselves through them, or go down in the effort. The worst that can come to us Is a bullet in heart or brain; but if wo are taken, it will mean the rope—a dog's death; and that won't suit either you or me." "Right you are, Dave Killowcn, we'll ride aud shoot; and tho men who try to stop us will have a handful of trouble, for we can both shoot, from the saddle at the gallop almost as well as on loot." So they were ready for all emergencies. Towards "evening of the first day they had just topped a hill, down which a well-cut mail-track sloped, gently leading to a bit of level country. They could 6eo this track for a good mile from their post of vantage, and were rather surprised to see a lady and gentleman riding on two very superior-look-ing horses some distance below them. Hello! some station owner and his wife out for an airing," commented! Davie." ! " May bo a station manager and his sweetheart, for all you know, Dave." You're wrong," was Davie's cool retort. "Lovers don't rid© as far apart as those two arc doing,.Basil.- See, the lady has one side of the track, the gentleman has the other.*' " There's a lob of worldly wisdom in that remark," chuckled the feather-brained" outlaw; "anyone would think you had been a lady-killer all your days, instead of a road agent. Perhaps, however, you k are wrong, after all: they may be lovers who have had a quarrel." The outlaws were riding gently down the elope as they talked. "The man rides well, but the lady don't seem too much at home in the saddle; and that's queer, for nearly all the ladies on stations sit a horse better than the men," murmured Davie. "She doesn't appear a bit too graceful, and that's a fact, Dave. Your eister Kate, or my sister Mary, could'ride better with their"hands tied behind their backs." The lady they were discussing so ungallantty wore a close-fitting, dark-blue serge habit, and soft felt hat with a feather in it. '• -' -, ■' "■• '.

"She's got a pretty tidy waist;" whispered Basil, with a "smile. " How would you like to pull her round a ballroom in a waltz, Dave? Shouldn't fancy the job myself if it was a warm night. ' Davie smiled, but said nothing; he was watching the lady very closely. Basil was in one of his merry, jesting humours. " Lost your heart, Dave, eh?" "No," said Dave, " nor my head. cither, vou mad beggar. Sit tight, I'm going to have a look at the lady's face! The man has looked round at us three or four times, but the lady has not looked once; and I'm suspicious, for ninety-nine women out of a. hundred would have*turned for at least one "glance at a couple of men riding steadily befiind her."; • " Perhaps she's shy," chuckled Basil. "I don't, know whether she is or not, but I know lam," said Davie. "Sit tight' now. and be ready for emergencies." He moved Honeyballinto a canter, and Tame Hawk'at once followed suit. When almost up to the pair, Davie touched Honeyball with his off spur, and the horse, trained to this manoeuvre, shot away to the near side, cannoning against the horse the lady was riding, the shoulder of the yellow-bay striking the strange horse on the quarter, causing it. to swerve with magical swiftness half-way acrofs the track; and as it did so the lady lost her balance, and went headlong out of the saddle.

As she. did so her skirts caught in a wattle-tree and in a "moment both outlaws saw that under the riding-habit there was a police-tioopor's uniform.

• Davie had expected as much, so that he was not surprised, and in the twinkling of an eye he •had the nnizile of his revolver pointing at the head of the other person. Basil was rocking about in his saddle, bursting with merriment. "Ho! ho!" he shouted in between * his fits of laughter. " So you police bounders are taking to wearing petticoats' ,are you By the Lord! I think it's about time you did." Then, full of the reckless merriment that was part of his nature, he leapt, from his horse, disarmed the officer in the lady's costume, and bad© him pick up his skirts and -waltz. -■ • '*-'•■•.

Ihe officer, half-mad with rage at the ridiculous figure lie win, cutting, refuged to budge. Then Basil let him see the ugly Bide of his nature, and there was an ugly side to his temper when he was roused in earnest. ' ' •• ;V ' ' '•'■'

" Dance," he cried, " or I'll shoot the legs from under you. • You put on woman's dress to trap .us, now amuse us or take the consequences." f. The trooper was a slim young fellow, with a clean, hairless; good-looking face. He looked half appealingly at Davie, but ■ he got no sympathy that direction. "Do as you are told, and do it quickly," was Davie's advice, "unless you want your legs shot off." For Davie knew that , when the fit was on him, Basil would have his own way, either in a frolic or a fight, And at such times the .quickest way out of the difficulty was to let him have his head, for the more he wits thwarted the more stubborn he would become.

Basil began to whistle a waltz, and the officer, cureing furiously, picked up his skirts with both hands like a fine lady, made his curtsey, and then began to circle round and round, whilst Davie kept the- other officer covered. ' .

By and -by,. Basil changed the air, whistling a" polka, and the officer, with his woman's hat all awry upon his head, hopped up and down, round and round, as grotesque a figure as ever footed it on the greensward. As this merriment was in full swing three drovers with some cattle came along, and Basil called/to them to stop and see the performance. They were wild blades; and enjoyed the fun of it all immensely, for none of the back-block workmen liked the police, who were often arbitrary and domineering in their intercourse with the poorer --< classes they had to deal with. Lounging in their saddles, with their stock-whips coiled round their right arms, with shirt-sleeves rolled up to their elbows, the stockmen yelled with merriment, whilst Basil whistled tune after tune, and compelled both officers to dance like merry-andrews.

. When ho was tired'of his prank, the wild fellow bade the stockmen ride on. Then he tied both officers to a tree, and taking the ■ saddles and bridles off their ,horse 3- turned the animals adrift in the bush, where no man on foot would ever catch them. " Y.onr patrols will find you in due season," cried he, "and then you can start in and hunt for me and if you catch me/ why, you can make mo dance." The officer in woman's dress swore under his breath that'he would do so, adding— -■ ' " I'll whistle a polka, whilst you dance on the end of a rope." "Now you are through with your pranks," said* Davie, "we'll make for the level land below, and then it will bio i race for. life. It's no use dodging, about any longer ; in the ranges, for sooner or later we'd be cornered. Besides, we must get to the port and. join .the ship, for. Bryan won't sail without ; us; I'm sure of that." ; "Right*'you /are, Dave; I've , had t my laugh, and now I'm ready for anything that Fate.may. send/. Only, I hope you , know' the course w«'ye got" to '"'-'

1 ''I've got a good general idea. I don't know exactly ,how to hit Port Victor, but I know enough to get within asking distance of it. {50. come on, and we'll make, a run for it."

The pair-rode warily onward until the far-rolling miles of the great .Australian Downs lay in front of . them. . Once out on those far-reaching plains they would soon be tracked, and they knew it. The two horses were full of fire, and moved as if they knew what lay in front of them. Steadily they galloped, as only thoroughbred horses can gallop, until the night came upon them. Then they hobbled the horses on good grass, and made . themselves some tea; after which they took turn about sleeping and watching until dawn, and then once more they made off. - Just as they were about to quit the camp, Basil looked behind him, and fancied that he could make out a small cloud of dust away in the distance. " Hold on a bit, Dave," he called; and, active as a cat, he stood up on top of his saddle, whilst Tame Hawk stood like a rock. Standing like that, be was able to see far over the level plains. "What do you make of.it, Basil?" " I can't make it out yet, it's too far away; but it is cither ft mob of cattle coming this way, or it is our friends the police. We'd better wait awhile and make sure, Dave." Davie got calmly off his horse, lit his pipe, and sat down to wait. He always made a point of sparing Honey bail, even if it was only a mere matter of moments. After a. good .long' look Basil spoke again. "Don't think it's a mob of cattle, Dave, the dust is ; travelling too quickly; but I'll soon be able to make sure, • for the sun is just getting up, and it is sure to flash on the rille-barrels if there .are polico inside that dust-cloud." > Another long wait, and Davie smoked on methodically. ' ■- ■ •*;• " Police, and : plenty of- them," called Basil.. "The wind has just lifted the dust, and.the sun is high enough to glint on their weapons. We'll have a fast ride to-day comrade." Davie knocked the ashes out of his pipe on the heel of his boot, swung into his saddle, and,, without so much as a backward glance, let Honeyball move off, and Tame Hawk moved with him. It was the police, both black and white and they moved at a rapid pace, following the outlaws' tracks. v . ; :'. In order that this might be done without any delay, a black tracker galloped a good couple of hundred yards,in front of the troop, following the trail as a foxhound follows a scent, and the troop followed him. They had started with the indention of running the outlaws down, and fighting them to the death. The officer in charge was the man whom Vernon had told to gather his men and pursue Davie. He was a grim, dour man; not at all a bad-principled fellow like Vernon, but a faithful officer. He had been : commanded • to. wipe the . Kilowens out of existence; and he' intended to do it if he could. The tracker rode on ahead of the force until he came to the camp the outlaws had used ; then he jumped of? his horse and ran about like some big black ape. The officer had drawn his force up about fifty yards from the fire, because he did not want to spoil any tracks that might be there he was an old and experienced hand at such work. The tracker, who was known as "the Dingo," called out to the leader to come on. • "What do you make of it?" demanded he", as he rode up. "Two men camp here last night; two horses." ' "Arc you sure there were only two? ' " Yes, sure; only two." ■ > : ." How long since they left?" The Dingo showed his teeth in ft broad grin. " Not long, me think. They, sec us coming, then they bolt full gallop." :; The officer gave a cry of delight, for ho did not think he was so near his quarrv. ' ■ • •" '■•'■■', ■, " ■"" ' "On to their tracks, and stick to them, Dingo. We'll keep them moving;. away with you." . , , <~\ The black leapt on to Ins horse and sped off, and the troop followed. " We'll crack our horses up if wo keep •this pace long," said a sergeant to the leader. ..'.. . " - .. , , - v " We'll ride 'em until they drop, was the savage answer.n :v i '-'<-\f •'-■. -,'*■■' On ; and on went the two outlaws, and* on behind them came the pursuers. Every now and again Basil would spin round in the saddle arid- say, "Davie, the beggars are gaining on us. Their dust is much closer,than it was." And Dave would give the :yellow-bay. a little more rein and let him* lengthen his stride, and the pair would sweep along in gallant, As the day ware on, Basil began to look anxious. "I don't know who's behind, us, Dave, but whoever it is they are doing their level best to run us down ; we haven shaken them off. Why don't you let the homes go? and give them a burst for it? They can't be us well mounted as we are. * Davie shook his head. - " That's not wise," said he; "this pace will crack up, any ordinary horse in .a few more hours.. They'll grow impatient to catch us before long, and drive their cattle along ; at-top speed, and then they will break down. That will be our chance, for we must keep travelling long after they camp, for; they, .will.commandeer fresh , horses wherever> they come across them ; we can't part with ours." . '. , ' " The sun. was very hot as the aftemboa drew on, and, good as the two thoroughbreds were, they felt, the strain. All at once Davie drew "bridle and leaped to earth.. Basil did the same, and the pair strode on i besklo the hones. The pursuers drew closer and? closer, un< til at last they could see the men they were hunting. "We seem to be gaining on them, sergeant," cried the officer in command. "What do you make of it; do you think one, of their horses has gone' lame?" "Ask the tracker, he'll soon tell Us," responded the,'sergeant. ' " '■'..".', But the Dingo said that neither the outoutlaw's horses were lame. ■" Good horses," he added; " gallop a long time yet;'* . , ■ "There's something wrong With one' of J'the riders, then; they would never dare ' to hang back if there wasn't, for they must I know by this time that we are pressing hard upon them. »So sit down, men, and let us try and get within rifle range. A chance shot may lame a horse, and then they'll turn at bay. We won't get the Kill-, owens without a fight, make up your minds to that." (To be continued daily).