Tales and Sketches.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 118, 19 July 1873, Page 8

Tales and Sketches.

A HIDE FOB LIFE. [From a series of tales, told round a New Zealand camp fire, which appear in Once a Week.] The next evening, when seated round the fire, we called on Pat for a tale, as it was his turn to try and amuse us. ‘I do not at this moment remember anything which happened to myself to tell you,’ he said, ‘ but, if you like, I can tell you something I heard long ago.’ ‘ We are not. particular,’ replied Bill Walker, ‘nor difficult, to please, you know ; and will be very thankful to you for anything that will keep us awake for an hour or two.’ * I do not think I can do better than tell you a yarn I heard from a Victorian man some years ago, which I have every reason to believe to be true, and which made such an impression on me that I think I can repeat it, nearly word for word, as he told it to me. The tale you told us, Stevens, a night or two ago, recalled it to my memory, although, excepting that bushrangers figure in it, there is no similarity.’ ‘ Drive on, then, old chap,’ said Charlie, ‘ and let us have it.’ ‘ Well, then,’ said Pat, * I will tell it to you as nearly as possible in the words it was told to me, first telling you that the fellow’s name who told it to me was Flaxman.’ It is nearly twenty years ago since what I am about to relate took place—to me it seems like so many hours—and the memory of it is now as fresh and vivid to my mind as if it had happened yesterday. Often during my lonely rides through the dark, gloomy forest, or when lying by the camp fire watching the bright sparks flying upwards toward heaven, and listening to the melancholy howl of the native dog, in fancy I would see the sweet, gentle face of Alice Griffiths, so soft and womanly in its every expression, with nothing to indicate her courage and resolution excepting a certain fire in her eyes, only seen then in her rare moments of deep and intense excitement. Then those lustrous eyes, so loving and winning in their fathomless depth, would blaze with a light almost fierce in its grandeur, as sudden in its coming as in its going, betraying an unexpected strength of character more akin to the daring determination of a bold man, quick of action and ready in emergency, than to the yielding nature of a simple girl, trusting to and dependent on others in moments of extreme danger. Bather tall, slightly and elegantly formed, very r girlish in both manner and disposition, with what is so seldom seen together —dark blue eyes and fair golden hair, a clear, bright complexion, and a mouth perfectly bewitching in its loveliness —she had the beauty and grace of a Madonna, combined, as you will hear, With courage and presence of mind to an extent I never met with in any other woman, and of which'any man might have been justly proud. She and her brother Arthur lived together on a station not very far from Kilmore, but in rather an unfrequented part of the country at that lime. Their home-station was beautifully, almost romantically situated. In front, a wide creek twisted and turned through a clear open flat of about half a mile in length, its course marked by the foliage of many a stately gum tree, and here and there clumps of wattle trees, dark in their winter beauty, but gay and bright when clad in their brilliant summer blossoms. At the back, within a few yards of the house, a black, dense forest of stringy bark trees frowned on the lovely scene in front, like some evil geni scowling on a lovely Peri, Alice had a great love of flowers, and, with much care and a considerable display of taste, had formed a beautiful little garden, taking advantage of every natural beauty the place possessed. Little beds of flowers were prettily laid out, and a large charred and withered gum tree was made to do duty and contribute to the picture by spreading out its long limbs to be covered with greenleaved and gay, bright-blossomed creepers. A large paddock for horses adjoined the garden. In a corner of it -was the stockyard, having slip rails opening into the paddock ; and into this the horses were driven when they were wanted. There was no stable—they were not so common twenty years ago as they are now. At that time a gang of bushrangers was roving about Victoria, robbing every one the}' met, and often murdering their victims, when they did not get any money from them. . It was this gang of which the following tale is told :—A settler called J. H. P. was stopped several times; but, being rather a cute fellow, the bushrangers never got more than a few shillings from him. The constant disappointment so enraged them that they told him that if they ever caught him without money again —and plenty, too —they would Be him to a tree and burn him alive. I suppose either he took care to carry a well-filled purse, or he had the good fortune never to meet his friends again ; for lie has escaped such a very hot reception so far.

This gang was very daring, often committing the most impudent robberies in broad daylight, and on one or two occasions even robbing’the police themselves, when this intelligent force was supposed to be hunting for them in order to obtain the reward offered for their capture. It was surprising how wellinformed the gaug was. If persons sold stock, or by any other means had money in their houses, they were pretty certain to receive a visit, and lucky were they if they only lost their money. Having some business to do with a neighbor of Griffiths, I thought I would take their place on the way. Accordingly, I went*’ there, intending to stay an hour and then proceed ; but we had so much to talk about, and Arthur had so many completed improvements to show me, and so many proposed ones to consult me about, that the time slipped away unobserved, until it was so late in the evening that I consented, very willingly, to remain all night, the more so as Alice added he persuasion to her brother’s, saying—■ * You know, Mr Flaxman, you might meet the Black Forest Gang, and surely you will not prefer their soeietv to ours.’ Little she thought the meeting was so near, or what an important part she was to take in it. Before dark, Arthur and I went to look at some young horses he had bred, which he had got in from the run for the purpose of breaking in, and as they were rather wild, we drove them into the stockyard to examine them at our leisure. After duly admiring and criticising them, I noticed a very handsome horse, a dark, nutty chesnut, long, low, but very coms- - with fine sloping shoulders, round barrel, powerful quarters and great thighs, well let down, and one of the neatest heads, on a good, but rather thick neck, I ever saw. This grand looking horse stood on four of the shortest, flattest legs, with great big joints, you could iniaginei He looked like carrying a man for his life j and, with his well-bred look and evident condition, could no doubt both go and stay. Of course I asked Arthur what he was, and where he got him. ‘ He is a good horse,’ he replied, walking up to him, and rubbing his ears, as the horse leant his head on Arthur’s shoulder. ‘I bought him last spring from Byan, on the Goulburn, for my own riding ; but he is such a first-rate hack, with gentle manners, and a mouth far too good for my rough heavy hauds, that I gave him to my sister. She never rides any other now, and has made such a pet of him that, when she calls him,, he will leave the mob of horses and trot straight up to to her. I really believe he likes being ridd§n by her.' * He is too good for such work,’ said I —‘ that is, I mean,’ correcting myself, ‘he is, or ought to be, from bis looks, good enough to win any steeplechase in the colony.’ ‘ So he his,’ returned Griffiths. ‘I had a spin once with Boomerang, and beat him over two miles of fair country, too. But nothing will induce Alice to allow me to train him for the Melbourne races. And I think she is right, for he is perfection a* a lady’s horse, and racing would soon spoil him.’ After we returned to the house, I remarked to Miss Griffiths what a splendid horse she had. ‘ Yes, he is a beauty, and as nice as he looks,’ she said. ‘ We have many long rambles all over the bush together, and have got quite to like each other’s company. I can leave him anywhere when I dismount, and he will always come when I call him. Ah, Chestu is a dear old fellow ! But come, let us have a game at whist. Arthur can play dummy, Mr Flaxman will take me as a partner.’ We must have been playing sometime, when our attention was attracted by the loud, angry barking of the dogs, warning us that some one was approaching: but thinking it might be one of the men from one of the out-stations, we took no notice of it. Directly almost we heard footsteps on the verandah, and as we both jumped up to see what it was, the door which entered from the verandah was violently burst open, and two men rushed in, each holding a pistol levelled in his hand. ‘ Hold up your hands or I’ll blow your brains out!’ cried one. And you may be very certain wo did not require a second bidding. For one instant I looked at Alice, cool and collected 'she stood, her eyes flashing and glittering as I had never seen them do before. Then I thought of dashing at the nearest of the ruffians, but the sight of his pistol at once decided me that it was useless—nay, worse than useless, as it could but end one way. A pair of worse-looking rascals, I never saw. One was a short, thickest, bullet-headed, prize fighting looking fellow, with a flat, coarse face, covered with a stiff, bristly sort of beard. His eyes, red and weak, were deeply sunken in his head. His mouth, nothing but a mere slit across his face, was ornament by long yellow tusks, and the corners were deeply stained with tobacco juice. A more repulsive villain could not be imagine d. The other, though not quite so hideous, was far from being a pretty boy. Taller than' his companion/

and equally strong built, he looked the more dangerous of the two. Both were dressed in red serge shirts, cabbage-tree hats, and loose neckties just like the generality of stockmen or shepherds. I suppose I looked the most dangerous of onr party, for one of them, the short blackguard, took a piece of rope and tied my hands behind me, whilst the other stood sentinel over us. Then they tied Arthur also, and began disputing about Alice, cursing and using the most dreadful oaths when they spoke. One was for tying her up also, but the other said I omit the oaths with which he garnished his speech—- ‘ What’s the good of tying up a wench P One of ua must stop here and watch them here swells, and the other can hunt for the swag. You go, Jack, and if this young ’ooman gives me any trouble, I’ll find means to quiet her fast enough.’ Jack laid his pistol on the table, beside his mate, and went in search of money. How I wished I could get free and seize the pistol on the table. I quietly tried my hands, and soon found it would be possible to slip them from the clumsy tied knot, but I did not see how I was to get free quickly enough to do any good. I saw Alice watching me as I tried to get my hands loose ; fearing the bushranger would ‘also notice what I was about I desisted. I had no wish for giving him the least temptation to make a target of me. Presently the tall fellow who waR hunting for booty came back, and, throwing a lot of trinkets belonging to Alice on the table,, went up to Arthur and demanded where he kept his money, warning him in a manner more forcible than polite, that it would be as well to tell him, ‘ for if I don’t get the cash—the whole lot of it, mind you —that you got for them “juuibucks” you sold, I'll take it out of your hide.’ I told Arthur to tell him at once, as it was no use trying to save the money. - So he told him it was in his room, and again he went off iu search of it. I could hear him tossing everything about in the next room in his eagerness to find the money, and in a few minutes he called out — * Here it is, Jack ! We’ll have a good burst over this lot next time we go to Melbourne for a spree.’ Jack stepped towards the room ; and in his hurry to know the result of the find, quite forgetting Alice, or not thinking a woman was likely to give much trouble, and no doubt trusting to our being tied securely, foolishly laid his pistol on the table beside his mate’s. Quick as thought Alice sprang forward, and catching them both up, held one out straight at the ruffian’s head. * Move but one finger,’ she said, in a low, firm voice—looking, although pale with excitement, determined and fully able to curry out her threat—' and I fire.’ Bor a moment I thought the man meant mischief, but something in Alice’s face warned him not to tempt his fate, and he cowered like a cur before the fair, delicate girl. How beautiful she looked ! Hike a statue cut out of marble she stood : not a tremor showed the violent struggle within. Only in her eyes was there any sign of excitement. Their soft expression was gone, and in its place blazed courage and determination, mixed with triumph and scorn. Little wonder that the miserable wretch shrunk beneath such a gaze, speechless with terror and amazement. Had he moved in the slightest degree, it would have been death ; the pistol covered him with deadly aim, and was held there without wavering by a hand as cool and steady as if this game of life and death were childish play. With a struggle I tore my hands free, and hastened to loose Arthur. Then, but not till then, Alice gave the pistols up to Us, and saying, ‘ Watch them —I am off to Kilmore for the police,’ hurried out of the room. Out into the dark, lonely night she went. Hid she not fear that more of the gang might be hidden outside, guarding against surprise ? Where were the men servants ? All gone as soon as they knew that the house was * stuck up’— gone to keep out of the way, not for assistance ; leaving to a young girl the work which ought to have belonged to men. Through the darkness out into the paddock. * Chestu ! Chestu ! good horse ! Ckestu!’ Quickly he answered to his name; and, with hands now trembling with excitement, she hurriedly places her saddle on his back, and mounting, gallops off. Onward the two brave spirits go—away through the black gloomy forest. Little thought she how much now depended on her reaching the police station, and returning with help quickly. Still the brave girl galloped onward, urging her horse at a pace through the wild forest which would have shaken the nerves of many a bold, reckless stockrider. Her horse’s flying feet startled the dingo prowling round the sheepfold, and frightened the ‘ more-pork,’ which, sitting lonely on the limb of some tree, uttering its monotonous cry of ‘ More pork ! more pork I’ flew far away into the neighboring scrub, seeking to hide itself from its natural enemy. An hour’s riding at this reckless, speed brought her to Kilmore ; and she quickly told her errand, and, refusing to remain

in spite of all persuasion, returned with the police towards the station, but at a slower and steadier pace than that at which sbe came.

Meanwhile, Arthur and I had firmly tied the two rascals to a chair each, and placed them far enough apart to prevent their being able to render one another any assistance, and had seated ourselves by the fire, each with a glass of grog and a pipe, to wait the arrival of the police, and to watch over our prisoners. We had been sitting there for more than two hours, when we heard the sound of horses’ feet at the back of the house, and of course concluded that the police had come, although rather surprised at their being so soon. ‘ Wait here with these two guests of ours,’ said Arthur to me, ‘ and I will go out and bring them in. I’m not sorry they have come so soon, for I half expected to see more of the gang turn up, and if they had, our lives would not have been worth much.’ Arthur turned and went out as he spoke, and, looking at the two men tied beside me, I saw a villanous look of savage delight on their countenances, which made my heart stand still for an instant. It flashed at once, suddenly but certainly, across my brain that the rest of the gang had returned, and I rushed to the door, calling after Arthur to come back as he valuer! his life. As I passed through the door I met Arthur, who was hurrying back, and nearly knocked me down by coming full tilt against me in his confusion.’ * Back ! back !’ he cried, ‘ the whole gang are here. Into my room —quick ! Never mind the lights.’ Not a moment was to spare, for as we gained Arthur’s room, which opened off the sitting room, the bushrangers entered the house. It was probably well for us that we bad not time to take the lights into the small room with us, for we had thus the advantage of seeing our enemies without their being able to see us. In they came, six dirty, low, desperate looking fellows they were, each armed with revolvers and bowie knives, and evidently half drunk, ready for the commission of any crime. ‘Now, Arthur,’ I whispered, ‘don’t fire (he was raising his pistol) ; ' reserve your powder until they attempt to enter this room, and then fire coolly and steadily at the left hand man—l’ll take care of the right. We must not miss our aim, or we are lost. Our only safety lies in prompt, energetic action. Eemember they cannot see us, and therefore cannot fire with any degree of precision ; and if we can keep them off for a little time longer, we will yet be saved.’ The blackguards were evidently taken aback by seeing their two companions tied fast and prisoners ; but the two worthies soon explained the matter, with many hideous oaths and deep vows of vengeance against Arthur and me. As soon as they were let loose, the one who was called Jack said to his companions ‘Now then, mates, the sooner we finish this here job the better, for that there wench won’t be long before she brings the whole “ camp” down on us, like a swarm of ants. Now I votes, maties, that we just get a hold of the two downy coves wots been and hidden away in that room,’ pointing to where we were. Without more words they came on towards us, each with a pistol ready. I do not know what Arthur felt, but my pulses throbbed, and my ears seemed to be full and bursting ; but my hand was as steady as ever, and my nerves like steel. ‘Now, then,’ I muttered in a hoarse, low tone, * remember—fire at the man on the left, and aim low, and don’t hurry.’ liaising our pistols, we both fired together. The man that I fired at gave a sudden, shudder and fell forward on his face, shot dead ; and Arthur’s man, shot through the breast, but not killed, staggered and nearly fell. • The others drew back, taken by surprise ; but only for a moment, for firing their pistols towards us, they again rushed to storm our little stronghold. ‘ Fire again—quick, Arthur !’ I cried, as I levelled my pistol, and pulled the trigger. There was but one report, and another of the ruffians fell, either killed or badly hurt. This time the gang drew back, evidently thinking it was not safe to trifle with us. Then I found Arthur was wounded in the arm, not dangerously, but sufficiently to prevent his being of much use should the fellows again make a charge on us. This, however, they seemed not inclined to do ; and we could hear them discussing what was best to be done. One suggested firing at us in volleys on the chance of maiming or killing us ; but one, with greater ingenuity, proposed setting fire to the house, and either burning us alive, or, as he said, ‘smoking the things out, like a pair of “ bandicoots” in a hollow log.” This idea was received with general satisfaction, and preparations were at once commenced to carry it out. Logs and scrub were piled up against the walls of the wooden house, and lighted in many places at once. The dry wood soon caught, and in a few minutes was blazing bright

and clear, but, unfortunately for us, with little or no smoke. Still, the heat was intense and suffocatiug, and in a very few moments more would have either become unbearable and driven us out to meet certain death at the hands of the ci uel ruffians who stood round the house, laughing and jesting at our sufferings, or have consumed us where we were, with no chance of escaping from torture the most agonising and horrible imaginable. After a brief consultation, we agreed to rush out and face death at once, rather than bear the dreadful fate awaiting for us. Hastily I tied Arthur’s shattered arm to his side, and then, shaking one another “by the hand, we were on the point of rushing through the flames, when we heard shots fired, and soon the sound of voices. The police had come ! How they captured the bushrangers I know not, except from heresay ; for as we ran through the fire, blinded by the smoke and nearly smothered with heat, I felt a sharp twitch in my side, like a red-hot iron ruaning into my flesh, and then a ringing, singing sound in my ears, a confused sound of voices, and a blank. When I recovered consciousness, I found myself lying in bed, weak, and with a strange feeling of lassitude which was new to me. I had been badly wounded, and loss of blood had nearly killed me. It was many weeks before I was well enough to hear all the particulars of that night, and more ere I was strong enough to go down to Mel bourne, where I was wanted to identify the bushrangers taken by the .police. Arthur soon got well, as his wound was not of a very serious nature, .although one of the hones iu his arm was broken. The brave girl who saved her brother’s life and mine married about two years afterwards, and, with her husband, went back to dear old England, where they are now living, near a quiet, pretty country village, and where she leads a peaceful, happy life, without fear of such interruptions to her happiness as she met with in this hotbed of crime, wickedness, and sin, where the stern arm of the law is the only check on the evil passions of ruffians who, in their cowardice, fear man, but who. worse than devils, neither acknowledge r.or honor their God. * That was a plucky sort of girl,’ remarked Charlie ; ‘ too good to be lost in a stupid, humdrum country village in England, where teaching dirty little brats to read would be about the extent of her labors. Girls like her are what we colonials want for wives ; girls that can rough it a bit, and still retain all that is gentle and womanly in their natures.’ ‘Go it, old boy,’ I cried. ‘ I hope you will find a ditto of Alice Griffiths, and persuade her to change her name to Stevens. Bnt, seriously, I agree with you, Charlie. By Jove, what a jolly mate to have when cattle-driving ! Watching the restless brutes wouldn’t be half-bad work under such circumstances.’