CONVICT DAYS.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 30, Issue 22, 19 March 1918, Page 7

CONVICT DAYS.

(Copyright.)

$ VIVID AND REALISTIC £ t PICTURES OF THE PAST. i

THE AFFAIR OF EAGLE FARM - ii ■ I PART 5. The further Sampson continued hia search the more puzzled he became. The track, which lay through the undergrowth to the spot where Davey had ambushed and fired the fatal shot, was very plain, and the outlaw, with his wonderful bushcraft, was able to get an idea of what had happened. ■ A shot had been fired from the spot,, and one of two men on horseback struck down. Then there waa the trail by which the assassin

had fled, and a second trail could be ’ seen. With extraordinary keenness Sampson followed the circular track until it brought him back to where Burman was, but he could find no other trace of a man living or dead. With a shrewd guess, he told the cottier that one of the riders must have pursued tne person who fired the shot, and then returned to his wounded comrade, whom he had removed. "If we scout round Davey’a place,” he added. “we may learn what has happened.” This seemed good advice, and though neither man Intended making his presence known at the homestead, it would be possible to get close to the bouse and trust to circumstances to discover the solution. With this object the two men pushed through the forest until they came close to the homestead, and as they did so they stopped in surprise, as they saw Constable Byrnes slowly approaching the house, leading a horse with a man’s body on it. At the distance the newcomers could not recognise the body, but concluded it must be that of Davey. The two were at a loss what to do. Though Byrnes was friendly to them, they knew It would be unwise and dangerous to make their presence known, and at length It was agreed the original purpose of their long journey should be carried out. Getting back into the bush, they continued on their way to Barman’s place, which they reached near dusk. Waiting until night had come, the

settler managed to enter bis ho'meotead and secure the valuables he wanted, but it was almost midnight before he finished. Meanwhile Sampson, lying in the scrub, had been having a much-needed sleep, but as they wanted to get out of the locality before dawn Burman woke him on his return. The way to the ford led past Davey’s house, and, swayed by a desire to know more of the mystery which rested on it, the outlaws skirted close to the buildings. The night was moonless, and scurrying clouds frequently obscured the stars, so that the gloom was deep enough to shroud them from recognition if anyone should stumble on them. As both were hunted men with a price on their heads, the' fear of attack waa ever present, and, knowing that Byrnes was at the place, it seemed certain that he would hare other of-

ficials with him. Consequently they took no risks, and, though it was midnight, and they were wrapped in the gloom, both men crept from shelter to shelter, with eyes straining to pierce the darkness. They had just reached the side of a shed not more than thirty yards from the house, when Sampson gripped his companion warningly by the arm. The outlaw had eyes like a cat, which his years of wild life had given him, and, though Burman could not see anything, he knew hie mate was roused by something which meant danger. With a whisper to the settler to re-

main where he was, Sampson began to creep forward, and in a few seconds even the shadow of his. body was lost to the watcher. What the outlaw had seen was the outlines of

a man’s figure just leaving the shed and silently approaching the house. It might he the constable, or It it might not, but the affair was suspicious, and Sampson saw in it a chance of learning something of the strange happenings going on. Moving along the ground without a sound, the convict followed until he almost reached the front of the homestead. Then he stopped, for a sharp noise toW him a creaking door had been opened. The next instant he saw a very faint light framing a man standing on the verandah beside the open doorway, and as he looked the figure he was shadowing moved up to it, and the sound of whispering voices reached the listener. The latter instantly recognised one of the of the men as Davey, the settler, and his (stealthy approach to his own place told its story to the alert watcher. He concluded that Byrnes had come to arrest the man for the murder of Sergeant Petrie, a fight had followed, one of the constables had been killed, and the culprit escaped. Then Byrnes had taken the body of his comrade back to the' settler’s house, and would follow up the pursuit. The second man was, no doubt, one of Davey’s assigned servants, who was acting the spy on the officer. These conclusions, as the reader knows, were not quite accurate, but they were . near enough to guide ■Sampson in his course of action. After bearing a smattering of the conversation, which told him the wornout constable was even then asleep and alone, the convict swiftly crept back to the shed and reached Burman. "Come with me quickly,” he whispered. "Byrnes is after Davey for the crime you nearer swung for, but Davey will get him if we don’t baulk Mn.”

The memory of the terrible wrong the ruffianly settler had done him caused Burman to spring to his feet and run after his mate towards the house. The two sinister figures had vanished from the verandah, leaving the door wide open. There was no passage or hall, as the door opened into a rooin with a low partition between it and the apartment which served for Davey’s bedroom. The servant, Hain, stood just between the two, and suspecting what was happening in the second apartment. Sampson rushed forward with clubbed musket, and struck Hain senseless. As he sprang into the bedroom, lighted with a guttering tallow candle, he dimly saw Byrnes lying on a stretcher, either dead or asleep, and Davey with a butcher’s knife in his right hand, just turning from the bed to face him. As he rushed on the man, with upraised musket, Davey jumped aside with a fearful oath and made for the opening, but as he reached it Burman met him face to face, and with a cry of rage grappled with him. Davey tried to use the knife, but the outlaw had gripped his arm, and both men straggled with frenzied strength—one to escape the hangman, the other seeking his long pent-up vengeance. As they crashed back into the room the light was overturned and then both tumbled across the stretcher where Byrnes lay. In the deep darkness of the room Sampson could not distinguish friend from foe, and as no sound came from the constable he concluded the man was dead. Used to desperate scenes of violence and sudden death, the convict’s presence of mind did not leave him. Making for the openihg, he got his flint steel and tinder out, and a few moments after had a light and recovered the candle. He could now distinguish the fierce combatants, and went to his comrade’s assistance. Watching his chance, he got a blow with his pistol butt on Davey’s head, which stunned him, and with a quick command to Burman to get ropes and bind both insensible men, he turned to examine Constable Byrnes. When Sampson looked at the motionless figure of Constable Byrnes lying on the floor, he naturally concluded that Davey had accomplished his deadly work. He knelt down beside the body, but could not see any sign of Injury, but with the bad light that was not surprising. Then, as he made a closer examination, it flashed Into his mind that the officer was not dead, but drugged. “They’ve dosed him. That brute,” pointing to Hain, "did this,” exclaimed the outlaw. The surmise was correct, and, though both men did all they could to rouse the drugged constable, several hours passed before he came to his senses. Even then his brain was so fogged with the fumes that for a time he could not clearly understand what had happened. When he saw Sampson and Burman In the room he concluded he must be back at Moreton Bay, but he was soon put in possession of what had occurred since taking the drug. He then explained to the two men the points they did not quite understand, and the situar tion was made quite clear to all. “Davey would have come off beat again if it had not been for you,, but I think hio course is about ran,” remarked the constable tf> Sampson.

“It would have been run before this if I hadn’t kept Burman from him. 1 don’t wonder at his thirsting for revenge. The scoundrel has made an outlaw of him, for, though he didn’t kill Petrie, the escape and fight he afterwards made against capture have put him outside the chance of a pardon."

“I’m sorry for Barman, and I’m sorry for you, Sampson,” replied Byrnes with considerable feeling. “Both of you have been made outlaws, and it would bo hopeless to expect any consideration from men like Murray and Bagge. I’ll help you all I can, but my aid doesn't count for much.”

“Your help prevented Murray getting us at the Cove,” quickly returned the outlaw. “Only for your warning, we would have been dead men lopg ago.” “You have more than repaid that. I must have been within a second of death when you rushed in here. Mr. Dick Hain will join his master on the gallows for this night’s work. He swore to help me capture Davey. way, thanks to you and Burman, I’m still alive.”

“We will see you the best part of the way back, Byrnes, for those two chaps might be awkward for you to handle single-handed. But what about Joe Clegg ?” “It’s too far to go back to Eagle Farm, and it would also be dangerous to bring up a man or two from there, but I’ll have to get at least one witness who can give evidence before old Judge Bagge. It wouldn’t do for you or Burman to appear,” spoke the constable with a smile. “I’ve been thinking the matter. out, and this is my plan. I want you two to remain here as guard while I ride over to Denham’s place. I’ll tell him everything and bring him back with me. He was a friend of Barman’s and we can all trust him. ■ When he comes we will bury Clegg, and Denham can go back to the station with me and the prisoners.”

“I suppose that is the best thing to do. If not, these two scoundrels might swear that you killed Joe Clegg, and that Davey had nothing to do with the murder of Petrie. They are sure to tell the Lieutenant and Bagge that Burman and myself were here hand in glove with you, and that will be awkward to explain away.” “I’ll not try to explain it- away,” fiercely interjected Byrnes. "I’ll tell the truth, and Denham will help me as far as possible. Of course, they’ll want to know why I didn’t capture you or shoot you, and my answers will be just as straight on that point. I’U not mince matters. I’U tell them

you saved my me ana captured uavey and Hain, that I couldn’t capture or kill you, and that even if I could have done so I wouldn’t. I’m just about sick of things down at the station, and the first chance I get will bid the place good-bye.”

"Why not come with us?” eagerly asked Sampson. "We have the sloop In good order and well provisioned, and can get away.” ‘‘No, I’ll not do that ; I can get a gra-nt of land near the bay, and to go with you would mean becoming an outlaw. I hope with all my heart you will get clear away to freedom, but there is danger. You may be run down by a frigate, for they prowl over every sea. But what’s the use of talking ? I must ride across to Denham’s, so I’ll get my horse.” Burman had got some breakfast ready, for he and Sampson were hungry, but the constable had a poor appetite, as the drug had partly sickened him. Soon after sunrise Byrnes mounted and rode away, and about two hours later returned with the wondering settler, Denham. This man was extremely pleased to meet Burman, who had been his neighbour, but he looked askance at Sampson, re-

membering the death of Captain Logan and the desperate fight in the pass with the natives under the wild white man. Byrnes’ evident appreciation of Sampson, and the story of his real character, soon impressed the newcomer, and he readily fell in with the constable’s proposals, particularly as he always distrusted Davey. After seeing and examining the body of Clegg, it was buried, and in the afternoon the party set out on the journey to Eagle Farm. The prisoners were mounted and carefully secured to the horses, while the latter were roped to the animals ridden by. Byrnes and Denham. Sampson led the calvacade, with Burman bringing up the rear. The two latter were going to accompany the party to a point about ten miles from the station, They camped, that night about ten miles from Davey’s homestead, and next morning at daylight resumed the march, which soon after they started led through a long, gloomy defile. Knowing the bush and its inhabitants so well, Sampson anticipated danger, and arranged with the constable to ride ahead. It was well he did so, for near the eastern end of the pass nearly fifty aborigines were ambushed. Had it been anyone else but the wild white man Sampson, he would certainly have been speared, but the natives recognised him, and be was able to explain to them who the men were that followed him. The settler, Davey, waa hated by the blacks, as he had been guilty of many acts of cruelty to them, and when Sampson explained to the band that their foe was going to his doom they withdrew, and allowed Byrnes to pass without molestation. There was one aboriginal, however, present who was at enmity with the outlawed white. This man was a visitor to Eagle Farm, and had been offered presents by the officials there to betray Sampson. He would have liked to kill him, but dare not, or his own life would have been forfeit. This fellow slipped away from his companions, and, making a short cut across country teached Eagle Farm late the same evening, and gave his information to the Acting Commandant. Murray partly guessed what had happened, and he knew that Byrnes would assist rather than injure the man the authorities so badly wanted. Without delay the Lieutenant made his arrangements to capture or kill Sampson and his companion. He anticipated the outlaws would leave Byrnes a few miles from the station, and it was not difficult to fix on the locality where the party would fix their last camp. To make sure of success, all the available men were summoned, and a strong, well-armed expedition left the station just after midnight, with the native as guide. As arranged, Sampson, Burman, and those with them halted at sundown on a low ridge, over which the track ran at a point ten or eleven miles distant from Eagle Farm Station. At sunrise the two outlaws would see the prisoners and their escort start, with the sure knowledge that Davey and Hain would soon be under lock and key, and then they would head north for the sloop. Being so near the settlement, Sidney ■ Sampson was alert and watchful. Byrnes and Denham mounted guard until midnight, when ths two outlaws relieved them. As the night air was chilly, a fire was kept burning, and for an hour or so both men lay close to it with an eye on the prisoners. It was nearly four in the morning when Sampson, who had been strangely restless, stood up and began pacing around, while Burman moodily gazed into the fire. The "wild white man” scouted back along the track, and then, coming up, passed the fire and went ahead. The road led straight over and down the ridge, and dense undergrowth fringed it. After walking nearly a hundred yards Sampson stop-> ped, and, leaning on the barrel of his musket, looked ahead into the blackness which shrouded the plain. As he did so his catlike eyes, so long trained to see in the night, noticed something which instantly caused every faculty to become alert. A shadowy outline seemed to move in the 'darkness. Even as he looked a spark rose and then a faint light. For an instant the gleam—it was caused by a man lighting his pipe—revealed enough to show the watcher a number of armed men coming rapidly towards him. Someone must have given information of their approach to the Commandant, and he bad sent out soldiers to take them. This was the instant thought that entered his mind as he rushed back to Burman. In a moment he had warned him, and the two, seizing their packs, ran down the road to a bend and waited.

Within a minute there was a rush of a score of men into the firelieht, and

noarse cries. "It’s that infernal blackfellow Gobi who has done this. See him just by the fire,” whispered Sampson. “I must kill him or he’ll track us.” While speaking he took careful aim and fired, and the native dropped with a bullet through his brain.

Sampson and Burman were never seen at Moreton Bay again, but that they got back to the sloop and escaped was certain. Then years after that day Byrnes, who had settled in the district, received a belated letter from the outlaws. It told him they had reached Java, sold the sloop and remained there, and they asked for news of Davey. That was easily given as the settler for his various crimes had been duly hanged at Eagle Farm, and a year later the penal station at Moreton Bay had been abandoned, THE END.