"ALMA.”

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2041, 11 March 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

"ALMA.”

novelist.

As .u. Ai -:.. \i : s s:■ ;:v, l;v HAH I 'Ll' ST HI ".I MX. KM.P. 01 SLAV S' l '. ! I WAl.i . i: , ■ i; - Cl IA i IT;’. XXIX,-T i.o. , “ Remaps yen are i : 1 i: ,m • “ They mu-t no; oe allow ’ - li ’•* rate. How de we know that the liquor wll no: be iiocuaaed ?' •‘Stop it a'- ouce, cjptain." said the serjeant. “Cill them all into the big room, and or hr in a cx:c of botikd beer. Tnea t-.ey may have as much beer as tney pl s ae« Res, tut that any man seen dnnkiUL' rp.iiti v. T;; be dischargsd on the spot, ii.sd-r. ia.-y are all d. id tired, and will c - only t.-.i ti get to bed as soon as they've hi-; th. r; upper. ’ In le«s tV.ar. t n.y ne : 'Ot*-s they pulled up at ui‘ establi.-.Taer.; f the old man of the nuuntain. known iquii y well is R gby'i or the muu.-.t.iin fin:. I. ccr.-Tttl of two or three slab hut-’, bark rnof-.d, and connected by verandahs and covered pi-;a;vs. Si;-.’? the e urt had made it a haltin’ place t; yhy h»btaken out a public in's licence, end had . l, f;t their special acecmmodalivi. a vu l . hiard room, baih on pil-s, about twenty f. •: long by twelve in wi.ita. HehiiaXo pa. qp.xtCD.-ivc stabling, and laid i.i ac ud rtocs of liquors. The place looted o nnfortable enough, and was a favorable haiu; .; • nlacs with the troopers, al.iwtgh the l.niiord him.t'i was morose and rcpui-ive .n the aichest degree. Tne arrival of the escort had evidently been expected, lor supper was laid and ready even b*.fnr- the horses had been taken round to the stable’. Rut they did not begin until the gold cam had been unpacked, and the iron hoars containing the gold carefully stacked in the centre of the large room. T,.ei two troopers remained in charge whilst the rest sat d.van to tapper.

Harry had no; forgotten to order a cask of bottled ale to b taken to tbsir room, and had instructed the men as agreed upon. Imre was one or two grumblers,of course.who had counted upon whisky or rum hot, after their wet rid• , but the drivers backed up their leader, and their influence, being American 9, was sutlicient to silence the malcontents.

After aupp*r the men lounged about in the verandah -rooking, but were soon c«Vei in by Harry, whr. under the pretence that he propos-d to make a very early start the next morning, ordered them to bed. When all were assembled in the large room, Harry, as briefly as possible, made them acquainted with the proposed attack, and the plan he had decic -i upon (or their defence. Like the .-ergtant and the drivers, the men received the nuwe with evident satisfaction. Most of them, on jlining the escort, had expected to have a little lighting to do, and bad hitherto b’tn di.-appointed. Tney were not blood-thirsty, but hungry for glory and lor the reward which would certainly follow if they conducted themselves bravely, and •ueoeedi d in saving the gold, and arresting or ahooling down some of the robbers. They readily concurred in the wisdom of the acheme suggested by Han Blossom, and at once set to work to withdraw the bullets from the pistols which were to be used to deceive the bushrangers. The room contained four beds, which were allowed to the commander, the sergeant, and the two drivers; the froopers lying on the floor wrapoed in their blankets and rugs. It was decided that only thiee ot tbe men should attack the robber, who, according to she plan overheard by Alina, was to come up through the tloor and seize their weapons. As others came up, or burst in at the door or windows, more troopers were to take part in the (ray, whilst Harry, the .- rgcant, and tbe drivers vould hold back until, at least, a fair number of the bushrangers were in the room, and then shoot them down with their revolvers. It may be imagined that none of the troopers felt muen inclined for olanib-r; but sail more than one succumbed, and fell asl tp before the faint gt»tir.g noise b'gan, which those who w-re watching recc-'m- las the action of a saw through the il y i r-

Tne noise prooeeb.d from under so bed of the servant, which had been pla,.e 1 .i. ro, s lire door, whi!-t the other beds wi r, ur itr the three windows. Harry gently rai-e-.i hir. aelf on his elbow, and peered o it thron.-h ms window. It was a bright mooul.t moh; me escort making it a rule to travel, if pos-if whilst the muon was at. or near, the t hi - and he could .-ee the ti/ur-s of i"viral mm under the verandah, evidently waiting until the opening was cut, and their comrade had effected an entrance. At last the sawing ceased, and, a minute latex, the head of Mr. Hill lirown peered out from under the sergeant's stretcher. It was pact midnight, and all was still; save for tfce snoring of those of the men who had been unable to keep awake, which serve 1 not a little to add to the bashran.er 3 sense of security. The room was dimly lit by a candle, slock in a rude lantern, which depended It .ia the rafters overhead ; but Mr. Brown had quite sullicicnt light for his purpose, and at once set to work. Trawling, barefooted, from bed to bed, Ht gathered up all the pistols and cutla s ess l.p he could tind, and laid them carefully in .. heap under tue se&rgent s bed, from whence (hep were imuic.iat'ly removed by a eonfede cate.

Then he slowly approached the gold, fbaeihng inwardly at the success which

had apparently hitherto attended hit operations.

Harry now coughed loudly, and, at this signal, wh.ch had been previously agreed upon, three of the troopers sprang up, and tnrew shem-eives upon ilia bushranger.

Me. Dili Biuwii, taken unawares es he was, wa? rtiil a formidable customer, and would double ? have given some trouble; but, whiu-t two cf the troopers grappled with him, the third threw a rope over his shoulders, and, in minute, he was thrown violently to the mound wirh his arms tightly pinioned to his .-i-io.-.

He hid b ca 100 surprised to call out, but th> nci.-e of the scuftlr had given the alatm and one or two of the bushrangers came up through the hoie iu the floor, as fast as they cod I—t" meet, each man, with similar treatment, tre he could gain a footing in the room.

Hitherto no shot had been fired, the troopers refraining according to orders, and the oushrangers fearing to hurt their friends; but ; >s ihey mowdid in through the doorway, Harry and the two drivers fired a volley, which caused the downfall of one or two, and a momentary stoppage. But they had gone 100 far to retreat now, and, urged by the cries of Bill Brown, and the others who bad been bound by the troopers, they rushed madly on, and soon all were engaged in a deadly hand to-band conflict. Tn. n begin one of these horrible struggles, in which even the wounded and dying take part, renuing with their teeth, like savage animal?, whim other means of offence fail thorn.

Having discharged one chamber of hia revolver. Harry, forgetting that he had five e iota le't, called to hia men to come on, and rushed forward to meet the marauders. He succeeded in warding off the blow of a cutlass, which was aimed at hia head by a huge red bearded man, who led the attack, and then found himself grappled by two or three at once. In such a combat no man could help his neighbor, and it would have fared badly with our young friend, had not the redbearded man ordered hia companions to leave him to deal with the youngster, as he called him In the arms of this giant, Harry was but a baby, and soon he was thrown heavily to the floor, whilst hia antagonist fell with the whole wait of hia body upon his cheat. Now, of all present in’that room, Z.ck and |)in Blossom were probably the only individuals who had ever taken part in such a m-fo in a confined space. Han had been thrown down in the first rush ; but Zack had kept quietly in the background, and from thence emptied hia revolver at the crowd. He then picked op a pistol, which had been thrown aside by one of the troopers, and was just in time to save Harry’s life ; for the redbearded man had gripped him by the throat, and would infallibly have throttled him, had not a bullet from Zack pierced bis brain.

That was the last shot fired. The crowd, swaying, interlocked in each others arms, surg d violently to and fro, and Zack had no chance to reload, so he drew from hia boot a formidable bowie-knife, and plunged into the thick of the fight.

Suddenly a bright glare lit up the aeens, and tongues of (lame shot up through the flooring at the far end of the room. It was evident that some rubbish underneath had caught lire, and a general stampede took place at once, all thought- of fighting being forgotten in the more imminent danger that menaced all bands alike.

The bushrangers made for the bush, and disappeared,whilst the troopers busied themselves in dragging out tne wounded and bound men from the now blazing room.

I! ul y, yelling like p. demon, brought wet blankets, and flung them on the roofs of the adjacent buildings, having hurriedly cut away the covered peerage which lad to the burning room. Fortunately, o strong wind blew the flaruee away from the ether buildings, and soon all clanger was over. The seigc&nt, making oat a liet of casualties, found that one trooper and two bushrangers had btc. - . killed outright, two trooper* and two bushrangers had rcaived daugeroui wounds, ami not one man present had come out unscathed. There were also two pri-som-rs, unhurt-there had been three, bat Bid Drown had tomehow succeeded in escaping r.nd the commander, Harry Laeceliea lay insen.-ib e. At break ol day, the escort eet out under the command ol the sergeant, the gold-boxes having been discovered, intact, amidst the mouldering th-lais cl the liic. They took with them the t \o prisoners, and Mr. Eigby, whose virtuous indignation, at being supposed to be capable of participating in such a piot, was as tine a piece of acting as ever was witnessed cil the stage.

Harry Lrseelles, still unconscious, was put to bed in the only guest chamber of which tbe mountain but boasted: and the other wounded men were accommodated with blanketson tbe floor of the dining room ; tbe establishment being left in charge of two troopers, until the police arrived, which could cot well be before noon.

CHAPXEII XXX. WAICUINU AKDV-AIIINU Professor Stephen Tredegar’s hasty departure from Alsatia had been occasioned by a pern raph in a Melbourne paper : to the client taat it was understood that Sir Charles Ninh, Burt., was about to return to England in order to float a company to work several valuable claims which he had secured in the Forest Creek district, where he was at prerent residing. Tnis wa. the first intimation that the Pro-fes.-ur had received of Sir Caarks’s presence in Australia, and, coupling the fact of his approaching departure with tbe absence of Mr. Johnson alias Sumner, and the singular reluctance of that gentleman to accept a bribe, Mr. Tredegar could not help suspecting that they had been in communication. The thought that Johnson had been merely playing with him, maddened the wily man of the world, and he determined that, if his su-pioion proved to be well-founded, ho would take a t-Tnble revenge, and stop at no means to secure Johnson s silence.

However he found that worthy at Snob a (iully. and learned by enquiry that hj • had not left there, so he was, for the moment, nonplussed. Could they have met there ? Tnat, he ascertained, was highly improbable, and then the question arose whether they bad communicated by letter. On this point he was unable to obtain any satisfaction. Johnson had received and s>cß'. f d Isttcre, but of the addtes-cs of ibis- 1 , latter the postmaster had taken no notice. All that could bo done was to wait and watch. -(ohm-on. for his part, seemed pleased to meet the I‘tofessor, and made many inquiries after his nirc°, winding up by an assertion that he would bring matters to a head on his return to Alsatis, in a few days’ time. The man was either in earnest, or else a clever t actor never trod the boards of a theatre; still .Stephen Tredegar determined not to lose sight of him for one moment until news of the departure or Sir Charles North came to hand.

The newspapers were right. Sir Charles was about to proceed to England, but not for the reason given. It is true that he had invested largely in mining property, and proposed to form a company on a large scale, but the real caus ■ of his departure lay in a letter he had received from his solicitor, urging him to return without delay, as it was {oat possible that the case would come on

for trial within a few months, and then hia presence would be absolutely necessary. The detective, when informed of this change of plan, expressed hia approval, and added that he would even be able to get on better in Sir Charle’a absence, aa he could then pursue his inquires without attracting as much notice aa was inevitable when he was accompanied by a baronet. Sir Charles then rode over to Silver Creek, and found bis friends there in high spirits. They were rapidly making a fortune, and had become so entirely engtosfe 1 in the pureuit of gold seeking that they had no thought for anything else, and seemed absolutely indifferent about the objects which had originally led them to the digging?. “At any rate we’re going on now, air,” said Dartwe shall be rich men in bii months. You never eaw such gold in your life ! Seems to lie around loose, only waiting to bo picked up.” “ And it is snch a glorious life, Sir Charles,” said Bertie with enthusiasm. “ We are up before daybreak every morning, and bard at work till nightfall ; but we like it. The work is hard, and wo go to bed stiff and sore, but then you should see ua eat 1 Seth, here, who is the cook, swears it takes him all his time to keep us going.” Thct’s so.” said Seth. “A digger Injin ain’t eo much ez a aarcumstanco alongside you fellers. I seen two of them polish off a huffier, bones an’ all, in two days, but I'd back you agin ’em.” “ And where, pray, did you ever see digger Indians?” asked Sir Charles,who was always r.ady to encourage the boy. “I though you said you had been raised in New Yorkl”

“ Which I were, an’ I don’t go back on what I i-aid, nohow ; but I ’spnse a party may be raised in New York, an’ yet travel around in the West ef he likes 7 I spent more’n two years in Vissouri and California, an’ I jest guess I seen more Injins, Digger, an’ Pyate and Fash, than tbur is white men in this camp." “ Well, boys,” said Sir Charles, “ what do you think about my going to England ?” “We shall be sorry to lose you, sir,” said Dart, “ hut I suppose you ought to go, and I’m sure we ought to stop here, anyhow.”

“Ye'd be about ez darnation galota ez ever crawled cf yer did go away till this claim's played out,” said Seth. “ Hold your tongue, imp 1" exolaimed Bertie. “ Cut away and got supper ready. Run up to the store and get some canned fish, and a couple of bottles of whisky—we must entertain Sir Charles properly.”

Sit Charles smiled as he heard this order. He remembered the turtle soup, the venison, the game, and the wines of civilised life which had so often been considered necessary to entertain him in former days, and was obliged to confess to himself that he could not call to mind one single luxurious meal to which he had sat down with such an appetite as he would have presently for the humble fare of the Australian bush. How he would have scorned damper, salt junk, canned fish, tea without milk, and very far from first-class whisky in former days; and now he actually felt himself growing hungry at the mere thought of them. Be sure that when the table was spread he did the fare full justice, and failed not to compliment the cook, although that young man’s share of the work had been nothing more onerous than the boiling of a can of tea. and the frying of some Johnny-cakes. Before they retired to rest—we cannot say “went to bed,” for beds there were none in (he camp—Bertie took Sir Charles apart, and, with much stammering and hesitation begged him to call upon Mias Grace Harvej before bis departure.

" To be sure I will,” exolaimed Sir Charles She is just the kind of girl I like—and, in deed, I’m not at all sure I shall not propose to her, before 1 go. Do you think she would have me?” Bertie saw that hia secret was discovered, and laughed, blushing like a girl. “You had better ask her, sir,” he said. “I know she likes you very much.”

“ But you think she likes a certain Bertie Lsracorte batter, eh ?” “ I do not think so, Sir Charles," said Bertie, gravely. “ But I hope so.” “That’s candid anyway. My boy, I wish you luck; and I don’t mind telling you that I think the young lady does like you, not only better than me, but better than anyone else in the wide world.”

“ How good you are [’’exclaimed the young man. 11 God bless you, Sir Charles,! wish there were more like you. And now, having conleased my weakness, I am not ashan e 1 to ask you to give her this nugget. 11 comes from our claim, and would make a pretty brooch, 1 think. I could have it set for her, but perhaps she might refuse it then.” “I’ll do your commission willingly, my boy,” said Sit Charles ; “ and I’ll do more, I’ll tell the young lady what a true hearted lad you are, and how dearly you love her. Let us join the others now, wa must to bed early, for I have no time to lose, and shall have to be away before daybreak. Ere the week was out, Sir Charles North sailed for England; and the news of his departure reached Snob’s Gully exactly ten days after the outrage at the Mountain Hut.

CHAPTEE XXXI. XIIU OEBJIAM IJOCIOB. Alma was still abed, when Susie burst into her room, shortly after daybreak, with the news that an attack had been made by bushrangers upon the escort at the mountain hut. “They stayed there then, after alll” exclaimed Alma, pale with (ear. “Yes, miss—why shouldn’t they? They always stay there,” she replied, wonderingly. Alma saw that she had neatly betrayed herself, and hastened to explain that she had understood Mr. Lasoelles to say that they proposed to travel farther that night, and oatun out in the bush. “ Hid you bear any of the particulars’” she added. “ T.iero was a terrible fight miss, and the house caught Are in the middle of it, and was burnt to the ground. Leastways that part was burnt where the escort was,” “ Hid the bushrangers conquer?” “ No. miss, (he troopers were too many for ’em.” Thank God’.’ exclaimed Alma, fervently. So-ie looked as if rhe would like to say something on that head ; but she refrained, ret,-’■no-ring that her mistress’ lover was in charge of the. escort. “Ho yon know if anybody was hurt?” asked Abu-., as she hastily dressed herself “ Why, lor bless yor, miss,” said Susie, “s - ns on cm was killed, let alone hurt I” ! low terrible ! ’ exclaimed Alma. “Oh, box shall I lind out whether Harry escaoed unhurt i”

“ 1 can’t say, miss -I wish I could. The gentleman ai ton! mo oidn’t know nothin’ about who was killed or hurt, lie came away afore they pulled out the bodies. 1 -Mma perceived at once that one of the bandits, teeing that they had lost the day, had made lor Als.tia without delay ; and she naturally (and rightly) concluded that this must be Susie’s brother. She carefully con. ocaled her mapicion, however, and contented herself by telling Susie to burry on the breakfast, as she was terribly hungry. She had made up her mind to conduct her enquiries in person, and visit the scene of action without delay. The resolution was but natural. Alma was no strong-minded

female, and could not have volunteered for hospital duty if her life had depended upon it; Out th ■ suspun-je was too intolerable for passive endurance, and she knew that she could obtain no further news for many hours, aa none «f the Alsatians would venture near the Mountain Hut whilst theru was a probability of being brought into contact with the police. Meanwhile, lor aaaht she knew to tno contrary, II trry might he lying there wounded—perhaps dying -without even a friendly hand till- a glass of water to his lip >, She liquid go; and, if (as was probable) Music declined to accoiuptny htr, she made up htr mind to essay the j miner alone. NuwSj-ie hai, as in duly bound, made her broth-.:-.' acquainted with the strange meeting betweru Alma and the commander of the eecnt; onl it immediately occurred to that astuta gentleman that the ready reception, which he and hia companions had met with at the hands of the troopers, had been owing to some warning conveyed by the young lady to her lover. Hi acorn-, i/igly subjected Susie to a rigid examination, with a view to find out whether she had betrayed their secret; but found that the girl had nothing to tell. She reminded him that she herselt had been in ignorance of the place where the attack was to be made, and added that she had spoken no word on the subject to her mistress, who had also, she was positively certain, not communicated with anyone else since the departure of her uncle.

Mr. Bill Brown sighed, the problem was too deep for him ; but he cautioned Susie to be very careful in speaking of the affair, and added that, if Alma desired to go out to the Mountain Hut, she should at once agree to accompany her. “ Good gracious, Bill 1” exclaimed Susie. “ You see, this alfsir is bound to send all the cursed traps in the district prowlin’ around these ranges; and they’re sure to come h;re. It’s not half a bad line to show them wc’ro so respectable that a real young lady lives among us. You go over; and, if any of the traps asks where you comes from, tell em; and say yon’re come with your mistress to look after her lover.” It resulted that, when Alma had announced her intention, Susie willingly agreed to accompany her ; and even suggested that it might bo as well to take over soma linen for bandages, and any salves and plaisters they could procure at the stores. Alma thought this advice so good that she at once set Scsi? t) work to scrape some lint, whilst ehs herself proceeded to the stores, and purchased a quantity of diachylon plaister, some Fryer’s Balaam, and some pots of healing salve. On her return, she made up a small parcel of clothes for herself, and directed Susie to do the same, stating that it might be possible that they would be compelled to remain for the night at the Mountain Hut. Then the two girls set out, this time choosing the shorter route, which lay through the oaves. All these preparations had occupied some time,and they had a walk before them of seven miles, or more, through rough, hilly country, so that it was past midday before they reached their destination.

They found the Mountain Hut crowded with people, and the greatest confusion prevailing. A detachment of police, in charge of an inspector, had arrived some half an hour previously, accompanied by the coroner, and a surgeon. It might also be said that everyone, within a radius of five and twenty miles, who possessed a horse, and had no special reasons for avoiding the police, had ridden over to inspect the ground, and talk about the outrage.

The coroner had lost no time in empannelling a jury, and the inquest was just begun, whoa Alma and Susie arrived. Under other circumstances, their advent would have excited no little attention ; but, as it was, everybody was too busy with the great sensation of the hour to notice them, and they walked unheeded into the building. Addressing herself to a mounted constable, Alma asked if he could inform her whether Mr. Lasoellee, the commander of the escort, was among the wounded. The constable glanced at her with amazement, and took off his cap as he replied —he shortly afterwards succeeded to a barontcy through the death of an elder brother. *•! am sorry to say, miss, that Mr. Laaoellas was wounded in the conflict last night. Ha lies in this room, and the surgeon is with him now.”

It was nomews to Alma,with the prescience of love she felt that Harry was wounded, and she was in no wise surprised at this confirmation of her euspicions. The calmness with which she received the information rather astonished the young trooper, who had built up a nice little theory, not very far removed from the truth, respecting the relation between the commander of the escort and this beautiful young lady; which theory was in a moment scattered to the winds, as it were, by Alma’s seeming indifference. "May I go in to see him?” she asked, oreaentlv. tv-, u- ,