| Show CHAPTER X the night was dark a and nd the lo 10 v veranda prevented pie vented the dim light giom within shining upon his features as he be sa sat t silently in his saddle presently sullivan came out followed by b the stranger stran gei who seemed un steady la in its ha galt and bad evidently been drinking are you dom fi om station elation asked the new comer huskily I 1 es ea replied danes bay ties looking down and trying to get a glimpse of the man a features but he be did not succeed in ill doing so BO for the stranger stood in the doorway with his back to the light do ou know a chap ba b the name of robert lukei lukea echoed ba banes ties and an in one breath A es luke robbi t I 1 uke why you both seem quite astonished I 1 am his brother william luke sullivan was the first to speak it ou are dob deb lukes brother I 1 luve have bad news nes to tell you which ou on don t appear to have heard bad what Is it I 1 ile he disappeared from station come m ago and nothing has haa ever been heard of him since 11 but he be must be somewhere hero in the neighborhood I 1 tell iou out I 1 have a letter front from him in my pocket and in it he says bab if he Is not at when ahen I 1 airlie he will mill be somewhere come where not tar far oft off finhen hen did lie he write asked sullivan let me see replied william luke putting pulling some capeis out of his big breast Is dated may I 1 may cried bul bellivan livan why that a the very day on ya which he be pealed ed edl I 1 good heavens and I 1 hai bae a come all this way aay but stop you hallba tell that man to stop I 1 have a message for mr air liall hall but while they were examining the letter near the lamp over the bar lainca had darted off into the darkness and the sound of his horses horse a feet A was as now scarcely to be heard as he galloped along the track leading to the station elation that ladal lad II 11 break his neck riding like that on a lark dark night and serve him right too I 1 ve never seen a shilling ot of his monay and don t suppose I 1 eer shall diat such mean beggars I 1 bayl growled sullivan as he stood at the door looking la in tile the direction daynes baynes had bad taken nir mr nall hall waa nas patiently Nal waiting ting fo for tho th mall when daynes baynes rapped at the dour I 1 why baynes how boa quick you have been I 1 he be said liking the bags baga from him 1 I shall have to make you postboy ln in chief sullivans haa gentili genially ally so BO great an attraction atti action tor for the men that they never come back malth letters till midnight I 1 suppose the conch coach was I 1 in a i ft hen ben you got there I 1 yes air replied baynes bayne and I 1 am sorry to say that 1 have got some bad new a I 1 indeed I 1 that a unfortunate but you have not opened the bag i no sir air the tip a letter for or me from sydney I 1 am astrild I 1 must KO go do don n at once 60 sam jones jnnny 4 T 1 I 1 w tf tl al A ff 1 ia auksi S 1 U I 1 yes sir oh ob is nuisance col t I 1 did not know you had bad friends out there tom A stater bister air bar lately out from homo hom she Is very lil ill indeed la Is expected to die well the loach coach will be going down in hi a few days im afraid sir air I 1 cannot wilt wait I 1 go tonight tonight nonsense mant man ilow how it do ou on propose to go goa on horseback sir air I 1 have two horses of 0 my oin own n I 1 ou ell would rei get there much faster by the mall 1 I I 1 am golna to take my wife nife along mit with it me said danes la in a faltering tone your ilfe wifel what next surely she Is not in a fl all t condition for a six sl bit it tied mile g ri ride de we might catch tle be conch at menan der sir air said bald barnea that boull only be a bundled miles to ride a I 1 think she bhe can manage that mr ila hall looked deiy much surer surprised sed baynes however remained firm in his intention of le iving and so BO at last tho the s squatter a t te r reluctantly el i i n t ly gave his consent tou atit to h his t s d departure epa r t r 0 I 1 it its a the maddest thing I 1 ever hearl hear 1 of of he grumbled taking raking his wife too abone aboe all things and I 1 flattered myself we were mere all comfortably settled and everything ery thing wais waa going on nicely well it a always tike dav having paid bagnes his wages anges and wished him good luck mr air hall suggested the advisability of his leaving his wife ife in sydney sidney in some lodgings and coming back lie as soon as ag he had settled its his business I 1 I suppose you will be oft off at daylight I 1 he sald said I 1 yes sir air replied day danes nes ile he la Is an energetic fellow at any rate thought mr air hall and ought to get on n out there I 1 plenty I 1 I 1 e n ty of t p pluck 1 u e k a and n d oa energy with a little e common 0 i 11 0 n s e n d e those are the true elements of success the men at the station by no means elated at the news nes of daynes baynes depasture depa iture ile he had mide himself pleasant to all and his good cooking had added to his big popularity Ilo however vever when the sun abone down upon baynes hut the next neil rooming it was deserted desert fd the door stood wide open and beyond tile the detill smoking logs upon the health there was no signs of its recent inmates in the course of the coining a man came up tip from sulah Sull hans all s and sald eald he wished to speak to mi hall vell ivell what do you GU manta asked the squatter sharply its as he eyed him with considerable knowing the fellow to be a lazy loafer of the lowest type I 1 it if 3 ou please cleabe sir air theida e a a gantle man mho came up by tho the coach last night down at sulah bull hans an a lies iles had bad a fit 11 A gentleman down at Sull lans who he has hail had a fit ell eha iles es sir air lied led I 1 teen een drinking and last night he be was as seized with a fit A very unusual oc cuirence at sullivans I 1 ve no doubt well and what about the gent gentleman lemon who i he has been drink drinking Irig and has had a alf I 1 ile he told me to tell ou on sir air that his name la Is luke lube and that lie be is a brother ot of bob luke him who alto disappeared and that he wishes to see iou ait oit oh does hea that alters the case you can tell him I 1 will ride don doan in the course ot of the day and see him when did he have this fita fit I 1 it came on soon boon after he be had his aupper air replied the mm min and ha had bad seral mole moie during the night we had an awful time ot of it with him air holding him doaa down n and sullivan was nearly it tightened Ight ened out of his life A good job if lie he and the rest of 0 you loafers had been quite frightened out ont of your ihas glow gion led nir mr hall hail to himself N ell t till 11 the ni ann in look in at him ne he 11 not dle die drink dresa t kill hill people so BO easily borbe lucki luck to be continued |
