Show auk heeps old nold CHAPTER XI continued 50 20 sties right there if you could see it I 1 told her thank god you cant but have you heard anything definite anly since slie she went yesterday A boat cagne in from the west nud there were it lot of men who done well find were going away again but they some hall done well and they suld I 1 heard them I 1 lis bened like a like a honse housemaid what did they ony any I 1 was prepared for misfortune now they wild smithson the man mail ya you split sent was drinking and somebody asked tapin tie lie drinking gln slings and they laughed most frightfully und and I 1 henr hear any wore more kut but it sounded hadly ihal I 1 cant tell you how glud glad awas 1 was that today was visiting day I 1 thought you ought to hear it nt at once I 1 thought so too her information troubled me mb more than I 1 chose to say smithson lind had been working the alio claim satisfactorily enough gold in various ani amounts had been paid into the bank for me my partner taking his agreed percentage so far so good but the last payments had been undoubtedly 4 very far spaced out and the written reports sent in from time to time were diminished both in number and in size solitude of Tata tata was wag solitude no longer ton er the un blaed blazed track trach wits trampled by scores of miners and hundreds of carriers men from every australian goldfield were trying their fortune and some wore were making it but no one had struck anything no one even hoped tor for anything as rich as the prospecting claim that belonged to me im sleeping right on tile the claim at night smithson had said 1 I and the boys were doing wonderful but we have to be careful nobody goes and jumps it on us the rhe emperor turned up here a while ago ran another letter 1 I 1 did not need a translation of that name what do you think hes married genevieve Genev leve trencher the one they call gln gin sling caton Is here too ile he and the emperor are working partners I 1 think got a decent claim but of course nobody has anything the like of yours send me up a good dog if 1 you can hear of one worth a dozen sentries then a long period of silence then a brief letter mentioning the dispatch of another parcel of gold and saying saving little else elm after that came silence agalli adaa I 1 had not heard from smithson for two months now and on the top of it came plas ilaa news that he was drinking then it was that I 1 felt for the first time the full weight of my chain something was wrong at Tata tata I 1 knew that as surely as it I 1 had been there to see the pot of gold at the toot foot of the rainbow so BO wonderfully found was in peril with it was imperiled all the dignity all the security of my future life all the excuse I 1 had bad for dragging ria pla down to the level of a convicted felon and smithson whom I 1 had trusted as I 1 would have trusted myself in whose hands lay ray my whole fortune was falling and I 1 must stay here stay in the pebbled prison yard and the fool ish chicken wire cell work on the jetty walk a few yards out and back see tho white road and tile the blue sea before me and know that for nearly four years at the very best I 1 could not hope to trend tread the one or sail the other not free not freel I 1 think that all the sorrows of all the prisoners in the world flowed over me in that brief minute when I 1 sat silent under plas ilias troubled eyes trying to pull myself together and think what must be done the silence wits was broken by H head ead jailer holly who with alth many crack and unfolding of his newspaper remarked briefly that ill all we had to say roust be speedily said for two weeks I 1 could have no letter tor for a month I 1 could see pla ilia no more it she ahe was to do anything for me and it was waa becoming plain that by nobody y else could anything be done th then en we must settle it at once but how the time was almost almo st out head jailer inner holly was folding up his paper rising from his seat ilia ila surely the prettiest daintie st picture that had ever brightened that sad place was already putting up a face me like a sweet pale rose for our last kiss ijes I 1 tool took it I 1 held her for a moment closer than usual moved by some IndeR indefinable dark art sentiment sent ment I 1 found words somehow at the last moment words hurried tumbling over one another take out a power of attorney for me I 1 let me sign it IL inquire about so and anc so and so and so 1 I gave tier her a few names and find which of them will tali talie e Smith sons place hell have to go up tip at once dont wait ft nit for letters to me write as soon as you can goodby good by hy little love she was near as tall as 1 I but the adjective came naturally ilia ila would always be little litt lo to anyone who loved her take care alroe up said head jailer holly 0 more afore than ever did I 1 long hing for letter day but when my letter came tit lit tast last it brought no comfort with it rather distress and dismay the power of attorney had come made out for foi 11 ila I 1 had wondered a little but signed it and now the itlie better told mp me that ilia ila I lad iad ad gone to Tata tata herself you worry about me she oto cr was nothing elberto else to do from nil all I 1 can hear its a woman 0 sad and only a woman who la Is wanted to by beatrice Grint shaw illustrations liy hu irwin myers copyright by hughes massie co service look after your interests just joist now dont worry nhoun mo me tile the place la well olm opened med up un and the warden sees that oriler order Is kept I 1 may be a good while oo no knowing what I 1 shall atilid goodby good by hy my coy very dearest give my love 6 to tile the prince it if lie he comes along tm im sorry I 1 shant be there to meet him lieis a 0 perfect duck they say lies hes going to he be warded married now lacky princess princ essi 1 hut but I 1 change my own prince for him I 1 had plenty of leisure in the too long nights to con over tier her letter again and again try to read between the lines of it and guess at ai certain things she hod had not opo openly tily stated only a woman what could bo be meant by that tant tho the reference to the prince I 1 understood but it cut sharply despite vint that pretty saying about lier her own prince for I 1 knew that the forthe forthcoming oWing visit of one of eng p one could see right into the tent and the sight for that place and the time was amazing lands best loved royalties would only for me add to the weight of the invisible fetters I 1 carried night and day to know that the town was holding festival to see from the high fenced yard of the jail roast mast flutter aflutter a with flags new archways arch ways built over roads to hear the gun salute and the very cheers and know oneself set apart up art from it all not able even to stand in the crowd and send ones hat and a nd ones heart up in a shout for old eng land and her prince this hurt my sense of empire made the bard state of prisoner in anticipation somewhat harder but I 1 put them the thought away 1 determined deir mined not to think about princes and royal visits which could mean nothing to me if I 1 ahad had known I 1 0 0 what follows I 1 gained from ila 1 I Iwig lon g after all wha was past ast CHAPTER XII near sunset pla came to the last camping place but one before the field of Tula Tuta tata she was not no alone the government authorities had sent with her an escort of armed constabulary yo since a certain number of these were due to go up to the field fl eldin in any case placed in charge of an old and trustworthy sergeant they had served and guarded her faithfully through the I 1 trip 11 savages in serge but true to their salt and on this last night but one they were very merry over the near mettr fulfillment of their task it was some credit to them and to sergeant almol too they felt that they had brought the lady safe through all the perils and fatigues of the wild bush and almost reached the field did not encourage wandering away from the camp the government ind ikid talked strong to him before he be left regarding the ladys lady g safety and all that must be done to ensure it so when they were putting up op the tents in this last camping I 1 ground but one almol seeing the lady at the edge of bush clearing called out to tier her to be cautious you no go walkabout walk about Sin abada he pleaded spose you wante flower me and my pollee police we gettem lenty flenty by n by one big bush fig he coming he fie altogether val kal eat you there are no pigs about and I 1 dont want flowers come plas clear voice just a little tired dred thank you se almol I 1 am only looking at that funny light in the lie bush buah what name light 1 I dont know what it la Is it scears like a very big tont tent some wily way off and I 1 think I 1 heard but lm iro possible what name nama you think you hear em cm corks replied lla ilia corks being pulled and singing me think you lie re piled the sergeant courteously using the native fashion of expressing astonishment ish ment then suddenly slapping his thigh and leaping illy by atna bada you no lie me ine hoarey trio too what visalon this what does thil mean wed better go and see sec said eald the girl me and you declared the sergeant we go see I 1 beagle bardle Shi abada I 1 walk first ile he set his sturdy bulk in fronti front and by tho the last faint glow or of twilight began cutting a poth through the forest pla pin following A few minutes later the two came out on tile the edges of a second clearing ono one that seemed to have been made for tile the sole accommodation of a great white tent that stood in tile the of it tho the doorway was wide tho the door naps flaps were hooked back one could see right into tile the tent and the thoa sight for that place and that time was amazing eliere was a table inside covered with a white cloth on it were plates platea offord of food tinned delicacies of all sorts wild bo boar nr front from the forest wild turkey akarl nuts cuts mushrooms there were glasses thero were bottles youth and galety gaiety and recklessness were embodied if ever human form expressed them by the limber red headed figure of a girl who gaudily dressed hung over a man lying on a cushioned deck chair The girl at th the top of her not unmusical voice was chanting the last revue success while the man an emptied glass dropping froma hla fingers walled wailed loudl loudly yand and ta ln that classic of the sentimentally drunk iannia annan laurie outside the silence the store stars black papua to pla standing a little wa way oft off within the shadows of the forests forest the tha whole strange scene looked like some soma vivid cinema pictures sergeant staring until hla his treacle brown eyes almost started from their sockets rockets give gave forth his candidly 1 I think tats ono one too much purl puri purl mazic more blare better you me we no stops atop head faunt hunters e iia cannibals the and pheope the ope spear dr pit never shook the iron nerve of the old sergeant such things were in the days dayi work of any policeman but sorcery wits was a dlf different ferent matter 1111 hush ush per sergeant geant warned the girt girl III 1 I want to find out cabout about this for into her mind had crept a conviction born she knew not how word warn ing her that this thing had to do with the object of her journey who Is the white man she whispered samol pulled himself together realized that there was no sorcery here and became at once the smart noncommissioned officer of every day III 1 I think hp he said bald cautiously name belong him sl masslon ohp ohl Smith sont sergeant are you sure me savvy me ate too much damn savvy bee fore some time ago him take away one ohe girl belong roy my village fashion belong hini him stan santi bada it to la hla his way illin him atod too much likera girl clikem plenty bottle goodluck bottles bot ties of whisky 1 I know said pta pla musingly that phil thought he was sober and reliable alt all right suppose no DO body showery girl along aang him sholem goodluck along him suppose girl goodluck goodlick showery this man lie he enother kind untranslatable idiom suggesting change of chara character eter III les hes not the only one commented socie tys pet child 1 I think I 1 know who the girl Is now ive seen her before only for phil a she lie would be at the bottom of oa the sea now sergeant you andi and I 1 are going to talk to these people me ate and you we go answered the sergeant swelling out lil his chest me lie chani cally he touched the long bayo net knife that swung swims in its sheath at his hip for sergeant loved the bayonet TO TIE BB CONTINUED |