Show B argue n V gold CHAPTER XI continued 20 light there if you could see lag it I 1 told her thank god you cant put kut have you heard anything definite only since she went yesterday A boat came in from tile the west and there tiers a lot of men who done well and were going away again 11 ant lit they said some come had done well and they said I 1 heard them I 1 listened like a like a housemaid what did they say I 1 was prepared for misfortune now they taid that smithson the man you sent was drinking and some body asked them he drinking gin slings and they laughed most f frightfully rl and I 1 hear bear any wore more but it sounded badly phil I 1 cant tell you how glad I 1 was that today was visiting day I 1 thought you ought it at onre onee I 1 thought so too her information troubled me more than I 1 chose to say smithson had been working the claim satisfactorily enough gold in various 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 v very far spaced out and the written reports sent seat to in from time to time were diminished both in number and in size solitude of Tata tata was solitude no longer the un unbiased blazed track was trampled by scores of miners and hundreds of carriers men inen from every australian goldfield were trying their fortune and some were making it but DO one had struck anything no one even hoped for anything as rich as the prospect prospecting irig claim that belonged to me im sleeping right on the claim at night smithson had said 1 I and the bo boys vs were doing wonderful but we have to be careful nobody goes and jumps it on us the emperor turned up here a while ago ran another letter 1 I did not need a translation of that name what do you think hes married genevieve pacher Tr the one they call gin slang is here too 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 you can hear of one worth a dozen sentries then a long period of silence then a brief letter mut loning the dispatch of another parcel of gold and saying little else after afler that came silence again I 1 had bad not bearo from smithson for two months now and on the top of it come came plas news that he was drinkins drinking then it was that I 1 falt tor for the first time the full weight of my chain something was wrong at Tata tata I 1 knew that as surely as it if I 1 had been there to see the pot of gold at the foot of the rainbow so wonderfully found was in peril with it was imperiled all the dignity all the security of my future life ell the excuse I 1 had for dra dragging aging pla down to the level of a convicted felon and smithson I 1 had bad trusted as I 1 would have trusted myself in whose hands lay my whole fortune was falling and I 1 must stay here stay in the pebbled prison yard and the foolish chicken wire cell work on the jetty walk a few yards out and back see the white road and the blue sea before me and know that for nearly four years at the very ery best I 1 could not hope to 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 troubled eyes trying to pull myself together and think what must be done the silence was broken by head jailer holly who ith many crack lings and unfolding of his newspaper remarked briefly that all we had to say must be speedily said for two weeks I 1 could have no letter tor for a month I 1 could see pla no more if she was wa to do anything for me and it was becoming plain that by nobody else could anything be done then we mut must settle it at once but how the time was almost out head jailer holly was folding up his paper rising from his seat pla pia surely the prettiest daintiest daintie st picture that had bad ever brightened that sad place was already putting up a face like a sweet pale rose for our last kiss I 1 took it I 1 held field her for a moment closer than usual moved by some indefinable dark presentment 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 sald said let me sign it inquire about so and so and so and so 1 I save gave her a few names and find which of them will take place hell have to go up at once dont nt wait for or lettres to me write as soon as you can goodby good by little love she was near as tall as 1 I but the adjective came naturally pla would always be little to anyone who loved her take care time up said lead head jailer nolly holly 0 0 0 0 0 more than ever did I 1 long tor for let ter day but when my mj letter came at hist it brought no comfort with it rather distress and dismay the power of attorney had come made out for via ilia I 1 had wondered a little but signed it and now the letter told me that pla lind lad gone to Tata tata herself you wory about me she arots there was nothing else to do from all I 1 can hear bear its a woman mil and only a woman who la Is wanted to by beatrice Beai irice grimshaw illustrations by irivin myers copyright by hughes fassl co service look after your interests just now BOW dont worry about me die the place Is well opened up and the warden sees that order Is kept I 1 may be a good while no knowing what I 1 shall find good by my very dearest give my love to the prince if he comes along im sorry I 1 shant be there to meet him lie he Is a perfect duck they say hes going to be married now lucky princ princess essl but I 1 change my iny own prince for or him 1 I I 1 had plenty of 0 leisure in the too long nights to con over her letter again and again try to read between the lines of it and guess at certain things she had find not openly stated only a woman what could be meant by that the reference to the prince I 1 understood but it cut sharply despite that pretty saying about her ov n prince for I 1 knew that the forthcoming visit of one of eng ay JA f l 1111 ill V one could see right into the tent and the sight for that place and the time was amazing lands best loved royalties would only tor for me add to the weight of the invisible fetters I 1 carried night and day to know that the jovn was holdin holding festival to see from the high fenced yard of the jail 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 from it all not able even to stand in the crowd and send ones hat and ones heart up in a shout for old england and her prince this hurt my sense of empire made the hard state of prisoner in anticipation somewhat harder but I 1 put tile the thought uway away determined not to think about princes and royal visits which could mean nothing to me it if I 1 had known I 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 what follows I 1 pained gained from ill pia long after all was past CHAPTER XII near sunset pta pla came to the last camping place but one before the field of Tata tata she was not alone the government authorities had sent with her an escort of armed constabulary since a certain number of these were due to go up to the field in any case placed in charge of an old and trustworthy sergeant they bad served and guarded her faithfully through the trip savages in serge but true to their salt and on tills this last night t but one they were very merry over the near fulfillment of their task it was some credit to them and to sergeant simoi too they felt that they had brought the SIn abada lady sate are through all the perils and fatigues fatigue of the wild bush and almost reached the field kimol did not encourage vian wandering derin g away from the camp the government had bad talked strong to him before he left regarding the ladys safety and all that must be done to ensure it so when they were putting up the tents in this last camping ground but one kimol seeing the lady at the edge of bush clearing called out to her to be cautious cautions you no go walkabout walk about Sin abada he be pleaded spose you wante flower me and my police we gettem flenty 4 ryn llyn ry lly n by one big bush fig he be coming lie altogether kal kal eat you there are no pigs about and I 1 dont want flowers came ilias ilas clear voice just a little tired thank you sergeant almol I 1 am only looking at that runny funny light in the bush what name light Sin abada 1 I dont know what it Is it seems like a very big tenth tent some way off and I 1 think I 1 heard beard but impossible what name you think you hear em cm corks replied pla pia corks being pulled aud and singing Sin abada me think you lie replied P led the sergeant courteously using the native fashion of expressing astonishment ish ment then suddenly slapping his thigh end and leaping by sina bada you no lie tile me heared too what fashion this what does this mean wed better go and see gee said eald the girl me lie and you declared the sergeant we go see I 1 beagle pardie Sin abada I 1 walk first he set his sturdy bulk in front and by the last faint glow of twilight began cutting adrath a g path through the forest pla fla fol following lowin A few minutes later the alie two came out on the edges of a second clearing one that seemed to have been made for the sole accommodation of a great white tent that stood in the t middle of it the doorway was wide the door flaps were hooked back one ona could see right into the me tent and the sight for that place and that time was amazing there was a table inside covered with a white cloth on it were plates of food tinned delicacies of all sorts wild hour boar from the forest wild turkey akarl nuts mushrooms there were glasses there were bottles youth and gaiety and recklessness were embodied if ever human form expressed them by the limber redheaded figure of a girl who gaudily dressed hung over a man lying on a cushioned deck chair the girl at the top of her not unmusical voice was ch chanting the last revue success while the man an emptied glass dropping from his fingers walled loudly and interminably that classic of the sentimentally drunk annia laurie Olit outside side the silence the stars black papua to ria pla standing a little way off within the shadows of the forest tho the whole strange scene looked like some vivid cinema picture sergeant almot staring until his treacle brown eyes almost started from their sockets gave forth his opinion candidly 1 I think this one too much purt puri purl magic Sn abada more better you me we no stop nead head hunters cannibals the ambush and the spear pit never shook the iron nerve of tile the old sergeant such things were in the days work of any policeman but sorcery was a different matter hush sergeant warned the girl 1 I want to find out about this for into to her mind had bad crept ere pt a conviction born slie she knew not how warning her that this thing had bad to do with the objector object of her journey who esthe white nan man she whispered almol pulled himself together real laed that there was no sorcery here and became at once the smart noncommissioned officer of every day 1 I think he be said cautiously narn name e belong him si oh smithson sergeant are you sure me ile savvy me ble too much damn savvy bee tore fore some time ago him take away one girl belong my village fashion belong him sina bada it Is his way him too much lukem girl aikem plenty bottle goodluck bottles of whisky 1 I 1 know said pla pia musingly that phil thought he was sober and rell reliable him all right Sins bada suppose no body sholem girl along him showed goodluck along him suppose girl goodluck sholem this man lie he nother kind untranslatable idiom suggesting change of character hes not the only one commented socie tys pet child 1 I think I 1 know who ho the girl Is now ive seen her before only for phil she would be at the bottom of the sea now sergeant you and I 1 are going to talk to these people lie ile androu and you we go answered the sergeant swelling out his chest xie lile chanI cally hi he touched the long bayo net knife that gwun swung in its sheath at his hip for infighting sergeant kimol loved the b bayonet alonet I 1 TO BE BB CONTINUED SK ak ais |