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Show 1 j A FELON'S LOVE. BY HP.KRY W. NRSIMF! D. I CI1A1TEU XVlH.-iConllnucd.) Ono of tho men fell It wos Sullivan. Itolllng over on the hillside, ho lay still, shot through tho forehead. No more "lightning rum" would ho dls-ptmo dls-ptmo at tho charge of one shilling per "nobbier;" no more unwary bushmen would ho waylay nnd rob of their hard-earned hard-earned chequcsl Sullivan's long career ca-reer of vice was cloned forever and now ho would have to settle a longer score than ever ho bad chalked up against hi cuitomcrs In all his llfo n scoro such as rogues of tils typo never expect to bo called upon to pay, "Como on, ladsl" cried tho trooper. 'Tire; but iparo tho woman If ?ou can." At that moment tho door was thrown open and a woman appeared, firing fivo or six shots from a revolver upon tho besieging party. Hushing Into closo quarters, and firing fir-ing at random, tho hut was speedily gained possession of, and then tbo fight was over. Stretched upon tho floor In a corner, 1 ihot through tho heart, lay Tom ' Ilaynos; whllo leaning against tho wall i besldo him stood tho woman, mortally ' wounded, but still at bay. With a yell ot triumph William I.uko threw himself upon tbo dead man; but suddenly he drew back with nn excla mation ot Intense amazement. Then he tore open tho woolen shirt upon tho body. "flood heavens," he cried, "It's a woman; and, as I live, It Is Anna Dod ion!" The rest ot tho men crowded Into tho hut, and n hush ot horror fell upon them, whllo tho hunted crcaturo leaning lean-ing against tho wall watched them and clutched nt the rough bark slabs In tho agony ot death, presently gasping "Yei, yea It Is Anne Dodson; truo to mo truo to tho Instl You'vo won ths game, Hill Luke; you will get tho reward; but I, Edward Ilnrttett, will never hang for tho murder of your brother, or or tho old man nt Proy-lesl Proy-lesl Tho coins tho gold coins they are burled burled beneath Ahl" As the voice censed tho woman's black wig slipped nnd fell off; thcra was n dull gurgling sound na ot ono , struggling for breath, and, with a wild dance around blm, Kdward llartlctt v-itJJ-vJawrfvAeiJwJr-flUfea EPILOaUK. It nay bo stated hero that tho Incidents Inci-dents In this story nro chiefly founded upon facts. Tho following nro tho facts; In the year 18 a largo sheep-owner In tho colony ot Victoria engaged a married couple for his station, which was situated somo hundreds ot mllos from the coast, far up In tho Interior. The man, who gave his name ns Edward Ed-ward Dent, proved a sober nnd Industrious Indus-trious fellow, nnd a smart man at hl work. Ho wna a capital plough-man, amongst other qualifications, nnd took several priica for ploughing at neighboring neigh-boring contests. Ho waa a most agreeable agree-able "mato," and was universally liked by all the other men on tho placo, being be-ing of a lively disposition nnd n first-rato first-rato concertina-player. The latter accomplishment ac-complishment Is much prized up In tho bush, whero thoro Is such n scarcity of amusement. Ills extraordinary affection for his wife was particularly noticeable.. He would not allow her to do anything In ths way ot mnnual labor, nnd nftor his day's work wna dono ho was always to be seen chopping up tho wood tor tho home nnd carrying up tho next day's lupply of wator from tho creek In fact, doing nil tlioso llttlo things which Doit men out thoro generally leave their wive to do. Edward Dent nnd his wlfo remained upon this station for nearly eight Tears, but ono day, much to bis master's mas-ter's annoyance lie gave notice to leave. Ho wanted to better himself, he said, nnd bad an Idea ot trying the told mince for, a change. Per about eighteen months the gentleman gen-tleman In wllose employment he had Veen hestd nothing of blm. One day, however, as he was strolling down Collins Col-lins street In, Melbourne, he mot lid-vard lid-vard Dent, and accosted him. He noticed that he was dressed in tbo 0M0est raotttnlpg. "I am sorry," he remarked, "to too J0U, with these outward signs of grief JOB you. Bdwuiio, " You have had MM Utst' , ,. "Ay, air," replied Kdwajd "these hlMk clothe, very -partially reflect tho Wet within me. I have lately lost my wife." 'Toor fejlowl" laid his late master. Jho knew how great his affection had JJo tor her.' "And what have you "y doing of late?" I havo beon working jn the Dallarat nines," ho rwilotj-'-ddlni fairly well. "Mhe-by, sir, yod will be aurprlsed'to ;",rtnt I am Bhortly going to to married mar-ried again. I cannot bear tho solitary " I nm leading now nftor tho bappy Kara I have oxporlenced. I am going i vT7 ray Iat0 wlf0' ter." in victoria, marring with a deceased ssliter Is legal. Borne six months after this meeting gintleman rocolvcd a message from toward to corns nnd tea him. Ho had " "Ha an accident, having fallen "a a Udder In on of the mines, and was an Inmate of tho ItalVrat hospital. Upon arriving nt tho loepltnl the gontleman found to his d!l '.reus that he was too late. Edward Dull was dead. And now a fact trnnsplrid that qulto overwhelmed him with amazement. Tho medical evidence wint to prove hat the skilled laborer who for eight years had worked upon his ostntc, and who had undertaken the arduoua toll of gold-mining for tho Im.t two years, was n woman. What became of Edward's second wlfo was nover known she disappeared. disap-peared. Such are tho facts. Whether the commission of some grcst crlmo In another an-other land had led to tho woman's thus concealing her Identity Is a matter which must for ever rcmoln n mystery, THE END. |
