CHAPTER XVII.

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 26, 23 September 1931, Page 5

CHAPTER XVII.

Frowning, Jess let her gaze rove round in a semi-circle, but she discovered nothing to indicate the presence of anyone in the immediate vicinity. A look of uncertainty crept into her face. She had seen Thomson ride up the main track from the flat; had another trooper simultaneously gone up this way — so as to intercept her father, did he chance to come down from the hills at this point?" Happily for Jess, however, her mind was soon to be set at rest on this score, and she was to learn that her hastily formed eonjecture was erroneous. She began to move more m captiously, for she was not anxious _ to ride into any trap, for then all chance of warning her father would be gone.- Managing her horse with great skill, she kept him on the least stony ground so that he made only a minimum of noise in climbing upwards. J ess again let her thoughts w.ander. The dance of the night before seemed to have taken place weeks ago. Wo-man-like, she thrilled when she reflected. on Hart's jealous rage when he had seen her dancing with Gregory. Then "vyith a sudden. scornful toss of her shapely head she visualised again the squatter's trick to trap the stranger in the dance hall, and with a derisive laugh she thought of her own strategy in circumventing his move, and proudly she told herself [ that it was due to her efforts that the stranger was now free. "Free!" Jess repeated the word aloud. "Free, why should he not be free; what had he | done? All at once the glamour she had weaved about her rescuer seemed to lose its charm, and sorrowfully she admitted to herself that after all he might be all they said he was.

The girl could not force aside the deductions of her own mind, for, she reasoned miserably, if he had nothing to fear why did he continue to hide in the hills like a criminal! No man in his right senses voluntarily thrust aside all human companionship and virtually buried himself alive because he liked it. In the midst of her gloomy reflections a horse whinnied. Instantly her mind came back to the present and for the time all thoughts of the stranger were banished. Jess was again the alert bushborn girl who had been taught to look after herself. At once she leant forward and thrust her hand over her mount's nostrils so that there should be no answering sound. A f ew moments later she slipped out of the saddle and commenced to creep cautiously up the track. Rounding the bend she discovered the animal that had given what appeared a timely warning. The horse, a big upstanding bay, was tied to a tree • just out of sight of the track, and but for its neigh it might easily nave been passed without notice. For some time the girl stood listening, but she beard nothing disturbing. Walking over to the animal she examined it carefully, but she had no recollection of ever having seen it before. With a sigh of relief she saw that it did not belong to a police trooper; the leather equipment was different from that on Government mounts. Then far up the track her keen ears caught the sound of someone deseending. A moment later she was running back to her own horse. Quickly she led the animal into the concealing bush. When she returned to the track she heard the approach of a horseman. With a flutter of excitement she stared through the trees and then nearly betrayed herself when she saw Buck Sawyer ride past. She gaze'd after him till he was out of sight and wondered curiouslj'- why his saddle-bags should bulge so. When Jess could no longer hear the camp foreman's horse, she deemed it safe to proceed. Fetching her own mount from its hiding-place she climbed into the saddle and continued on up the spur. A puzzled frown grooved the girl's foreheaa as she speculated on Buck's business, but she was given iittle time to think, for she abruptly came upon the horses belonging to Hart and Donald. The animals were grazing a little to. one side of the track, but it 'was clear that no effort had been made to conceal them. Jess reined in quickly, surprised by this second unexpected discovery. Then all at once she understood. The hoof marks she had seen beside the little creek had been made by the animals in front of her.

The girl waited, expecting every second to catch sight of the riders, but as the minutes sped by and no one appeared, she was forced to tne conclusion that they had gone up the spur on foot. Dismounting, Jess led her own hack down the track until she found a convenient place to secure it out of sight of any who might chance to pass. The girl realised that unless she wanted her mission advertised to all and sundry it would be necessary for her to avoid the others.' Strange, she reflected; it almost seemed as though some concerted move had been planned, for it was possible to ride up the Rough Block many times without meeting a soul. Yet all in one day, she had seen the trooper go up the main track, Buck Sawyer come down one of the back ways, and she knew now that somewhere in the hills were the men from Mason Creek station. Jess had' quickly learnt that the men were Hart and Donald, for at a single glance she had recognised the squatter's horse Diamond, and the chestnut belonging to the manager. . The girl, after leaving her horse, continued cautiously up the stony path. The track wound and twisted erratically, and after a while she was curious to know why she came upon no further trace of the two men. Here, however, was no mystery, for it will he remembered that they, after leaving their horses, had taken a short cut to the top of the ridge by leaving the track and scrambling up the almost straight shoulder of the spur. Thus the girl gradually climbed above the spot where Hart had left his manager to his lunch. Some twenty ' minutes later Jess happened to glance down; then she got a shock, for she saw the reclining form of Donald on a ridge below.

Instantly she sought co.ver, and her alert gaze darted all ways in search of the squatter, but she failed to disr eover him. Had he gone up alone? There was something vaguely disturbing in the thought. Just why it should be disturhing the girl could not think. Then realising that valiiable time was being wasted in idle speculation, she Went on with greater caution4, for she was getting close to the main track leading up from the river flat. At any moment now she might eome upon Thomson, who would, no doubt, b.e minutely searching for clues that would lead him to the illicit distillers, To avoid encountering the trooper Jess left the track. Slipping among the trees she moved silently over the carpet of f ern, and all the while her ears were alert and straining to catch the ftrst tell-tale noise that would warn her of his presence. Several times she stopped abruptly, but no disturhing sound reached her. Small birds flitted among the trees. At times they beeame bold and came close so that they might observe her with their bright, inquisitive eyes. Then in a wild scurry they would dart swiftly away, accentuating by their flight the deep silence- that broods ever in the high bush country. Peace reigned so complete that Jess gradually felt her ears stifled. Up here strife seemed something remote, as distant as the stars and just as unfathomable. The little things of the world appeared to have no place. Surely it was not possible for them to belong to the great silent plain on which she stood? As the girl stared across the long stretch of rough, broken ridges she imagined she was gazing upon an unpeopled world — a world that one day, perhaps a million years hence, would be a busy, bustling place, just such a I place as she had read of in books, but which as 3mt contained no human life; but strangely, to her, life at that moment seemed to be just starting.

Her eyes grew brilliant as the elusive picture she visualised to'ok shape. Her sun-kissed cheeks were flushea by a mysterious something which, as yet, she had not come to understand or recognise, but now this something was struggling to express itself through every fibre of her being. She wanted to laugh, to rush recklessly down the rugged side of the ridge. But she never moved, she just continued to stare blankly at the towering ranges, and for once she failed to observe their - beauty, since her mind held the image of Gregory, the man they dubbed the stranger. "Huh !" The sudden, almost derisive exclamation breaking in upon the girl's reverie caused her to start in alarm, and her hands went up defensively as she turned swiftly about. "You! . . ." Jess gasped, but she got no further. With an inward shrinking she noticed the cold smile that twisted the squatter's mouth. "Yes, me!" the other reiterated ominously. "Why — think you are the only one up in this part? I've just left a man flying for his life — he's all played out as far as he's concerned! . . ." The contemptuous laugh that accompanied the words caused the girl to shudder. "Who — what do you mean?" she asked. Little points of laughter darted from Hart's sombre eyes — light and cold as a polar sun. "I knew you'd want to know that," he taunted her. "Suppose I don't tell you?" "Bui> — but you will — you must! ." The pleading tone, however, was lost upon the man who was at that moment seething with pent-up emotions. For a moment the squatted stared gloatingly into the strained, upturned face. "Yes," he said with sudden decision, "I'll tell you— it was Peter, your father, the 'moonshiner' !" If he had lashed her with a whip he could not have hurt her more. "No— no" she gasped feqrfully. "You don't mean •"

"I tell you it was Peter, your father, whom I found engaged at the illicit still," the squatter went on brutally. "Now it's my turn!" The girl could only stare horrorstricken; she was almost deprived of speech. Now that she heard the truth it seemed more than she could bear. "What do you' intend to do?" she at length inquired feebly. Triumph stamped the squatter's features. "Do !" he echoed mockingly. "Why I'm going 'to have you, otherwise Peter goes to gaol quicker than he otherwise would! , "And — and I used to like you . . . ." the girl muttered uncomprehendingly. "Yes, until that crook who got you off the shack came!" the squatter gritted savagely. "He's made you look pretty low down!" the girl snapped, with rising fury. Hart's face flushed. "Cut it out!" he ordered menacingly. "I told you it was my turn now — you're coming with me!" "I guess no," Jess flung at him fiercely. She leapt flback. "No, never — never!" The squatter, half-beside himself with rage, rushed the girl, and seized her in his powerful arms. . "You little devil !" he growled wrathfully, "I guess I can break you!" Jess fought with all her strength, but, strong as she was, her efforts were of little avail. "Where are you taking me?" Jess demanded wildly. "You'll see," Hart answered grimly, picking up the struggiing girl as though she were a child. You'll see!" "I guess I'd like to know right now! . .! . ." The words were uttered in a lazy drawl, bnt behind them was a stern command. . The squatter turned : quickly- with Jess in his arms, then with an oath he dropped the girl. : (To he continued.)