The Girl Who Helped Ned Kelly

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 759, 4 September 1929, Page 5

The Girl Who Helped Ned Kelly

L'J

CHARLES E. TAYLOR

t Copyright j

CHAPTER XXVI. (continued). The three other watchers had come in, but when he entered the house there was no sign of the bushrangers or the Kelly sisters. Jennie, too, had disappeared. “Where's Nod and the rest of them?” he asked. “Went away an hour ago,” lie was told. Again he wondered at the wizardry of these intrepid buslimen and their equally skilled sisters who could secure their horses and ride away without betraying their movements. He was strangely depressed when, after being given a substantial breakfast, he walked slowly back to O’Donnell’s. To his surprise he found both the old wan and his daughter astir, Jennie's bright cheeks and sparkling eyes giving no indication of the little sleep she liad enjoyed. “Hullo, Jack!” she greeted him. ‘You don't look very lively this morning. Staying up all night doesn’t seem to agree with you. Still, it was good of you to help.” “Oh, that was nothing,” he replied awkwardly. “When did you come home ?” “About four.” “And the boys left at the same time?” “Yes." 'They’ll need to be very careful after this. The Government's bound to increase the reward, and the police ''ill be busier than ever.”

Elation at her lover's successful exploit had given the girl new confidence, and she laughingly replied, “They can be as busy as they like, they’ll never catch them.” “t wish I could think so.” As Jack, an hour or two later, joined O’Donnell on the fencing job at which they had both been working, he had made up his mind he would leave next day. He wished to get away from all these associations for a while. The situation was becoming far too involved. He felt that he had committed a crimiual act the seriousness of which appalled him. Did it matter very much, though? He had chosen this life in preference to a very different existence, and had espoused the outlaws’ cause, so he might just as well go through with it. All the same, he was young, and the possibility of imprisonment and disgrace was not a pleasant prospect. O'Donnell looked at him keenly when on two occasions he was too absorbed in his own gloomy thoughts to hear the remarks addressed to him. “Phwat's the mather wid ye?” asked the big Irishman. “Is it dramiu’ that ye are?” “I’m sorry,” Jack replied with a forced laugh. “I must have been.” Long years in the bush had robbed O’Donnell of his garrulity, and he was a dull companion at the best of times. Briant was glad of that, for he was in no mood for conversation. Veryfew words passed between them except. those that were necessary in connection with their work.

Half. way through the morning it was usual for Jennie to bring them a billy of tea and some damper. As Jack was having trouble with a particularly knotty vail he heard footsteps, but did not look up. “Too busy for a snack?” said a voice that was not Jennie’s. He turned sharply. “Nita! ” It was Jacobson's daughter, who held a steaming billy and two pannikins in one hand and a tin plate of buttered damper in the other. Jack snatched them from her, put them down on a log, and put his eager arms around her. He kissed her rapturously. “Mr. O'Doimell’s looking!” said Xita, struggling half-heartedly, but with bright ’ lights of happiness shining in her eyes. “I don’t care if all the O’Donnells in Victoria, or Ireland, or anywhei-e else are looking!” he cried, as his lips sought hers again and again. But O'Donnell wasn't looking. Grinning widely, he was walking toward the hut. “Nita, it. was good of you to come,” Briant whispered. “I wanted you! God! How I wanted you!” “Then why didn’t you come for me?” “Because I was a fool! But I'll never let you go again. Kiss me, dear.” Her lips clung to his. and his arms held her so tightly that they hurt. “Please let me go now.” she panted, but with laughter on her lips. “There’s

a time and place for everything, you know.” ‘‘The time and place to love you, Nita, is all the time, everywhere!” His fervor surprised her, but happiness was singing in her heart. “Why did you go away, Jack?” she asked as he sat beside her on a log. “Because of your father. I couldn't stand his treachery toward the Kellys, I don’t mind an open enemy, but ” j “I know, I know!” she interrupted. “Sometimes I almost hate him myself! He wants so badly to get away from here!” “Is blood money the only way?” Briant asked bitterly. “It tempts him. And lieTl be tempted I still more when they make the reward bigger. Of course, you know all about the Euroa bank affair?” “Yes the Kellys were at Thorpe’s last night, and I helped to keep watch.” She flashed a gratified smile at him, and he kissed her again. “What about your tea? It'll get cold | if you dou’t have it now.” | “Oh, all right,” he laughingly re- : plied, taking the pannikin which she ; handed him. “You’d better have the • old man’s share. He’ll be having his at the house. “You scared him with your lovemaking,” admonished Nita. ! He looked tenderly into her eyes. T | didn’t scare you. did I. dear?” j “You made me very happy,” she i whispered.

They were silent for a little while. Then her hand stole into his. “Are you going to stay here, Jack?” she asked. “Before you came 1 had made up my mind to clear out. Now, all the police in Victoria couldn’t get me away from'this district!” “Father would be glad to have you back,” she said slowly, as though afraid of how he would take it. “So would Frank, who says he misses you very much. Even Julie misses you. but the stubborn little wretch won’t admit it.” “Anyone else in the family who has missed me?” he asked, slyly. Nita threw herself into his arms. “Missed you! I've missed you every • minute! I thought you didn’t care, j dear, and the sun just seemed to sink j forever! There wasn’t anything left | in life without you!” “I’d like to go back to be near you. but it’s hard to be civil to a man who’s trj-ing to betray those one’s trying to help shield.” “I know it’s very hard, but ” She hesitated, and the colour left her cheeks. In her happiness she had forgotten the letter she had destroyed, and the sudden thought of it, and what it might mean to Jack, sent a chill to her heart. “Do you really love me?” she asked him. “Better than anyone in the whole world!” “Supposing—supposing, someone i you—you once loved asked you to come back?” Breathlessly she waited : for his answer.

He took both her hands in his. “There is no one who could take your place, Nita. I didn’t know what love was till I met you.” “And yet the other love drove you away?” “It was pride more than love. I was a conceited young fool with the idea that the world was made just for me, and when I found it wasn’t—well, it hurt. No. Nita, there’s no one but you now.” “And at one time I was rather afraid of Kate Kelly.” She watched him closely as he spoke, but his face gave no clue to his feelings. “I was very much attracted to Kate, and I still think she’s a wonderful girl —so different from those I’d associated with—but—well, she isn’t Nita!” She snuggled closer to him. Should she tell him about the letter? Many times she had regretted having destroyed it, yet Jack meant so much to her that she couldn’t risk losing him in that way. She would have to tell him sooner or later. It would be a relief to her conscience to confess what she had done. At the same time, she was uncertain as to how he would regard her deceit. The reappearance of O’Donnell, still wearing a broad grin, interrupted her thoughts. She jumped down from the log and went to meet him. “I’m sorry if we drove you away, Uncle Joe,” she said. “And, another thing, I’ve drunk your tea and eaten your damper.”

“If the young fellow manes well boi ye, ’tis all might,” he replied. ”1 haven’t seen Nita for so long,” j said Jack with an apologetic air, as he joined them, “that I felt " ’’Bedad'! Oi saw how ye felt!” laughed the old man. “I love her, and ” “Well, if ye don't ye gave a damn foine imitation!" “And we drank your tea.” “Ah! Ye’re a divil an' all, to he sure! Jennie was watchin' ve through the windy, and she says, says she, ye did it well!” Nita shot a mischievous glance at Briant. “Jack does everything well.” O'Donnell scratched his head. ’Oi’rn not so sure. Look at that j post there, that’s lanin’ loike the j sphoire at Ballymannock.” She followed his gaze to a part of j the fence which was badly out of j alignment. "That’ll be all right when I’ve fin- | ished,” Briant assured him. “I must leave you two to your work,” said Nita, gathering up the billy and pannikins. “I'll see you later, Jack.” When Jennie called them in to their midday meal she mischievously put Nita’s chair on one side of the table and Briant’s on the other. “The light gets in my eyes from here —I think I'll go round where it isn’t so strong,” Jack remarked, as he picked up his chair. Nita rewarded him with a ravishing smile, Jennie laughed joyously, and her father grinned.

Jack was happier than he had been | for a long time. With Nita at his | side life seemed very good to him. Even his misgivings concerning the bank robbery were forgotten. It was a merry meal, and the hut rang with their laughter. “Xita’s walking home presently/* Jack said, as they rose from the table, “and I was wondering whether I could have an hour or two off to go with her. You know,” he added, with a twinkle in his eyes, ‘‘it isn't safe for her with all these bushrangers about/' “Och, go 'long wid ye,” responded O’Donnell, “and if ye sthay away too long Oi’ll dock yer wages!” Briant disregarded his warning, for he stayed away most of the afternoon. Xeither he nor Xita was in any hurry over their walk through the j fragrant, sunlit hush, and when they reached her home and found Jacobson absent, he tarried long, happy in his reunion with the girl whose love meant so much to him. When at last he bade her a reluctant farewell his mind was made up. Life with Jacobson, the traitor, would be preferable to an existence without Xita. He would go back as soon as the fencing job was finished and O’Donnell could spare him. Briant was correct in his surmise that the Euroa Bank robbery would ; result in an increased reward for the J capture of the Kellys being offered jby the Government, and that the police would redouble their efforts. | (To be continued tomorrow)