CHAPTER VIII.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1887, 9 August 1884, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER VIII.

41 A WILD GOOSE CHASE." Afteb placing bis station in charge of a trustworthy overseer, Fowler, accompanied by Falkland and Tom Griat, rode, by rapid stages, to Penrjth ; from which place they took the train to Sydney. Diligent enquiry enabled them to ascertain that the man of whom they were in pursuit had preceded them. But, after some days spent in cautions search in Sydney, it became quite evident to them that their unaided efforts would prove useless. Therefore, after some deliberation, Falkland resolved upon enlisting the services of a deteotive ; and Fowler, using the influence he possessed, the authorities permitted John White, one of the most able members of the force, to undertake the commission. Falkland and Fowler were seated at breakfast in their hotel (whore they had, as a matter of precaution, taken assumed names), when the detective was announced. He was a small, insignificant looking man, whom you might have passed fifty times in the street without notice. But this natural drawback, or rather gift, vastly aided him in his profession. Mr. John White was a thorough artist in his line. " The human body, sir," he was wont to asseverate, "is a block, a mere block, sir. It is for art so to clothe that block as to make it represent the desired character. According to the success achieved, the skill of the artist is shewn." Judged by this standard, Mr. John White deserved to take high rank for his exploits in matters requiring him to appear in disguise. " Take a chair, Mr. White," said Fowler, fta the detective entered the room. " Have you breakfasted ? " "Two hours ago," replied the detective, briefly. Then, after a searching look at the two men, ho oontinued : " I'm in no hurry. The chief has told me off for as long as I'm wanted; so finish your breakfast, and then this young gentleman can tell me what it's all about." The three gentlemen stared at each other. 11 What makes you think I am the person interested in the enquiry ? " said the baronet. " That's my business. I don't mean a cheeky answer, you know ; but it's in my line. Reading faces : you understand. Saw you was the party at once." " Ah, I see. Your are a disciple of Lavater," Baid Falkland, smiling. "Didn't know that party," replied Mr. White. " I was with Dan Forrester, the London D., for a good many years. That's how I learnt the profession. Never heard of Lavatory — I s'pose he was one of the Prenchies. They're smart chaps, too, when ihey've got a regiment of spies behind 'em ; but they enn't work single-handed. But that's neither here nor there. You talk ; I'll listen." Here Mr. White, after "graciously condescending to acoepl a glass of ale, threw himself back in his chair, and kept his keen eyes upon Falkland's face while the latter spoke. "We are desirious of tracinga man who recently left England, taking 'with him a document of very great importance. This paper was obtained by him fraudulently, and has been used by him for years as a means of wholesale extortion. Circumstances, which cannot be explained, render it necessary that the police should not interfere ; and I feel certiin that if I can be brought face to face with him, I can compel him to restore the document. We have every reason for supposing that this man is in Sydney ; and your aid ia required to trace him, and enable me to confront him. In the event of success, you may ftame your own teims." The detective's eyes glistened. His employer was evidently a gentleman of good position, and prepared to " come down " handsomely. Mr. White was strictly a man of business, and a good general. Always having an eye to possible defeat, he took care to leave an unbroken bridge behind him. After reflecting for Borne time, he said : " It may be a hard job, or it may be an «isy one. Let's make a contract. Would you think twenty pounds too much if I pull it off, or a fiver if Ido my best, yet fail ? You to pay all necessary expenses, of course." "I will give you five hundred pounds if you are successful," said Falkland, quietly ; " and •one hundred if you do your best without success." i&£r. John White waa by no means the individual ifco express astonishment as a general thing ; but it must be confessed that he was Bomewhat astounded with the liberality of these terms. " Five hundred 1 Five hundred notes ! " he muttered, "why, it's over two years' pay I Done with you, sir. You shall have the pleasure of a conversation with that party this week, if he ain't gone up in a balloon, down in a diving bell, or off in a steamer." Falkland started. The last item of the <detective's proposition seemed to him a rather Jikely occurrence. 11 I'll do it, if it is to be done, gents both," continued White. "And now for the particulars. First and foremost, as I understand, there's a secret— family one, p'raps — about this affair. You don't want to show me more at your hand than you're obliged. Very well ; that's all right. Then the question ia, how much of your hand can you show me? And fchat being the case, I ask you to throw down the cards in question." Mr. White, as he concluded, finished his brandy and water, produced a greasy note-book and a stubby pencil, and prepared to take notes,. " There can be no objection to letting you know our real names. 1 ' said Falkland. "* l My iriend is "

" Mr. John Fowler, Bundle Station, Kiverina," interrupted the detective. *' Bless you, sir, I know him well enough ; seen him often in Sydney." " And this gentleman is Sir Frederick Falkland," said Fowler ; " but mark me, thia is all in strict confidence." " Oh, I'm down to it," replied White, mum's the patter. A bar'net, my eye 1 liere's a caao. A young bar'net I Damme, I smell influence, and promotion, and all sorts of things in this job." It ia needless to say that Mr. White's speech was chiefly sotto vocc. " The man whom we require you to track," Falkland continued, "ia named Major Edmonds. He left England immediately after the Derby, last May, and we have traced him to Sydney." Falkland then described the personal appearance of the murderer. " Edmonds, Edmonds," mused the detective. " I can't say I've heard the name." " He may havo taken his brother's name," suggested Fowler. " And what's that ? " asked White. " Smithers," was the reply. Th 6 detective looked up quickly. Then he dropped his head again. " No, that can't be in your affair," he said. " I only know one Smither's in Sydney — Joe Smithers, an old lag, that keeps the flash pub and thieves ken in Durand's Alley. lit ain't likely to be brother to any major." " An ex- convict?" Fowler eagerly exclaimed. "Joseph Smithers — by Heaven, Falkland, we are on the right traok ! What sort of a man is this Smithers ? " " A good deal like the chap you've described Edmonds to be, providing ho was greyheaded, and a shade redder in the mug, and a good many shades more purple in the nose. Ah 1 he's a downy one, is old Joe. Sort of Australian Jonathan Wild, you understand. Many's the magaman we've nabbed in his drum, but we've never yet managed to catch Joe aapping. He's a fly bird, he is; remarkably downy, my oath, is Joe Smithers. But chanks, gents, for the hint. It's pretty clear to me now. Thia major, if he ia in Sydney, is bound to show up at his brother's crib. So the first thing to do is to take soundings. Will you gents be at home about four o'clock to-day ? " " Decidedly," replied Falkland. " Somebody will call on you then," replied the detective. " He'll come from me. Good morning gents." "We will dine at three," said Fowler, when White had gone. "It is possible we may be engaged with White afterwards." As the hour of four struck, a waiter enleted to say that a man was below, asking for Mr. Thompson (the name Fowler had given at the hotel.) " All right, show him up," was the reply. "Begpprding, sir; but perhaps you mayn't exactly understand," said the waiter. " He's a swagman, sir, says he's been sent down from your station with a message." Falkland started np. ' ' Curzon 1 " he exclaimed, "he must be — ." Here he waa checked by a significant glance from Fowler. " Show the man up," repeated the latter ; and the waiter shortly returned, followed by a swagman, who shambled into the room, deposited his swag on the carpet, sat down on it, and calmly waited to be questioned. " I never see sioh & barbarious feller," said the waiter, with a sniff of disgust. "He wouldn't leave his Bwag below — said he'd had too many swags stuck to by publicans already. As if our hotel was like his bush rum Bhanties." With another contemptuous snifi, the waiter left the room. The swagman waß by no means a prepossessing individual. His deeply bronzed features set out in high relief, a black eye of liberal dimensions, while his head was ornamented with a thatch of short, stubbly red hair. As soon as the waiter had left, he growled, in a hoarse roice, " Well, boss? " " Is there anything wrong a Nundle?" atsked Fowler, anxiously. " No — there ain't nothin' no ways wrong, boss," was the reply. " Have you any message about the injured gentleman ? " asked Falkland, 11 Gettin' on fust rate — like a house afire," said the man. " When did you leave then, and what is your message? " asked Fowler. •' Two days arter you did," was the reply. " And the message is, that if Jack White is good enough swagman to pass muster with a Bquatter, he's right enough to tackle Joe Smithers on the same racket." Here the ingenious Mr. White stood up, and regarded with an air of gratification the astonished looks of Falkland and Fowler. " I shouldn't have let you know it so soon," he exclaimed, " but you said something about a injured gentleman, and I didn't want to hear moro than you bargained to tell me. And now I'll tell you the way I'm going to work. I shall get drunk, and roll into Durant's Alley. There Borne of Joe Smither's gang will pick me up, and take me to the ken to lamb me down. Of course I shall shout for all hands, and get into a barney with old Joe. It'll cost ten or twelve notes to do it properly ; but I suppose you don't mind that." By way of answer, Fowler handed him fifteen one pound notes. 11 That's all right," said White, pocketing the notes. " I go to work as soon as its dark. I shall be cleaned out before morning ; but I'll work it so as to get a shakedown there all night. I shall have some news for you in the morning. By-the-bye, Mr. Fowler, would you mind drawing me a cheque for say ten pounds? It will make things look more genuine. You can make it payable at the Hay branch of your bankers, and I can kill two birds with one atone. If Joe Smithers shakes it, as he's bound to do, I can pin him for the robbery after your job is settled." Fowler drew the cheque, and the detective departed on his mission. Durand's Alley is the combined Alsatia and St. Giles of Sydney. Situated at the end of Liverpool-street, it has been for many years the refuge and haunt of the criminal classes. There are dismal stories abroad of the dark dejefls which have been perpetrated in its filthy slums ; of travellers inveigled within its wicked precincts, to be robbed and murdered ; of orimea far worse than even plunder and murder. Sprung out of the tainted material sent from the old country and Van Deimen's Land to colonise New South Wales, it was and is the home of the most evil and abandoned classes in Sydney. A terrible haunt — a bewildering maze of foul courts, reeking .with the low debauchery of the inhabitants; foetid with the filth of the utterly lost; the pandemonium of moral and physical pollution. The appearance of this horrible place is in keeping with its history and reputation. A labyrinth of narrow courts and alleys; the houses were broken-down, decayed shells, for the most part innocent of paint without or the barest internal fittings; rags liberally stuffed through shattered windows; base odours of refuse and stagnant water poisoning the atmosphere; garbage of every deBcription heaped on the roadway. So muoh for its " still life." Drunken people of both aexes, ragged children, and occasional slinking ruffians, prowling with the cat-like step and furtive air of the thoroughbred thief— these are the characteristics of the Durand'fl Alley denizens. One of the largest of these dens was tenanted by Joseph Smithers; who, since his release from the transportation to which he had been sentenced through Sir Eftlph Falkland's agency; had led & life of rascality. His hoase was well known as the retort of thieves bat hitherto he hid .contrived to keep himsejf op* of fflw pinfphflfl ftf $be i»\r. Nor were

the police so hard upon him &a might ha been imagined ; for Smithers felfc no seiupV in betraying his clients to them when it Baited his purpose. Though h« held no license, liquor was always to be obtained thare by the initiated ; and Smithers managed the matter so olevorly as to escape detection even on that score. Mr. Joseph Smithers, who answered admirably to the description given of him by the detective, waa standing at his door, talking to a cracksman concerning a prospective burglary which the latter had in hand, when a swagman, reeling past the end of the alley, put down his swag, and endeavored to light his pipe. Being apparently too much intoxicated to do so, he flung it from him with an angry ejaculation, and picked up his swag again. As he did so, the straps slipped, and out fell a quantity of bushman's wearing apparel—moleskin trousers, Crimean shirts, jumpers, gaudy neckerchiefs, (fee, all evidently quite new. "Here's a lamb wants shearing," exclaimed Smithers." Hook on to him, Jim, its halves, you know. The cracksman, nothing loth, walked up to the Bwagman, and assisted him to roll up his swag again. Then the two men entered into, conversation, Jim frequently pointing to Smither's house. At length the swagman shouldered hia swag, and staggered after his conductor. " Here's a young man from the country as wants a respectable lodgin', " said the cracksman, in his oiliest acoents, to Smithera. "I told him you might make room for him." _ " Come in my lad," said Smithert ; " ii'a lucky you saw this gentlemen, or you might have got into bad hands, 'speoially if you have any money about you. The swagman gavo a drunken laugh, clapped his band on his trousers -pocket, and intimated that it was all right ; adding that he wanted a drink, and would shout all round. He was showed into a meagrely furnished room, and requested to sit down on the sofa. The drinks were brought; others succeeded in rapid succession, and Smithers succeeded in pumping the man to hia own and Jim's satisfaction. He ascertained that the swagman had come down to Sydney for a spree ; that he had started with eighteen pounds in cash, and a cheque for as much more; and that on his way from the Parramatta railway station, up Buokfield Hill, he had apent about five pounds in clothes. " Goin' back when the bust's finished, I suppose?" said Smithers. The man nodded, leant back on the sofa, and was soon asleep and snoring heavily. " It won't do to lamb him just yet," said Smithers, in reply to an observation from the cracksman. " The beaka were down on me too sharp about that cove from Mudgee last month. No, we'll let him stop here a day or two, get thoroughly soaked, and then start him off by train a few miles up the country while he's too muddled to care wwhinee me he's goin'. That's the best game, it saves all bother." "Fair doos with my reg'lars, Joe," said the cracksman. "Oh I jonnock," replied Smithera. " I never choose a pal, Jim, you ought to know that. I'll overhaul him presently, andsee if he holds the greed, as he says. Let him get sound asleep first— an hour will do it." The cracksman nodded, drank off his liquor, and," promising to return in half-an-hour, went off on business connected with his little enterprise in crowbars. " I don't s'pose he's got more than he says," Smithers reflected. " Jim thinks the same, or he wouldn't have cleared out so easy. But I'll just make sure." He approached the swagman, who was still snoring loudly, and turned out his pockets. He found ten sovereigns, somfe Bilver, pipe, tobacco, and matches, and a cheque. Opening the latter, he started. "Fowler— John Fowler, and payable at Hay ! " he ejaculated, "it mu3t be the man my brother shot 1 " The Bwagman suddenly paused in his snoring, and Smithers turned round hastily. But the man had merely shifted his position on the sofa, and was still Bleeping heavily, though his snore had changed to an occasional grunt. " What's the date ? " muttered Smithers. "Ah— a fortnight agol The fist that wrote that signature will sign no more cheques. I must have a yarn with this chap in the morning about Fowler. Its a pity the Major " — here he chuckled — " isn't here to listen to this fellow's yarn about Jaok Fowler, the squatter. Hal ha I it's a good joke. But Bill's three days gone in the mail Bteamer to-day. Here the swagman gave a prodigious grunt, and rolled off the sofa. The fall roused him, for he sat up and ruhbed his eyes. "Been asleep, have I? "he asked, apparently much the better for his short nap. " Oh, you're all right, mate," said Smithers. " You waa brought in here to be taken ce.ro on. See, here's your money — ten sovereigns, two half-crowns, and a cheque signed John Fowler. Is that right ? " " Did I have a swag with me ? " asked the man. " Yes, with a lot of new toggery in it." "Then it's all right, mate. You're a brick for taking care of a chap, whoever you areHave a nobbier ? " Smithers complied, and thought the moment a favorable one for putting the questions he contemplated. He began by asking if the signature to the cheque was a solid one ? "You bet it is," replied the swagman. " Wish I had his name to three figures. I worked for him two year, and a better boss never lived. I shouldn't have left him, only he's going to sell the station and go to England." " Made his pile? " asked Smitherst " I don't think it's just that," was the reply. "He's got bus'ness there, I believe. Bat I'll be off now, mate, and get a few things I want. Let's see, I'll leave my swag and the cheque here, and take the sugar. Or stay, give me a couple of soys., you can mind the rest till I come back." This change of intention was induced by the expresssion of Smithers' features, which led the shrewd deteotives to suspect that his exit, with all the gold in his possession, might be disputed, and ha was very anxious to avoid a row just then. Smither's assented, though with a very ill grace, and the detective made the best of his way to the hotel. Falkland and the squatter were about to retire, when the waiter entered the room. "That chap's here again, gentlemen," he said. White entered, and olosed the door after the waiter. Going close up to Falkland, he said, laconically : " The bird's flown 1 He's vamoossed, mizzled, clean off in the mail steamer Malta for England. We're done, gents, and I'm sorry for it, f or your sakes and my own." The detective then related the occurrences of the evening, adding that when he heard Edmonds had' escaped, he had abandoned his idea of entrapping Smithers with the cheque, since he supposed that Fowler, whose evidence would be wanted, would follow Edmonds. "That I shall certainly do," said Fowler. " Well, you have done your best; White', and have certainly earned your hundred pounds.. Here is a cheque for the amount: Sir Frederick will settle with me afterwards." " Thanks, gents, both," -replied White; placing the cheque in hia pocket-book. 11 Youra to' command at anytime. 1 f 'T. won't

say anything abont the shooting business Sniithera spoke of, because it hasn't come before me professionally. But I tell you what it ia.gents, I think you've gol a, wildgoose chase before you, if you don't employ a professional when you get to England. You may aa well look for a needle in a haystack as for a chap in London when he don't want to be found ; and 'speoially when he's desperate, like the chap you're after." " Wait a few minutes, White," said Falkland. " But first, are you a Bingle man ? " "I am that," replied the detective. " Not any for me of the female sex, thank you. A man in my line with a wife to wheedle out professional secrets, don't get the cream of the business, as a rule." Falkland conferred with Fowler some time, and then made an offer to Whi^e to leave the force and accompany him to England. Tho terms were so liberal that White did not hesitate for a moment in aocepting them. "We can't go for a fortnight," said the detective. "The Great Britain sails jl from Melbourne then." ' " Curzon will be well enough to join us by that time," said Falkland. " His last letter 18 very encouraging. Ho talks of taking Tom Grist with him. Can you spare him ? " " Certainly," replied Fowler. " Besides, as I have already said, I intend accompanying you. It is the least reparation I can make. In a fortnight, then, we start — this time, I trust, to draw the fangs of this wolf." Early next morning, Mr. John White, in his ordinary attire, entered Smither's house, and presented a piece of paper to that woithy. It contained the following items, and nothing more : — "A brier-root pipe, new. A plug of tobacco. One box of wax matches. Eight sovereigns, two half-crowns, and a cheque for ten pounds on the Hay branch of the Bank of New South Wales, signed "John Fowler." A swag, containing the following articles, all new :— One double blue blanket, one pair moleskins, two Crimean shirts, three neckerchiefs, one serge jumper, one billycock hat." Smithers, after a moment's glance at the quiet, determined expression of the detective's face, handed over the artioles* " You muat take four one-pound notes instead of sovereigns," he said. "I' paid 'om away this morning. Notes is 1 just as good." "Every bit," remarked White, quietly. " Why Jim the cracksman preferred gold is nothing to me. Perhaps it came the handiest at the time you paid it." And Mr. John White walked off with his property, leaving Smithers staring after him in open-mouthed astonishment. {To be continued.)