CHAPTER XII.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1982, 21 March 1885, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XII.

IN THE SANT) AND IKKNS. The sun had barely risen above the distant tree tops, when already more than thirty men, young and old, hod gathered in front of tho Marranga Hotel to organiso a searchparty for the lost child of St. Herrick's. There was not a family settled in tho neighborhood of Murder Gully that was not acquainted with the story of Colonel St. Herricks murder, and had heard of, if they had not seen, the gentle Resignation, who seemed to inherit in hor delicate, flower-liko organination the memorieß of that awful tragedy that had rendered her fatherless. The men were scattered about in groups, Bomo on foot and some on horseback. The door of the bar was open for the convenience of those who wißhed refreshment ere they started, and the various conjectures that passed from lip to lip as to poor Resignation's fate seemed to all to bear a gloomy, foreboding tone. "We have heard of lost children before now, neighbors," one man said, with a kindly attempt to introduce some element of hope into the minds of those present, " and it isn't a certainty that a lost child must be a dead child. Why, my little Mary was lost herself three years last fall— you remember about it? She was away from home in tho bush for forty-seven hours, but, thank God, we got her all right. She was asleep when we found her, and she had a. bunch of wild posies hugged up to her, as if she found the oomfort of a living thing in it." " Aye, but that was different, Brown ; your girl got astray going after the cows, and she was used to going into the bush, but this here child has never Bcarce been out of Bight of the township in her life. She has no call to be lost, and she seems to have disappeared all of a sudden like, as if she had gone down in the ground." " Yes, the boy Dan left her up on the side of the Gully to go down and see the claim getting christened; it couldn't have been more than half an hoar, by bis account, when he went back to where he had left her, and she was gone." " Yes, and he went straight up to the cemetery after he had hunted the Gully over— it was then he met the dog." " No, he didn't meet the dog until later, when he went the second time to the cemetery. I wonder how we're going to take the ground ? Do you know, Brown ?" " We have left all the arrangements to Mr. Pollard and the police. I see they are laying their heads together about it now." The gentleman named was one of a group with tho members of whioh this story is more intimately acquainted. They were standing apart near the roadside, talking in low tones and in reality waiting for Charlie Ellii, who had not yet put in an appearance. This group consisted of Mr. Pollard, Mr. Clark, Fanny 'b father, George Clark, Fanny's brother, Leonard Prosser and and the two young men Doran, who were working m the Nugget Claim. " Here's the trooper now," said Mr. Pollard, as the policeman appeared riding toward them, and the party spread no as to surround the horses when they drew up in the middle of the road. •' You'll have to start without me," Charlie Ellis said. " I've got a summons to Bendarrack this morning." 41 Anything particular," young Clarke asked, as he observed an anxious look on Charlie's face. " Bather. I say, Leonard, step aside here will you ; I want to say a word to you before I Ro." The two young men turned a little way apart and then the young trooper explained. "It's rather a sad business, Prosser. I think you told me that you met Conn Brady on his way to the coach yesterday ? " " Yes." " Well, it seems he met with a serious accident, fell off the coach or something, and is dying at Bendarrack. Did you ever hear of I IkeLyman?" " No, not that I remember." 11 He is rather a oharacter in the district, and it is he who came for me. It seems he and his brother sat up with Brady last night and Ike came for me on his own account, but for what I do not know any more than that. Ike says the dying man has something on his mind that I ought to know. There aro no policemen at Bendarrock, you know." " Ike Lyman. la that one of tho American party who are deep-sinking in Gall's Flat ? " •' Tho same." 11 Ah, I have heard of them, and should liko to see him. Where is he now ? " " Gone over to St. Herricks to send Brady's mother and sister to him. He is to join me at Stacy's cross roads. Now I must be oil. By tho bye, where t is Tady this morning? I don't see him." " Tady is gone to Yawbenack ; he started before dawn." "What for?" " I don't mind telling you Ellis, for I know you tire no gossip. Poor Tady is in a dreadful Btate of mind about something he is compelled to keep secret even from me, and he has gone to a clergyman of his own persuasion to get advice on the matter." I Ellis laid biß hand on Leonard's shoulder as he said in a low impressive tone — " You never made a truer remark in your j life Prosser, and if ever one man was deceived in another, you are in Tady Connor. Mark my words if something isn't found out yet about that Irish friend of yours that will make you doubt Irishmen for the rest of your days." " You are forgetting yourself, or perhaps never knew that I am myself an Irishman " Leonard said, drawing himself up and so removing the touch of Ellis from his sleeve. A more faithful or honorable heart never beat than that of my friend Tady ; and as for finding out that any suspicions you may entertain against him are verified, I shall never do so. Your profession bus led you so much among evil doers that it baa rondered you suspicious of even honourable men." 11 1 cannot stay to argue the point with you Prosaer " ssid Ellis, "But if that man is not hiding a secret he as no right as an honest man to keep, then I'm a fool, that's all. So long. Leonard looked after Charlio B3 he rode away, and in spite of himself his thoughts began to dwell on Tady's conduct of tho previous night in conjunction with the words that had just been uttered by the young trooper. His loster brother had himself owned that there was something in his mind that ho could not tell even his mastor and friond, did young Ellis know what that hidden thing was or were bis words only the outcome of a prejudice he bad conceived against Tady on account of his nationality ? lie had not time, however, to debate tho question, for Mr Pollard had arranged with the men cs to their several routuß oi search, and be now joined Leonard in company with poor little Daniel GniUths. " Those on horseback, aro to separate into parties, and take the north uud uouth rouds skirting Bogong and the Spur, and so closing

m «i<)un<l tno Cei.ul.'iy r. i.wl, and the D.-i.ius' La\ j kit ci(l( .1 on u fout hcmcn from t) o j-jh t v.h<'.' t). n l) ild \iu4 Ten lft-t. SJ'b)l joiinnd I join Ihrtu Mr Proper,? " " 15ut little Daniel searched nil that twice over yesterday, didn't jou ray man?" Leo nard asked of the boy. " Yes sir, but I was lookiug for ]»i"«ignation alive, and to-day wo must look for her dead." Tho lad'a voice choked aa ho said the words, and he turned his quivering face awny. "Oh I don't give up hope that way my boy ; many hundreds of children have buon lost for days and recovered alive." Mr Pollard said cheerfully. " resignation is dead," Dan said simply. " Why aro you so certain of that ?" Lionard asked. " I dreamt of it. I say her lying deep down among sand and ferns dead, and covered with blood." The boy shuddered as he said it, and his poor, pitiful, white face grew whiter still. " Dreams are nothing but sleeping fancies, my boy ; wo shall, I trust, bring Kesignation home safely to hur mother soon." " Not Jiving ; wo may bring her dead, for she ifl dead, and Dan Lyons has killed her." Aa Daniel hurried oQ to join the brothors Doran, who were starting for tho gully, Leonard looked in astonishment to the lawyer. 11 Do you hear what he said ? What an extraordinary assertion 1" 11 Moat extraordinary," returned Mr. Pollard ; "but I heard him Bay so before this morning— he is firmly convinced that the girl is dead." " And murdered by Dan Lyons ? Surely you do not place any reliance on the imagination or dreams of a boy of twelve ?" "Let us follow them, and I will tell you as we vralk. You see I know more of tho events connected with Dan Lyons and »St. Herricks death than, I think, any other man in the neighborhood, and what I do know makemne listen to the boy with a respect that would be unaccountable to you unlens I could tell you all I know myself. I'or one thing, the tie between these children was a close one, and an almoßt unnatural one if all was known. Since Daniel's fkat recollection his unhappy mother has impiessed him with a responsibility as to liesiguation'a comfort and happiness, lie has been taught to yield his own will to hers, and to watch over her with the faithfulness of a dog. Seeing how tho girl's mind has gathered strength with her years to brood over a loss she has only felt through her mother morbidly, Daniel has learned to hate Colonel St. Herricks murderer with a pitiable hatred." " Pitiable ?" questioned Leonard. "In Daniel's case, yes — most pitiable. You cannot understand and I cannot explain." Leonard sighed, for it seemed to him that he was surrounded with secrets and mysteries that were both repellant to his frank manly nature. " I do not understand you, of course," he said ; " but I can Bee readily how much the tragio fate of this child, should it occur, might intiuoncu the future and character of the boy we are talking of. Did Ellis tell you | about the business he has been summoned on?" " YeB, it is a sad one. I observed one thing, however, that Ellis made no mention of lather James, the brother of tho injured man, to me — did he to you ? " " No, ho said simply that Iko Lyman had gono over to St. Herricks to Bend, Brady's mother and eiator to him." " He's a strange being that Father James," murmured Mr. Pollard, thoughtfully, "and seems to lead almost the life of a hermit." " His health, I suppose, and besides he has been, I understand, for many years in some foreign monastery." " Yes, I have heard so." "Do you know much of that American party at Gall's Flat Mr. Pollard ? " aeked Leonard, with some interest. " The Lymans ? Yes, I drew out the agreement of partnership for them, and it showed aome peculiarities I assure you." '* 1 liUTe heard a good deal about them that interests me, as a tale of brigandage or Californian life often interested me when I was younger. I should like to see them." " Nothing is easier, they are very hospitable, and good humored — as miners generally are when getting gold." " They are getting gold then ? " " Undoubtedly, and plenty of it. There are twelve of them all told, and the brothers Ike and Abe aro the leading spirits. l l< me athletic fellows all of them, but rough with the great roughness of Cuhfornian Gulohers. I should not like to offend one of them unless I wished to tempt revolvorj retribution from all the others. Here we aro once more at the Gully, and sad enough it somehow looks to-day." Yes, it did look cad in comparison with tho previous day, at least when Tady had hoisted his Hag for the first time, and the champagne had [lowed so freely over the christening of the claim. No one was working on No. lor No. 2 either, and in tho gloom of a olouded eaily morning tho gaunt old timber looked eerie, and the faded grass dank and unwholesome to overy eye that looked upon it. George Clarke, however, shared the practical sensible spirit of bis pretty sister Fanny, and a big fire had already done breakfast duty at the men's tent. " I knew nono of ye would think of a good breakfiiHt beforo you started, so here's one ready for you all 1 " George cried, as be took them into a well laden table, " and I can tell ye that hot coffee, with a drop in it, is not to be despised any morning in tho year." The party had a hurried breakfast, little Daniel sitting outside and gazing wistfully up toward tho rock where he had left Resignation sitting, and heard her voice for the last time. He would not go in to share George^ hospitality, but drank the coffee put into his hand, seoing all the time, poor boy, the dead form be hud seen in his dream, and hearing the echo of ltesignation'B last words in every morning whisper down the breezes of Murder Gully. Tho birds flitting through the branohes said it bo plainly that he would have wondered had the awful dread that was over him not overwhelmed all other feelings. Tho rustling grass whispered, "Go Daniel and see I " and even the voioes of the men breakfasting in tho tent behind him seemed to collect and amalgamate into four words uttered in the lost child's well remembered voice, " Go Daniol and flee 1 " The boy eet down biß pannalun, for the coffee seemed to ohoke him, and hu rose to climb up tho Bide of tho gully. It seemed to him that he must go and see the place where he had seen her onoo again, aud that he should find there some token that should guide his search and that had escaped his double search of the previous evening. " There goes little Dan," Baid ono of the men as he swallowed his last drop of coffee, "he can't wait any longer. I never saw a boy of his age take on so about the loss of anyone. And you say be has dreamt of the girl, Mr. Pollard ? " " Yes, that she is dead down deep among sand and ferns. Now, Bhall we follow him, my friends ? " " Have you heard how Mrs. St. Herriok is this morning? " Leonard asked as they left the tent. " Yes, I saw Dr. Grey; he thinks her case a very serious one. She passed a bad night with a good deal of delirium. He has very little hopes of her recovery." {To be continued.)