Part 57 (1/2)
”A lot of money, sir; quite a nice little fortune. It must be seen to.
I'll tell you what I will do. Two mounted constables shall go out at daylight, and I guarantee that if the escort is to be found, _they_ will find it.”
”Thank you,” said Tomkinson. ”I think it ought to be done. You will send them out first thing in the morning? Thank you. Good night.”
As the banker turned to go, the Sergeant rose.
”Wait a moment,” he said. ”I'll come with you.”
They walked contemplatively side by side till they reached the main street, where a horseman stood, hammering at Manning's stable-gate.
”n.o.body in?” said the Sergeant. ”You had better walk inside, and put the horse up yourself.”
”I happen to know that the owner has gone to bed,” said Tomkinson.
The horseman pa.s.sed through the gateway, and was about to lead his sweating mount into the stables, when the Sergeant stopped him.
”Which way have you come to-day?” he asked.
”From Bush Robin Creek,” replied the traveller.
”You have ridden right through since morning?”
”Yes. Why not?”
”Did you overtake some men with a pack-horse?”
”No. I pa.s.sed Mr. Scarlett, after the thunderstorm came on. That was on the other side of the ranges.”
”How did you find the rivers? Fordable?”
”They were all right, except that on this side of the range they had begun to rise.”
”Perhaps the men we are expecting,” said the nervous banker, ”took shelter in the bush when the storm came on. You may have pa.s.sed without seeing them.”
”Who are the parties you are expecting?” asked the traveller.
”Mr. Zahn, the agent of the Kangaroo Bank, was on the road to-day with a considerable quant.i.ty of gold,” replied the Sergeant.
”You mean the gold-escort,” said the traveller. ”It left about three hours before I did.”
”Do you know Mr. Zahn?” asked the Sergeant.
”I do. I've sold gold to him.”
”I'll take your name, if you please,” said the Sergeant, producing his pocket-book.
”Rooker, Thomas Samuel Rooker,” said the traveller.