Part 25 (1/2)

Daylight broke ere close up to the Black Range, safe enough, a little off the line but nothing to signify Then we hit off the track that led over the Gap and down into a little flat on a creek that ran the saed for father and Warrigal to meet us somewhere near here with fresh horses There was an old shepherd's hut that stood by itself almost covered with marsh- carass and stones as if he'd lost so hoht 'It's quite a treat to see the old scaetting on at the Hollow?' The dog caainst his fetlock, and jumped up two or three ti to bark, he see on a log by the hut s, just the sa two fresh horses, and ere not sorry to see them Horses are horses, and there wasn't hty ht

Father cae, I was that stiff with the long ride and the cold that I nearly fell down He'd got a bit of a fire, so we lit our pipes and had a coin, I see,' he says, pretty pleasant for him

'Glad to see you, Captain, once more It's been lonesoal, that's like a bear with a sore head half his time I'd a mind to roll into hi your property like'

'Thank you, Ben, I'll knock his head off al's not a bad boy, but a good deal like a Rocky Mountain ood unless he's knocked down about once a month or so, only he doesn't like any one but me to do it'

'You'll see him about arock where the tree grows--on the left of the road He said he'd get you a fresh horse, so as he could take Rainbow back to the Hollow the long way round'

Sure enough after we'd just got well on the road again Warrigal coranite boulder and shows hiood-looking chestnut He was one of the young ones out of the Hollow He'd broken hiot hi hi I knew the blaze down his face and his three white legs

Warrigal jumps off Bilbah and thron the bridle Then he leads the chestnut up to where Starlight was standing s out crying like a child He was just like a dog that had found hisdoes, and s on just as if he never expected to see such a good thing again as long as he lived

'Well, Warrigal,' says Starlight, very careless like, 'so you've brought ood boy Take Rainbow round the long way into the Hollow Look after him, whatever you do, or I'llnear it; but had enough for one ride, poor old al hopped on to Bilbah, and led off Rainboho tossed his head, and trotted away as if he'd lots to spare, and hadn't had twelve hours under saddle; best part without a halt or a bait I've seen a few good 'uns in my time, but I never saw the horse that was a patch on Rainbow, take hiain, then, for ten ht o'clock we pulled up at ho, and ran out to meet us She threw her ar before she took any notice of Starlight, who'd got down and was looking another way 'Oh! ain for years How thin you've got and pale, and strange looking You're not like your old self at all But you're in the bush again now, by God's blessing We in to feel quite wicked, and as if I could fight the police ht, just lifting his hat anda bit of a bow like, just as if she was a real lady; but he was the same to all women He treated them all alike with the sa or old, gentle or simple--it made no odds to hiood Though whether it wouldn't bewith your father, I shouldn't like to say'

Aileen looked at hiry like for a second Then she says--

'Captain Starlight, it's too late now; but words can never tell how I hate and despise the whole thing My love for dick got the better of my reason for a bit, but I could----Why, how pale you look!'

He was growing pale, and no mistake He had been ill for a bit before he left Berriive in, and the ride was rather too much for him, I suppose Anyhon he tumbles in a dead faint Aileen rushed over and lifted up his head I got some water and dabbed it over him After a bit he came to He raises himself on his elbows and looks at Aileen Then he smiles quietly and says--

'I' lady I hope I haven't given you ot up and walked to the verandah he quite staggered, showing he was that weak as he could hardly ithout help

'I shall be all right,' he said, 'after a week's riding again'

'And where are you going when you leave this place?' she asked 'Surely you and my brothers never can live in New South Wales after all that has passed'

'We ht answered, raising up his head and looking proud 'You will hear so'

Werun into at the old place Father went on first with Crib He was sure to give warning in some way, best known to father hiht sort So ent up and went in

Mother was inside I thought it was queer that she didn't coh about that e caht When I went in I could see, when she got up from her chair, that she eak, and looked as if she'd been ill She looked ever so rayer than it used to be

She held out her ar round my neck as if I'd been raised from the dead So I was in a kind of a way But she didn't sayto do next Poor soul! she knew it couldn't be ood anyway; and that if ere hunted before, we'd be worse hunted now Those that hadn't heard of our little ga out of Berrima Gaol, which wasn't done every day

We hadn't a deal of time to spare, because we et there soht, even if it was late Jiot there we could sleep for a week if we liked, and take it easy all roads

So father told ood coain

'Oh! father, can't dick and Jim stop for a day?' cries out Aileen 'It does seem so hard e haven't seen dick for such a while; and he shut up too all the time'

'D'ye want to have us all took the sarowls father