Part 68 (1/2)

When I ca on my blankets in a different cell, as I could see by the shape of it The irons didn't rattle when I moved I was surprised when I looked and saw they were took off Bit by bit it all caed My life was saved, if it orth saving, by the two or three good things we'd done in our tiht, lad or sorry noas all over? I hardly knew For a week or two I felt as if they'd better have finished me off when I was ready and ha' done with aoler talked to me a bit He never said much to prisoners, and what he said he meant

'Prisoner Marston,' says he, 'you'd better think over your situation and don't mope Make up your mind like a man You may have friends that you'd like to live for Pull yourself together and face your sentence like aman now, and you won't be an old one when you're let out If your conduct is uniforood you'll be out in twelve years Settle yourself to serve that--and you're a lucky man to have no more--and you may have some comfort in your life yet'

Then he went out He didn't wait to see what effect it had on ht to hiood

I took his advice, and settled ood while--a weary lot of years to wait, year by year--but, still, if I got out in twelve years I should not be so out and out broke down after all--not much over forty, and there's a deal of life for a man sometimes after that

And then I knew that there would be one that would be true to me anyhow, that would wait for me when I went out, and that would not be too proud to join in her life with iveelse could, and from that hour I made up my mind to tackle it steady and patient, to do the best I could, and to work out my sentence, thankful for the mercy that had been showed me, and, if ever a man was in this world, resolved to keep clear of all cross ways for the future

So I began to steady myself and tried to bear it the best way I could

Othersentences, and they seemed to be able to keep alive, so why shouldn't I? Just at the first I wasn't sure whether I could Year after year to be shut up there, with the grass growin' and the trees wavin' outside, and the world full of people, free to walk or ride, to work or play, people that had wives and children, and friends and relations--it seemed awful That I should be conde, weary years, and there was nothing else for it I couldn't eat or sleep at first, and kept starting up at night, thinking they was coallows

Then I'd dreaot out of gaol and were riding through the bush at night to the Hollow again Then I'd wake up and know they were dead and I was here Time after time I've done that, and I was that broken down and low that I burst out crying like a child

Chapter 52

Theti had been heard of father I didn't expect to have a letter or anything, but I knew he ain; and so sure as he did it would come to my ears somehow

One day I had a newspaper passed in to et it for all that, and this was the first thing I saw:--

STRANGE DISCOVERY IN THE TURON DISTRICT

A re to curious results, was last week accidentally hit upon by a party of prospectors, and by them made known to the police of the district It may tend to solve the doubts which for the last few years have troubled the public at large with respect to the periodical disappearance of a certain gang of bush-rangers now broken up

Accident led the gold ullies at the foot of Nulla Mountain, to observe a narroinding way apparently leading over the brow of the precipice on its western face To their surprise, half hidden by a fallen tree, they discovered a difficult but practicable track down a gully which finally opened out into a broad well-grassed valley of considerable extent, in which cattle and horses were grazing

No signs of human habitation were at first visible, but after a patient search a cave in the eastern angle of the range was discovered Fires had been lighted habitually near theunused--lay in the tall grass Hard by was stretched the body of a man of swarthy complexion Upon examination the skull was found to be fractured, as if by soht side

Proceeding to the interior of the cave, which had evidently been used as a dwelling for many years past, they ca posture, propped up against the wall One ar, beside which were a tin pannikin and a few rude cooking utensils At his feet lay the skeleton of a dog The whole group had evidently been dead for a considerable tie supplies of clothes, saddlery, arms, and ammunition--all placed in recesses of the cave--besides other articles which would appear to have been deposited in that secure receptacle e amount of interest, and even excitement, was caused when the circuenerally known A nuether withstation holders, at once repaired to the spot No difficulty was felt in identifying the bodies as those of Ben Marston, the father of the two bush-rangers of that naal, the half-caste follower always seen in attendance upon the chief of the gang, the celebrated Starlight

How the lastof freebooters had actually perished can only be conjectured, but taking the surrounding circueneral i the police upon the track of Richard Marston, which led indirectly to the death of his master and of James Marston, the most probable solution would seem to be that, after a deep carouse, the old al with his treachery and brained him with the American axe found close to the body

He had apparently then shot hi death, the bullet found in his body having been probably fired by the half-caste as he was advancing upon hi, well known by the name of Crib, was the property and constant companion of Ben Marston, the innocent acco stock-raids Faithful unto the end, with the deep, uncalculating love which shames so often that of man, the dumb follower had apparently refused to procure food for himself, and pined to death at the feet of his dead ret the untiy fitted theain to society far exceeds the loss

When the recesses of the Holloere fully explored, traces of rude but apparently successful gold workings were found in the creeks which run through this roold cities of Mexico

We reat time will be suffered to elapse ere the whole of the alluvial will be taken up, and the Terrible Hollohich some of the older settlers assert to be its real name, will re-echo with the sound of pick and shovel; perhaps to be thethose escorts which its forard to the stock pasturing in the valley, a puzzling probleathered up and yarded The adjoining settlers who had suffered froladly expectant of the recovery of anireat disappointed bore any brand which could be sworn to and legally claimed The more valuable cattle and horses, evidently of the choicest quality and the highest breeding, resembled very closely individuals of the same breed stolen from the various proprietors But they were either unbranded or branded with a letter and numbers to which no stock-owners in the district could lay clai, was this unique state of matters--wholly without precedent For instance, Mr Rouncival and his stud-groo brown ant, with the sah croup and peculiar way of carrying her head She corresponded exactly in age to the date on which the grand thoroughbred ong No reasonable doubt existed as to the identity of this valuable anieny, equally aristocratic in appearance Still, as these interesting individuals had never been seen by their rightful owners, it was ial title