The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 37: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE TRACK OF MIDNIGHT. 229 expected return from the expedition he had led forth against the bushrangers, in order to avenge the murder of his nearest neighbor, Doolan of Meleelee. She could not remember a great many years back, having barely seventeen to call her own since she had come into the world ;- but that number was very much too small to account for all the occasions when the temper of her father had made her life a misery. When Johnson told Wilton that Giles was a queer, surly sort of man when offended, he only expressed half the truth, for, as his daughter knew only too well, it was not alone when he was offended that he exhibited those undesirable qualities. The days went by, and still he: maintained his morose savageness. ‘Then Johnson had come, on his way home from the expedition, and he told Mary and her father of the successful termination of the campaign. Giles laughed immoderately at the story of Midnight’s dash through the camp. ‘(Why didn’t you have guards out ?’’ he asked. ‘Why, indeed. That is what we all asked one another when it was to late,’’ Johnson replied. ‘‘ And Wilton shot Plover, did he?’’ Giles went on. ‘* Well, next to Midnight, he was the toughest of the gang, and it’s no loss to the community that he is gone.’’ | A chance reference made by her father to the fact that a new proprietor was coming to Meleelee, set Mary wondering and puzzling in a way that was entirely foreign to her, and when he said that he was going to ride over and see the newcomer, she was keenly on the alert. When Wilton, going to the door of his hut to see who it was that was riding up, and whose horse’s approach had been heard by the keen eared Warrigal long before the white man had discerned it, he was more than as- tonished to see Giles. He met him as he rode up to the door and noted the ugly scar that disfigured his forehead. ‘“So we’re neighbors?’’ Giles called out in a friendly tone. ‘‘ Well, we met under different conditions before, but I hope that won’t interfere with our friendly relations. It won’t on my part, I know.’’ Nor on mine, Mr. Giles. My hurting you was practically an accident, and your hurting me was about the same.”’ ‘““'That’s so, my lad, and I’m glad to hear you say it. I’m glad you’ve come up here, especially now that you’ve shot Plover. ‘The next best man is Midnight, and I suppose you’ll be ready to have a go at him when you get the chance ?”’ ‘‘T shall,’’ Wilton answered frankly. “Well, good luck to you when you do; but mind, you’re not dealing with a fool when you do come across him.”’ Warned by Johnson, Wilton had anticipated that his first meeting with Giles would be of a very different character from this friendly exchange of views. When his guest dismounted and sat on the seat he had occupied when he discovered Warrigal, and chatted about the quality of the country, on Meleelee and its value for stock raising, he was more and more surprised. ‘‘ Well, I’ll have to be going,’’ he said at length. ‘‘ I'll be glad to see EoOmichooks.co |