The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

THE TRACK OF MIDNIGHT. aah Wilton, who closely studied the broad shouldered figure, bitterly regretting the fact that he was without arms, and therefore unable to take advantage of the more than favorable opportunity to rid the world of one against whom he now had double reason to bear malice. | The outlaw stood with his arms resting on his rifle, and Wilton, as he lookod, noticed that the man’s shoulders were very much out of proportion to his height. The long black hair escaped from under his hat, and fell around his head in a heavy fringe. As he watched there recurred to his mind the words of Warrigal when he said, that to shoot Midnight one would have to aim at the eyes. With the thought there came another, suggested by the clumsy appearance of the man’s body. Midnight moved at the same mo- ment, and the thought was confirmed. ‘The man had some protecting armour under his coat. ‘‘T’ll keep the idea to myself,’’ Wilton thought, fearing that he would be ridiculed if he mentioned it to any one; ‘‘ but the next chance I have at him Pll aim at his eyes.”’ Midnight watched the fire until the hut was only a mass of glowing em- bers, and then turned and walked away through the bush, with his rifle over his shoulder, towards the direction in which Warrigal had pointed when he located the bushranger’s lair. Wilton waited until he could no longer hear him before he crept round to the log where he had hidden. His rifle still lay where he had left it, and after a search he also found his pistol. Joading them with the ammunition he had, he gave a last glance at the ruin of his hut and started off for Billah, to appeal to Giles to rouse the countryside, and hunt the outlaw from his hiding place. CHAPTER XII.—WILTON REPORTS PROGRESS. It was a long and weary walk through the dark bush, and the sun just rising above the horizon when Wilton caught sight of Billah homestead. He pressed on to the house, and was stepping on the veranda when Giles appeared at the doorway. ‘Hullo, my lad, what brings you over at this hour? And what’s the rifle for?’’ he exclaimed. ‘“T’ve been stuck up and my hut burned < that villain Midnight,’’ Wilton replied. “Stuck up? You don’t say that! Midnight stuck you up, and you es- caped with your life ?’’ Giles cried. | ““It was a near thing, Ican assure you. I went over the bluff into the stream, and that saved me, I think,’’ Wilton answered, as he sat down. ““You’re wounded,’’ Giles said excitedly, pointing to the blood which had flowed from the cut Midnight’s bullet had made on his ear. ‘ ‘It’s only a scratch,’’ Wilton replied. ‘‘I’m more tired than hurt at present, for I had to tramp it over here.’’ ‘“And here I am, not even asking you aie ! Come in, my lad, and welcome. Your news knocked everything else out of my head.”’ EoOmicbooks |