The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 46: what you’re looking at

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

238 THE TRACK OF MIDNIGHT. ‘Than I would of shooting him,’’ Wilton interrupted in an angry tone. ‘“You mean business,’’ Giles remarked quietly. : ‘‘T do,’’? Wilton answered. ‘But how are you going to carry it through ?’’ ‘“Get the squatters out again and hunt him to his lair.’’ ‘“ You can’t doit. We've tried that till we’re full of it. A chance meet- ing is what you’ll have to trust to.”’ | ‘“ Tm going to try it, and if I cannot get any one else to join me I’ll wait till Farrell comes up with the stock and we’ll go together.”’ ‘“You'll do better to go slow for a time; He probably believes he settled you when you'went over the bluff, and may be miles away by this time on his road to some other of his haunts, for he is not a man who stays long in one place. You lie low until you hear of him again and then turn out. I fancy the boys have had enough of the last trip to last them for a time.”’ ‘But did they ever know where to look for him?’’ Wilton asked. ‘‘ He’s been looked for everywhere, not only round here but on the table- land and over the ranges. He’s dodged the police and the squatters and every one else for years, and I tell you plainly you are taking on a big con- tract when you undertake and hope to track Midnight.’’ ‘* But has no one ever found his hiding place ?’’ ‘“'No, and no one ever will. Even if they did they would never live to tell of it, for I can assure you it is not an easy matter to get at a man like that without his knowing it.’’ ‘“I suppose he has spies all over the place to warn him,’’ Wilton said. ‘“T don’t know about that,’’ Giles answered thoughtfully. ‘‘ But I do know that as soon as an expedition is organized he vanishes, and directly the expedition disperses he turns up under the very noses of the men who were out chasing him.’’ ‘“He’s a plucky chap,’’ Wilton exclaimed. ‘‘ However bad he may be, I can’t help admiring his pluck. Warrigal said that another branch of his gang had been dispersed beyond the ranges, besides the lot we smashed up, and yet he turns out again, as bold as ever, and sets to work single handed.”’ ‘“So you admire him?’’ Giles said with a short laugh. ‘‘T admire his pluck. His going for me suggests that he has heard of my shooting his mate, and if that doesn’t mean spies I don’t know.’’ “It looks like it, certainly ; but how do you hope to get at his hiding place if there are spies about ?”’ ‘“T haven’t mentioned it to any one but you, and I hardly fancy you’re likely to give him warning,’’ Wilton answered laughingly. ‘Well, hardly,’’ Giles said. ‘‘ They made mea J. P. because I used to get the fellows out after him so often, and it would be playing it a bit low down for me to give him the tip, wouldn’t it ?’’ he added, joining in the laugh. ‘‘ Besides which, he stole the best horse I ever had, and has paid me many a compliment by driving off my cattle.’’ ‘“In return for your interest in him, I suppose,’’ Wilton said. “But now that he has taken you up, I hope he’ll leave me alone,’’ Giles remarked. icbooks (@) 3 a (E(@)