The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 47: what you’re looking at

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

THE TRACK OF MIDNIGHT. 239 ‘“ Youll join if there’s another turn out after him?’’ Wilton asked. ‘“T’m tired of it,’’ Giles answered. ‘‘ Go over to Johnson and see what he says, though I doubt whether he will encourage you. The mustering will be on soon, and the boys don’t want to be flying over the country when they’ve enough to do minding their own business. Besides, it’s time the po- lice did something. We cleared the blacks out ourselves, and we’ve done most of the hunting after the bushrangers and escaped convicts. It’sall very well now and again, but I fancy we’re all pretty tired of.it now.”’ ‘“'The last one was fairly successful.’’ ‘Yes, in a way. But it nearly did for you,’’ Giles said with a laugh. ‘It marked me a bit, too, and I’m not anxious for any more like it just yet.’’ ‘The next one may finish the matter,’’ Wilton said. ‘For me or for you ?”’ | ‘Ror Midnight.’’ “Yes, it may; but the near shave you had last time may be nearer. You’ve got off twice, my lad, and it’s bad to risk a third chance.’’ ‘‘T’m inclined to, all the same,’’ Wilton replied. CHAPTER XIII.—MARY AWAKENS. WHETHER it was due to the excitement he had experienced the previous night, or the long tramp through the bush from Meleelee to Billah, Wilton was not sure, but he had a marvelous appetite when breakfast was served, and his spirits were at their highest as he sat opposite Mary and chatted as blithely as though there were no such things as bushrangers and burned huts in the land. She was unused to the society of any one who could talk about anything beyond stock and the chances of drought or flood, with the one exception of Johnson, and during the meal she frequently found herself comparing the new owner of Meleelee with her friend. But great as her opinion of Johnson was, the comparison between him and Wilton was generally in favor of the latter, for not only did his conversation please and entertain her, but it also pleased her father so much that she heard him laugh so heartily that the dim, far off memory of bygone happy days came to her clearer and stronger. If only she could make him laugh like that, she thought as she glanced at him, how much brighter the days would be than they were. Wilton was telling them of his experience in the dray when he was stuck up by the flood on the flat, and Giles was bantering him, good humoredly, about his taking no notice of the warnings that had been given him by older and more experience carriers. ‘* Just as you refuse to listen to me now about Midnight,’’ he said. ‘‘ Well, there’s a reason for my wish to settle him,’’ Wilton said gravely. ‘‘ What, another? Are not the two enough that you have given—your burnt dray and burnt hut?’’ ‘“ Were you ever in Sydney?’’ Wilton asked, looking over at Mary. ‘“She has never been away from Billah,’’ Giles answered for her. ‘‘ But what’s this new reason? ”’ Eomicbooks 3