The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

248 THE TRACK OF MIDNIGHT. a black fellow’s eyes would have been as plain as a high road, in bent twigs and trampled glass blades. Nor was Giles any more successful, and after an hour or so of fruitless search they had to abandon their task and return to the house. ‘‘ What’s to be done now ?’’ Giles asked as they rode along. “I think I had better ride over to Johnson’s and get as many together as I can, and then come back with them and search the country round, and especially in the ranges where Warrigal said he had his hiding place.’’ - “That means a fortnight’s delay for me before I can start after that stock,’’ Giles said in a dissatisfied tone. ‘But you could not travel by yourself now with that unscrupulous villain about,’’ Wilton answered. ~ I could take care of myself right enough, only I don’t like going and leaving the place until I know he is away.’’ ‘Then I’ll ride straight off and get all I can to come over, and we'll see if he is to be found in the district.’’ But this expedition was as fruitless as the others had been. ‘Then, Wilton determined to take Johnson into his confidence, and acting on the information given him by Warrigal, the two made their way one night down a narrow pathway to a neighboring cliff which was to lead them they knew not whither. CHAPTER XV.—AN UGLY SuspPIcIon. As the track descended it also widened until they found that they were walking down a ledge some six feet broad. How far from the top of the gully they were they could not even surmise in the dark. “Let me have a look over the side,’’ Wilton said, and he crept to the edge and looked down. ‘Then he softly whistled for his companion, and Johnson went to him. ‘“Look there! Isn’t that the reflection of a fire?’’ he asked. Johnson looked in the direction he indicated and saw a faint glimmer of light showing among the trees below. He watched it for some time without speaking. It’s a fire all right,’’ he said at length. ‘‘I thing it is situated on the other side of a spur, seeing how the reflection is cast. The track evidently passes down close to it.’’ ‘‘ There’s a tree growing pretty near,’’ Wilton said, pointing towards a patch of darker shadow a little farther down the track. ‘‘ Shall we go on and see if we can climb down it? We may get to the bottom of the gully that way.’’ ‘‘ We can try,’’ Johnson answered, and they moved downwards. The tree, however, was some distance away from the track, but the side was not so steep at that place, and another ledge seemed to shoot out towards it a little distance below. ‘‘ We must get down on to that,’’ Johnson said. ‘““You go on and I’ll stay to give you a hand down,’’ Wilton answered, (E(0) 1EbDoo cS =) (E(0)