The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

252 THE TRACK OF MIDNIGHT. But Wilton preferred to try the way the man had gone who had passed them, and he crept into the hole that showed black under the rock. He discovered that by going on his hands and knees he could creep through the narrow passage, and emerged behind the roots of the tree which had evidently been blown over in some storm. He climbed on to the trunk and rejoined Johnson. ‘“We know their secret now !’’ he exclaimed. ‘‘ Yes, and it’s the bitterest thing I ever learned, too,’’ Johrison answered. ‘You mean about Douglas? ”’ ‘‘T do. I’ve known that man for years, and I would as soon have trusted him as myself, and yet here he is in the middle of his gang ! ”’ ‘‘Tt will be great news for Giles ! ”’ ‘For heaven’s sakedon’t tell him! At least, not yet. He would crow over us, and me in particular, for the rest of his life. No, we must keep this to ourselves, Wilton.”’ . But they had no chance to tell Giles, as on their return to Billah, Mary announced that her father had gone to Sydney. Wilton went on to Toom- bul with Johnson, and here Warrigal turned up again, with the information that he could now guide them to Midnight’s special hiding place. ‘But supposing it is only the cave that we discovered?’’ Johnson sug- gested. *‘TIt is not. I told him about that, and he said that was the place where the gang met, but that Midnight’s was away from it.’’ CHAPTER XVI.—FACE TO FACE. Tury carefully loaded their rifles, and, mounting their horses, rode slowly after the black fellow. He walked along silently and rapidly, leading them through the bush without a pause, until they found that they were nearing broken country, and at the same time the daylight began to fade. ‘We shall have to go on foot,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘ We cannot ride in the dark in this rough region.”’ ‘“We can keep alongside him easier, too,’? Wilton answered. They called to Warrigal to stop, and explained their intention. ‘* By and by you leave it horses in gully,’’ he replied. ‘But where is the gully?’’ Johnson asked. ‘‘It will be dark almost immediately.’’ ‘‘Just over there,’’ Warrigal said, pointing. ‘‘ Plenty light till then.’’ ‘‘Hurry along then, if it is to be done,’’ Wilton said, and Warrigal started off again at a more rapid rate. There was just light enough to see what they were doing when he led them into a narrow, blind gully, which turned out of a larger one, its en- trance being almost obscured by a clump of thickly growing mimosa. ‘“It’s a grand spot to leave the horses,’’ Johnson observed, ‘‘ or, for the matter of that, to camp here ourselves.”’ ‘“ How far now to the cave ?’’ Wilton asked. The black, standing near them, raised his hand. ‘boo (@) 3 Q cS) (<(0)