The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

270 THE TRACK OF MIDNIGHT. look on the veranda of the burning house and saw the form of a man lying still within a few feet of the roaring flames. : CHAPTER XXI.—RuN To EARTH. ALTHOUGH the Pearsons were satisfied that Mary was their child, the striking likeness between her and Mrs. Pearson giving them proof enough, the question was not so easily settled in the eye of thelaw. Giles having been reported as dead, another victim of the gang he had done so much to Suppress, the government decided that the grant of Billah should be available to the only child, and Mary was duly notified that the transfer would be made to her, if she desired it. ‘The major laid the whole matter before his solici- tor, who at once pointed out the difficulties which would arise were she to deny her claim to Giles’ estate. ‘‘ Better get the transfer through and settle the other affair among your- selves,’’ he suggested. The marriage of Mary and Wilton, before the matter was completed, necessitated the substitution of another name for that of Mary Giles, and to dispose of the quibble for all time, the property was made over to Wilton direct. In the mean time he had been consulting doctors with regard to the bullet wound he had received from Midnight. ‘he wound itself had healed, and although a rib had been cracked and the bullet was embedded somewhere in the muscles of the back, the doctors asserted that no vital damage had been done, and nothing would be gained by trying to find and extract the ball. The only existing obstacle to the marriage having been removed, the cere- mony was performed, the major giving the bride away, and Johnson officiat- ing as Wilton’s best man. At the subsequent gathering the major announced the belief that he and his wife had in common as to Mary being their stolen daughter. Legally, he told the astonished guests, it was a difficult thing to prove; but asa matter of belief both he and his wife accepted it, and he was glad to have the oppor- tunity of announcing that Mary and her husband would be joint heirs to all his property and his wife’s when they were called hence. Then the happy couple, united by a hundred ‘ties, went away for their honeymoon, which was to last until Billah was rebuilt, the superintendence of which work Johnson undertook. He also undertook to explain to Farrell that Meleelee had been transferred to him absolutely, and to carry out both tasks as quickly as possible, he started on his homeward journey a day or so after Wilton and Mary were married. ° He posted rapidly along and arrived at Toombul just in time to partici- pate in the final escapade of Midnight and his gang. As he came within the boundaries of his property, he picked up the track of a heavy mob of cattle, and saw by the state of the trail that they had been driven along at a very much higher speed than was usual. He pressed for- ward, and, as he came in sight of the house, saw the large mob in the home paddock and half a dozen men round the veranda. As he rode up he recog- nized Farrell and Douglas. (@) 3 a IDOOKS C=)