The Gold Hunter's Adventures Or, Life In Australia Volume 2 ( Of 2 ) - William H. Thomes (large screen ebook reader txt) 📗
- Author: William H. Thomes
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Smith Started In Search Of One, And Left Mr. Brown And Me To Look After
The Wounded Man.
"'Tis Werry Kind Of You, But 'Tis No Use." Steel Spring Whispered. "I've
Got A Load Here That Vill Keep Me Quiet Arter I'm Dead. I Shan't Be Able
To Steal Then, 'Cos Gold Vould Be Of No Use To Me Vere I'm Going."
"If You Want To Save That Covey's Life, You'd Better Make Him Hold His
Gab, And Get Him Off The Ground As Soon As Possible," An English Soldier
Said, Stopping For A Moment To Examine Our Old Companion's Wound, And
Then Passing On With As Much Indifference As It Was Possible To
Manifest.
Luckily The Litter Arrived, And We Managed To Get Steel Spring On To It,
And Carried Him To The Store. There Was But Little Life In Him, And That
Little We Tried To Retain, And Consulted With The Best Doctor In
Ballarat For That Purpose. The Physician Said That The Ball Would Have
To Be Extracted First, When The Wound Would Heal Of Itself, If Nothing
In The Shape Of Inflammation Intervened, And To Prove That He Was Right,
Probed The Wound, Started The Bleeding Afresh, And In Less Than An Hour
After The Spy Was Carried To Our Store He Was A Corpse, And The Doctor
Had Sent In His Bill For Medical Attendance, And Charged In Proportion
To His Ignorance, Which Was Immense.
Leaving Smith To Manufacture A Coffin Out Of The Spare Boards And Boxes
Which The Store Contained, Mr. Brown And Myself Started For The Head
Quarters Of The Commissioner For The Purpose Of Seeking An Interview,
And Obtaining The Release Of Fred, Who, I Doubted Not, Would Be Set Free
In The Morning, As No Charge Could Be Brought Against Him Of A
Rebellious Nature.
We Found A Guard Of Soldiers Stationed Around The House, And An Eager
And Excited Crowd Was Kept At A Distance By A Line Of Bayonets. I Saw
That The Miners Were Anxious To Learn If Any Of Their Friends Were
Wounded Or Taken Prisoners, Yet Could Obtain No Satisfactory
Information, As All Intercourse With Those In Custody Was Denied.
"Stand Back, Sir," Cried A Sergeant, As Mr. Brown And Myself Pressed
Forward For The Purpose Of Reaching The Entrance To The Building.
"Hullo, Richards! Is That You?" Mr. Brown Exclaimed, Extending His Hand.
"Ah, Excuse Me, Sir; I Didn't Recognize You. Sorry To Be Obliged To Stop
You, Sir, But Have Got Positive Orders To Admit Only Those Having
Business."
"Then We Are Just The Ones To Pass, For We Have Business Of Importance
With The Commissioner."
"Ah, That Alters The Case. Pass In, Gentlemen;" And As The Soldiers
Lowered Their Bayonets, We Slipped Past Them, And In A Few Minutes Found
Ourselves In The Ante-Room Of The Commissioner.
"You Had Better Go In Alone, For I Can Be Of No Service To You,"
Volume 2 Chapter 82 (Arrest Of Fred.--Trip To Melbourne, And Its Results) Pg 253Whispered Mr. Brown; And I Felt The Truth Of The Remark.
I Boldly Followed An Officer Into The Commissioner's Room, And Soon
Found Myself In The Presence Of Kellum, The Commissioner, And Half A
Dozen Captains And Lieutenants.
"I Tell You, That Every Dog Of Them Should Be Shot, And Then You'll Hear
No More Of Taxes And Rebellion. That's The Way I'd Punish Treason, And
It Will Be Effectual. We Should Have No More Meetings And Political
Speeches By Men Who Don't Know What They Are Ranting About. We Have Got
The Rebels At Our Feet. Let Us Trample Upon Them."
"It Will Not Do," Replied The Commissioner, Mildly, With His Usual
Crafty Calculation. "The Home Government Will Hear Of The Matter, And
Rake Us Over The Coals For It. Besides, The Newspapers Would Raise A
Prodigious Row, And Then Parliament Will Have To Appoint A Commissioner
Of Inquiry. No, No; I've Thought The Matter Over Carefully, And I'm
Convinced That We Should Get Awfully Blackballed If We Shoot The
Rascals, Although"--And He Smiled And Rubbed His Hands With Glee--"I
Should Like The Sport."
"Say But The Word, And In Fifteen Minutes Every Dog Of Them Shall Be
Dead," Cried The Colonel, Who, Having Tasted Blood, Wished For More.
"No, No; Let Us Send Them To Melbourne, Where A Long Imprisonment And
Low Diet Will Be The Fate Of Each."
The Colonel Was About To Make Some Observation, When An Officer Touched
His Elbow, And Called His Attention To Me.
"Hullo, By G----D, Sir, How Long Have You Been In This Room?" He Roared.
"I Should Judge About Five Minutes," I Replied, Calmly.
"And Your Business Here?" He Demanded, Fiercely; And I Saw That He Had
Not Forgotten The Blow Which Fred Dealt Him The Day Before.
"My Business Is Not With You, Sir, But With This Gentleman," I Replied,
Turning To The Commissioner.
"Well, Transact It, And Be Off. If That Sergeant Admits Another Grocer,
I'll Hang Him Before Morning."
I Did Not Notice The Sneer, But Turned Towards The Commissioner, Upon
Whom I Hoped To Make A Favorable Impression.
"I Have Called, Sir, To See If I Could Not Make Arrangements For The
Release Of My Friend, Who Was Taken Into Custody To-Night, And Who Is
Innocent Of Any Connection With This Rebellion."
"What Arrangement Do You Wish To Make?" The Commissioner Asked.
"I Will Give Bonds To A Large Amount For His Appearance At Any Time That
You May Appoint."
Volume 2 Chapter 82 (Arrest Of Fred.--Trip To Melbourne, And Its Results) Pg 264
"Why, The Grocer Thinks That He Is In A Court Of Law," The Colonel Said,
With A Most Insulting Sneer.
"No, Sir," I Replied, "I Thought That I Was In The Presence Of
Gentlemen."
"None Of Your Insolence Here," The Bully Roared, Not Liking The Smile
Which He Saw Upon The Faces Of His Officers.
"Insolence Is But A Poor Weapon To Gain A Cause, And A Gentleman Should
Never Use It Unless To Rebuke Presumption," I Replied.
"We Cannot Take The Bail That You Offer," The Commissioner Said. "Your
Partner Was Arrested For Giving Vent To Treasonable Expressions, And
After He Was Taken Into Custody, On His Person Was Found A Dangerous
Weapon, In The Shape Of A Revolver."
"Don't Say That The Pistol Was Dangerous To Any One But Himself," The
Colonel Cried. "I Dare Say That If He Had Attempted To Shoot Any One, He
Would Not Have Known How."
"There Is Where You Do The Gentleman An Injustice," An Officer Remarked.
"If You Did Not Think Him Dangerous, You Should Have Met After The Scene
In Our Store," I Said, Addressing The Colonel, And Alluding To The Blow
Which Fred Had Struck Him.
"I Am Not Accustomed To Meet Every Pauper That Presents Himself For
Battle. I Don't Wish To Place Him On A Level With Myself, And Therefore
Will Wait Until He Proves Himself A Gentleman."
"There Is Where You Are Mistaken, Colonel," Said A Young Gentleman
Dressed In The Uniform Of A Captain. "I Had The Pleasure Of Meeting Both
Of These Gentlemen At A Levee Of The Governor's, And I Know That He
Spoke Very Highly Of Them, And Offered To Reward Them With Lucrative
Positions For Their Services In Destroying Two Or Three Bands Of
Bushrangers, Who Had Long Been A Terror To Travellers. It Does Not
Require A Patent Of Nobility To Make Them Gentlemen."
"Why, Captain Fitz, You Had Better Offer To Defend The Prisoner, You
Speak So Warmly In His Behalf," Sneered The Colonel.
"I Am Not A Lawyer, Sir, Although If I Am Called Upon To Give My
Testimony, I Think That I Shall Say What I Please Regarding The
Slaughter Of Twenty-Two Miners, Whose Only Crime Was Protesting Against
An Unjust Tax."
"Say What You Please, And Welcome; But While You Are Under My Command
You Must Obey My Orders Or Else Stand The Chances Of A Court-Martial. I
Don't Think That The Miners Agree With You," The Military Despot
Continued, After A Moment's Consultation With The Commissioner; "I
Desire That You Take Command Of The Escort Which Is About To Start For
Melbourne With The Prisoners. You Will Lose Not A Moment, But Report
Volume 2 Chapter 82 (Arrest Of Fred.--Trip To Melbourne, And Its Results) Pg 265Yourself Ready In An Hour's Time."
"I Do Not Require Even A Moment's Time," Replied The Young Man; "I Am
Ready Now, And Am Only Too Anxious To Start."
"As For You, Sir," The Colonel Said, Turning To Me, "You Can See Your
Friend After He Reaches Melbourne, But Not Before. He Is Charged With A
Serious Crime, And Those Higher In Power Than Myself Must Deal With
Him."
I Left The Apartment, Uncertain What To Do Or Where To Go. Mr. Brown
Joined Me In The Ante-Room, But Read The Result Of My Mission In My
Face.
"There's No Hope?" He Asked.
"None; He Goes To Melbourne To-Night."
"So Much The Better," Answered Mr. Brown, Promptly; "Now We Shall Have A
Fair Chance For His Freedom; For Great Things Can Sometimes Be
Accomplished In That City."
"But Fred Will Suffer On The Route," I Remarked, "And Unless He Is Cared
For, Will Never Reach The City Alive."
"Don't Give Yourself Any Uneasiness On That Score," Captain Fitz Said,
He Having Heard My Last Remark; "I Will Take Care That He Is Treated
With As Much Consideration As The Circumstances Will Admit Of, And See
That He Wants For Nothing."
I Uttered A Few Hurried Thanks, And The Captain Was About To Pass, When
I Detained Him.
"Is There Any Means By Which We Can Obtain An Interview With My Friend?"
I Asked.
"I Fear Not," He Answered, In A Hesitating Manner, Which Inspired Me
With Some Hope.
"Only A Few Words," I Pleaded.
"If The Colonel
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