Such Is Life Part 28

On reaching the north bank, I reminded the old fellow that I wanted to return by-and-by to look after a dog I had lost when I was bushed; and he promised to bring his skiff for me when I would sing-out.

In a couple of hours I was at my camp. In another fifteen minutes I was arrayed in my best and only. Shortly afterward, my horses were equipped, and Cleopatra being in fine trim, was bucking furiously in the sand-bed where I had mounted. In an hour and a half more, I had unsaddled and hobbled both horses on a patch of good gra.s.s, nearly opposite where the spring-cart stood. My persecuted acquaintance, in response to my coo-ee, appeared with his skiff, and ferried me over. Then I hurried across the flat, to the residence of Mr. Q----. A man loses no time when such a dog as Pup is at stake.

It could n't have been later than half-past-one when I walked up along the garden fence, and approached the door of the kitchen.

A modest-looking and singularly handsome girl had just filled a bucket of water at the water-slide, and was hammering the peg into the barrel with an old pole-pin. I recognised her as Jim, and forgave her on sight.

"Good day to you, ma'am," said I affably. "Sultry weather is n't it?

I'm looking for a big blue kangaroo dog, with a red leather collar.

Answers to the name of 'Pup'."

She hesitated a moment. "You better see my father. He's at dinner.

Will you come this way, please."

I followed her into the parlour. In pa.s.sing through the kitchen, I noticed that dinner was over, and a second young woman--apparently the original owner of my boots--was disposing the crockery on the dresser.

In the parlour, Mr. Q----, a man of overpowering dignity, redolent of the Bench, and, as I think, his age some fifty, or by'r lady inclining to threescore, was dining in solitary grandeur, waited on by young woman number three. Lucullus was dining with Lucullus.

"Good day, sir," said I, with a respectful salaam. "Have I the honour of addressing Mr. Q----?"

"Your business, sir?" he replied, surveying me from head to foot.

"I'm looking for a dog I lost last night, or this morning; a big blue kangaroo dog, with a"--

"Are you sure he's your dog?"

"Perfectly sure, Mr. Q----."

"How did you come in possession of him?"

"I bought him eight months ago. Am I right in a.s.suming that he's on your prem"----

"Steady, my good man. Who are you? What's your name?"

"I must apologise for not having given my name at first. My name is Collins-- of the New South Wales Civil Service. I'm Deputy-a.s.sistant-Sub-Inspec"----

"And what leads you to imply that I've got your dog?"

"Information received."

"Leave the apartment, Naomi," said the magistrate loftily. "Now, Mr. Collins,"

he continued, pouring out a gla.s.s of wine, and holding it between his eye and the light; "I want to ask you"--he drank half the wine, set the gla.s.s on the table, and leisurely wiped his mouth with his serviette--"I want to ask you"--he paused again, pursed his lips, and placed his forefinger against his temple--"I want to ask you how you come to imply that the dog is here? 'Information received' was your statement. Be precise this time, Mr. Collins. I'm waiting for your answer."

"I had my information from a man who saw the dog on your premises, Mr. Q----."

"Very good, indeed! At what time did he see the dog? Be punctual, Mr. Collins. Punctuality implies truth."

"About sunrise, I think."

"You think! Are you sure?"

"Well, yes; I'm sure."

"Describe your informer, please."

"Describe him! If I described him ever so accurately, you would n't know him from Adam," I replied sharply, and withal truthfully. "Is my dog here, Mr. Q----? If he is, I'll take him, and go. I don't want to be trying your patience after this fashion."

"Steady, Mr. Connell. Was your informer a man about my height?"

"I have no idea of your height, Mr. Q----."

"Was he a man about your own height? We'll get at it presently."

"You've got at it first try. I should say you've struck his height to about a sixteenth of an inch."

"Sunburnt face? Skulking, fugitive appearance generally?"

"Your description's wonderfully correct, Mr. Q----. You might, without libel, call him a sansculotte."

"I'm seldom far out in these matters. How was he dressed?"

"In a little brief authority, so far as I remember But is my dog----"

"Do you imply a sarcasm?" inquired the J,P. darkly. "I would n't do so if I was you. I'm not thinking about your dog. You and your dog!

I'm thinking about a valuable stack of hay I had burnt this morning; and you've give me a clue to the incendiary." He paused, to let his words filter in. "You done it without your knowledge, Mr. O'Connell,"

he continued pompously, again holding up his gla.s.s to the light.

In the silence that ensued, I could hear the murmur of the girls' voices about the house, and the irregular ticking of two clocks; while there dawned on my mind an impression that somebody had fallen in the fat.

"I'm sorry to hear of your loss, Mr. Q----," I remarked, at length.

"So far as the loss goes, that gives me no inconvenience, though it might break a poorer man. I been burnt out, r----p and stump, by an incendiary, when I was at Ballarat"----

"Ah!" said I sympathetically, but my sympathy was with the other party----

"And then I could afford to offer a hundred notes for the apprehension of the offender, before the ashes was cold."

"But mightn't this last affair be an accident, Mr. Q----? A horse treading on a match for instance? I think you ought to make strict inquiries as to whether any horse, or cow, or anything, pa.s.sed by the stack shortly before the fire was noticed."

"I know my own business, Mr. O'Connor," he replied severely.

"I been the instigation of bringing more offenders, and vagabonds, and that cla.s.s of people, to justice than anybody else in this district.

If I'd my way, I'd stamp out the lawless elements of society."

"I admire your principles, Mr. Q----; and you may count upon my a.s.sistance in this matter. By-the-way, there are two illicit red-gummers down here"----

"I was talking to you about this stack-burning affair," interposed the beak.

"I'm annoyed over it. I been on the wrong lay, so to speak, all this morning; but that never lasts long with me. I got the perpetrator in my eye now, in his naked guilt; and, take my word for it, Mr. Connor, I'll bring him to book. I'll make an example of him. I'll make him smoke for it. It was an open question this forenoon; but to show how circ.u.mstantial evidence sort of hems in a suspected party--why, here I can lay my hand on the very man; and, what's more, he can't get out of it.

I can point out the very mark of his body, where he slep' at a fire among the whipstick scrub, just across that lagoon. And a party I'm acquainted with seen him yesterday afternoon, some distance up the river, on the other side; and I seen him this morning, crossing the flat here, more or less about the time the fire was noticed. What do you think of that for circ.u.mstantial evidence, Mr. Connelly? And in addition to this, I can point out his incentive--which I prefer to hold in reserve for the present. He might think his incentive justifiable; but the Bench might differ with him." And El Corregidor held me with his glittering eye while he sipped his wine.

"I beg your pardon, Mr. Q----," said I, clearing my throat. "I can't help taking a certain interest in this matter. Would it be impertinent in me to ask who the person was that saw the suspected incendiary up the river on yesterday afternoon?"