by Mayne Reid
`highstrikes,' while Foster laytrembling, like a craven, expecting every moment to be killed. `Don'tbe frightened,' said I, `I haven't the slightest intention to put youout of your misery. I like revenge too well for that. You have somemore trouble to see yet, I hope; and I'm not going to do anything thatmight hinder you from seeing it.
"I waited till my wife became sufficiently composed to comprehend whatwas going on; and then, after thanking her for the kindness she had doneme--by relieving me of all further trouble with her--I bid them `goodday,' and walked off, leaving them to reflect upon the interview.
"To-day, I have just been to visit them again; and the want and misery,they appear to be suffering, gave me no little pleasure. They looked asthough they had not had a morsel to eat for a week; and I could not seea scrap--of either bread or meat--in their tent.
"I told them, not to give themselves any further uneasiness, on myaccount, for I wasn't going to molest them any more. `I've made alittle fortune here,' said I, `and intend starting for New York Stateto-morrow. Have you any message to send to your friends?' I asked ofFoster. The poor devil could not, or would not, make me a reply. `Have_you_, Mary,' said I, turning to my wife. She could only answer withsobs. `It is a miserable, wretched life, at the best, on thesediggings,' I remarked. I am going to leave it, and once more seekhappiness in my native land. Excuse me, Mr Foster, and you, Mrs F.,for not helping you in your distress. I know that there is an All-wiseCreator, who will reward both of you, as your conduct deserves; and itwould be presumptuous in me to take any of the work out of his hands. Ileave you here, with full confidence in the belief, that divine justicewill be impartially administered to all.
"Now that was what I call good talking,--what do you say?"
"Very good, indeed," I answered. "But are you really going to leavethem in that manner?"
"Certainly, I am. I never intend to see either of them again. When Iwas coming away from their tent, my wife followed me out, went down onher knees, and piteously entreated me to aid her, in returning to herparents. She declared, that she never knew my worth, until she hadfoolishly lost me; and that she now loved me more than ever she haddone--my little finger, more than Foster's whole body--which it wouldnot have been difficult to make me believe. She said, she would not askme to let her live with me again; but, that if I would give her money toreturn home, she would pass the remainder of her days in praying for me.
"No, Mary," said I, "do not think so unjustly of me, as to suppose Icould do that. I love you too well, to stand in the way of yourreceiving the reward you have deserved; and, besides, you should notdesert Forter, whom you have followed so far--now that the poor fellowis in affliction. My affection for you is too sincere, to think ofallowing you to commit so great a wrong?
"Having delivered this exordium, I turned and left her. Now that iswhat I call revenge. What's your opinion?"
"What is revenge to one man, may not be to another," was my answer. "Ifit pleases you to act so, of course, I have nothing to say against it."
"And what would _you_ do?"
"I should give the woman some money, enough to enable her to return toher parents. As for the man, I should leave him to his fate."
"Then you would act very foolishly,--as I would, if I followed youradvice. The woman having got home, would be there to annoy me. I wishto go back to my native place; and be happy there for the rest of mydays. How could that be--living along side a wife who had so disgracedme?"
I could say nothing more to dissuade Farrell from his purpose; and weparted company--he shortly after starting for Melbourne, to take passagefor New York.
The after-fate of his faithless wife, and her wretched paramour, someother must record: for, from that hour, I never heard of either of themagain.
Volume Three, Chapter III.
THE RUSH TO AVOCA.
After passing four or five days in looking about the Canadian, Eureka,and Gravel-pits, "leads" on the Ballarat Gold-fields, and finding nofavourable opportunity of getting into a good claim, I determined toproceed to Avoca river, for which place a big "rush" was just starting--that, by all accounts, would turn out a success.
The day after I had formed this resolution, I saw a man with a horse anddray, just departing for Avoca.
The man was willing to take a light load of diggers' "swags;" and,rolling up my tent and blankets, I put them upon his dray.
The drayman did not succeed in getting all the freight he required: forthere was but one other digger besides myself, who furnished him withanything to carry. As he, and a partner he had, were anxious to reachthe new gold-field as soon as possible, they determined to start,without waiting to make up a load.
All being ready, we set out at once for the "sweet vale of Avoca."
The drayman's partner was a man known in the diggings, by the name of"Bat." I had often seen "Bat," and was acquainted with two or threeother diggers, who knew him well. He was famed at Ballarat, for havingthe largest mind of any man in the place; but it was also generallyknown, that in his mind, the proportion of selfishness, to all otherfeelings and faculties, was ninety-nine to one.
The reason why Bat's soul was thought to be so large was, that,otherwise it could not have contained the amount of disgustingselfishness, which it daily exhibited.
He was only miserly about spending money, that might result to thebenefit, or injury, of any one but himself. In the gratification of hisown desires, he was a thorough spendthrift.
I had heard one of the miners tell a story, illustrative of Bat'sdisposition. For amusement, the miner had made an experiment, to see,to what extent, selfishness would, as he expressed it, "carry Bat on theway to hell."
He enticed this large-souled individual, to go with him on a "spree;"upon which, he treated him five times in succession.
Bat had by this time imbibed a strong desire for more drink; and afterwaiting for some time for his companion to treat him again, he slippedto one side, and took a drink alone--without asking the other to joinhim.
After this, the miner treated him twice more; and not long after, Batagain drank alone, at his own expense!
By this time both of them had become pretty well intoxicated; and thespree came to a termination, by Bat's receiving a terrible thrashingfrom the _convive_, who had been vainly tempting him to spend his money.
Bat's mate, the drayman, knew but little about him--only having joinedhim as a partner the evening before we started for the Avoca.
On the first day of our journey, late in the afternoon, we arrived at aroadside grog-shop; and all went in for something to drink. Inside thehouse, were three ill-looking men, who had the appearance of having once_lived in Van Dieman's Land_. The shop was a very colonial affair; and,after drinking some poison, called rum, we all came out--leaving Batweighing some gold, which he had taken out of a leather bag, in presenceof all the company. It was to pay for a bottle of brandy, which, as wewere going to camp out for the night, he had purchased--for the purposeof making himself comfortable.
Darkness overtook us about a mile or so beyond the grog-shop; and waterbeing near the place, we resolved to stay by it for the night.
Bat came up, just after we had kindled our fire; and drank some teaalong with us. He had brought with him two bottles of brandy, insteadof one, the second being for his mate, the drayman, who had commissionedhim to buy it for him. Seeing these two bottles of brandy in the camp,I did not care about staying on the spot. I believed that the drayman,Bat, and the other digger who accompanied them, would get drunk; and Idid not fancy to remain in their company.
I took up my blankets; and, going about two hundred yards off from thecamp--to a grove of bushes--I rolled myself in my cover, and sleptsoundly till the morning.
At sunrise I awoke; and went back to rejoin my travelling companions.
On drawing near the encampment, I saw that something was wrong; and Ihastened forward. Bat was not there, but the drayman was, and also thedigger. Both were tied with their hands behind their
backs, and,furthermore, fastened to the wheels of the dray. I saw that both ofthem were gagged!
I lost no time in releasing them from their unpleasant imprisonment; andas soon as I had ungagged them, they told me what had happened. Aboutthe middle of the night, four men had come up, armed with revolvers,which they had held to the heads of the drayman and digger, while theytied and gagged them. The two were then robbed of all their money,after which, the bush-rangers went their way--taking along with them thedrayman's horse.
"But where is Bat?" I asked.
"We don't know," was the reply. "He went away soon after you did."
Circumstances looked suspicious against Bat; but only to me: for theothers understood all that had happened. Bat had determined to keep hisbottle of brandy to himself. By remaining
