'I'll coo-ee,' said Silas, and he did, and the familiar sound carried far, to Doonan's ears. The constable looked round, and as he did so reined in his horse. He knew there must be something 'up' or they would not have ridden after him at that pace.

He rode towards them.

'You two appear to be having a race,' he said.

They looked at each other.

'Tell him, Willie,' said Silas.

The lad was not long in explaining.

'I'll ride back with you,' said Doonan. 'They can have done no harm yet.'

'Why are you around here?' said Silas.

'I want Seth Sharp,' said the constable.

'What for?'

'There's been murder done.'

'Who is it?'

'Ned Glenn.'

Willie and Silas looked at him in horror. They could not believe it. Ned Glenn, the old coach-driver they had known for so many years!

'Dead--not Ned, surely!'

'It's right, lads; and he just had time to say it was Seth Sharp shot him and that Dalton's lot were in it. Let me get hold of any of them, that's all,' and the constable raised his clenched fist and looked fierce.

The tears came into Willie's eyes. Ned Glenn was a real old friend, and he could not bear to think of it.

'How did it happen?' said Silas.

'The coach was stuck up about three miles outside Swamp Creek. All I know, and the others know, is that Ned was found lying on the ground dying. Two horses were killed, and there were no pa.s.sengers. What the motive for the business was I don't know and cannot imagine. There was no gold in the coach, and it is most likely Seth Sharp did it out of revenge. You may remember, Silas, it was Ned Glenn who put him away?'

'So it was, so it was,' said Dixon.

'We must make haste,' was Willie's comment. 'Suppose Sharp was one of the men sent over to our place?'

'He'll not venture there. He has put his neck in a halter this time,'

said Doonan; 'and Barker's Creek will have to be wiped out.'

CHAPTER XXI

A CLEVER ESCAPE

'They cannot well be ahead of us,' said Doonan. 'I have seen no one about.'

'Precious good care they would take you did not see them,' answered Silas.

'We must make the best of our way back,' said Willie, and set the pace faster than Constable Doonan's horse cared to go.

'I shall be left if you go at that rate,' he shouted to Willie.

As Wanabeen came in sight all appeared quiet and safe, and they antic.i.p.ated nothing had happened there. They were mistaken.

Abe Dalton had laid his plans well. Together with three of his men he had been on the watch for some hours. By a mere chance the absence of the black gin from the camp had been discovered, and Dalton had found brutal means to find out where she had gone.

'It will cost her her life,' he muttered, and then he cursed his men for talking of such matters in front of the blacks. Sal being warned, as he expected would be the case, no doubt either Willie Dennis or one of the hands would be sent to Swamp Creek for a.s.sistance.

Dalton at once decided to ride in the direction of Wanabeen and keep a sharp lookout. He knew every inch of the country and every place of concealment.

Not far from Wanabeen homestead was an old disused boundary rider's hut, and it was here he meant to hide and keep a sharp lookout.

Luck favoured him. With some difficulty the horses as well as the men were packed inside, and no signs of them could be seen.

Abe Dalton caught sight of Willie and Silas Dixon riding away at a fast pace, and knew they must have been put on their guard, but he was surprised at the direction in which they were going, as it did not lead to Swamp Creek.

'What's their little game?' he wondered. 'Perhaps they are on the lookout for Doonan. I shall have to make an example of him. He hangs around Barker's Creek too often for my liking. That fool Sharp; I must get rid of him, or he'll land us in some trouble. He'll have to be fired out and take his chance. There is no help for it.'

When Willie and Silas Dixon were out of sight, the party emerged from their hiding-place, and, quickly mounting, rode as fast as the horses could gallop to Wanabeen.

Sal heard them as they drew near, and looking out at the door saw it was Abe Dalton and his men.

Her heart almost failed her, but she was courageous, and quickly slamming the door, locked and bolted it. Then she fastened the windows, and, taking up the revolver, resolved to defend herself until help arrived. The black gin was crouching in a corner, quivering with terror, for she knew Dalton would show her no mercy when he found her there. It was useless for Sal to ask her to a.s.sist in the defence, the poor creature was helpless from sheer fright.

Dalton reached the house first, and banging at the door with the b.u.t.t end of his whip, shouted,--

'Open the door, my black beauty. No harm shall come to you if you go with us quietly, but we mean to have you.'

She made no answer, and Dalton, becoming impatient, sent a couple of his men to the rear of the house, where they commenced to smash in a window.

The crack of a revolver was followed by a cry of pain, and the smashing of gla.s.s ceased.

'She's got a revolver,' said Dalton. 'We must be careful, but she cannot attend to both the back and the front of the place.'

He saw a heavy axe standing in the yard and called to the man who was minding the horses to bring it him. The fellow put the horses in the yard and then brought him the axe; it was one used for splitting logs and was very strong. Dalton brought it down with a crash on the door, and the wood splintered. He put his hand inside to unlock it, or to pull back the bolt, when Sal fired at him, but missed.

Nothing daunted, Dalton stepped back and again raised the axe. The door, not being strongly built, was soon forced open, and as it fell inwards there was a crash heard at the back of the house, where Dalton's men had also forced a way in. Sal was so intent upon taking aim at Abe Dalton that she did not hear one of the men steal quickly up behind her. He hit up her arm as she fired, and this saved Abe Dalton's life, as the bullet went through his hat.

She was at once pinioned and her arms strapped behind her.