"A lot of money, sir; quite a nice little fortune. It must be seen to.

I'll tell you what I will do. Two mounted constables shall go out at daylight, and I guarantee that if the escort is to be found, _they_ will find it."

"Thank you," said Tomkinson. "I think it ought to be done. You will send them out first thing in the morning? Thank you. Good night."

As the banker turned to go, the Sergeant rose.

"Wait a moment," he said. "I'll come with you."

They walked contemplatively side by side till they reached the main street, where a horseman stood, hammering at Manning's stable-gate.

"n.o.body in?" said the Sergeant. "You had better walk inside, and put the horse up yourself."

"I happen to know that the owner has gone to bed," said Tomkinson.

The horseman pa.s.sed through the gateway, and was about to lead his sweating mount into the stables, when the Sergeant stopped him.

"Which way have you come to-day?" he asked.

"From Bush Robin Creek," replied the traveller.

"You have ridden right through since morning?"

"Yes. Why not?"

"Did you overtake some men with a pack-horse?"

"No. I pa.s.sed Mr. Scarlett, after the thunderstorm came on. That was on the other side of the ranges."

"How did you find the rivers? Fordable?"

"They were all right, except that on this side of the range they had begun to rise."

"Perhaps the men we are expecting," said the nervous banker, "took shelter in the bush when the storm came on. You may have pa.s.sed without seeing them."

"Who are the parties you are expecting?" asked the traveller.

"Mr. Zahn, the agent of the Kangaroo Bank, was on the road to-day with a considerable quant.i.ty of gold," replied the Sergeant.

"You mean the gold-escort," said the traveller. "It left about three hours before I did."

"Do you know Mr. Zahn?" asked the Sergeant.

"I do. I've sold gold to him."

"I'll take your name, if you please," said the Sergeant, producing his pocket-book.

"Rooker, Thomas Samuel Rooker," said the traveller.

"Where are you to be found?"

"At The Lucky Digger."

"Thank you," said the Sergeant, as he closed his book with a snap and put it in his pocket. "Good night."

"Good night," said the traveller, as he led his horse into the stable.

"If I can be of any use, send for me in the morning."

"It's pretty certain that this man never saw them," said the Sergeant, "therefore they were not on the road when he pa.s.sed them. They must have been, as you say, in the bush. There is plenty of hope yet, sir, but I should advise you to get up pretty early to-morrow morning, if you want to see my mounted men start. Good night."

With a gloomy response, Mr. Tomkinson turned his steps towards the Bank, there to toss on a sleepless bed till morning.

CHAPTER x.x.xII.

The Quietude of Timber Town Is Disturbed.

The crowd which had gathered in front of the verandah of the Post Office of Timber Town was made up, as is not uncommon with crowds, of all sorts and conditions of men. There were diggers dressed in the rough clothes suitable to their calling and broad-brimmed felt hats; tradesmen, fat with soft living, and dressed each according to his taste; farmers, in ready-made store-clothes and straw hats; women, neatly, if plainly, dressed as suited the early hour of the day; a few gaily-dressed girls, and a mult.i.tude of boys.

Nailed to the wooden wall of the building was a poster, printed with big head-lines, upon which the interest of all present was centred.

NOTICE.

FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS REWARD!!!

WHEREAS persons of the names of ISAAC ZAHN, PETER HEAFY, WILLIAM JOHNSON, and JAMES KETTLE have mysteriously disappeared; AND WHEREAS it is supposed that they have been murdered on the road between Bush Robin Creek and Timber Town; AND WHEREAS, further, they had in their custody at the time a considerable quant.i.ty of gold, the property of the Kangaroo Bank;

THIS IS TO NOTIFY that should those persons, or any of them, have been murdered, a reward of FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS (500) will be given to any person who shall give information that will lead to the conviction of the murderers; AND A LIKE REWARD will be given to any person who shall give such information as shall lead to the restoration of the stolen gold to its lawful owners.

(Signed) WILLIAM TOMKIN TOMKINSON, Manager, Kangaroo Bank, Timber Town.

"Isaac Zahn? He was the gold-buying clerk. I knew 'im well. An' if you ask me, I think I know who put 'im away."

"You're right, John. D'you call to mind that long-legged toff at The Lucky Digger?"

"I do. 'E caught Zahn a lick under the jaw, an' kicked 'im into the street. I seen 'im do it."

"That's the bloke."

"Hi! Higgins. Here, old man. D'you want five hundred pounds?"

"I ain't partic'lar, George--I don't know the man's name."

"But you saw that bit of a sc.r.a.p in The Lucky Digger, between one of these parties as is murdered and the toff from the Old Country."