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,- - - ■to-day's Short Story.

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■to-day's Short Story. I "CAPTAIN LUCIFER" We were a, merry party in Gorsehill House, where we had assembled for the grouse shoot- me one August some few years ago, and *ma,iry a. pleasant hour, too, did we have in ifche smoking-room after the ladies had gone -upstairs. One of the most entertaining of N)ur party was an elderly Colonial, who, having been oat in Australia in the early idaya of the "gold ruSh," had, after the usual Alisappoin,tments, struck luck, made his pile, ■and returned to England with an Australian ■fe tfortixne and an Australian wife. Naturally, f tie had many an interesting and exciting kale to tell of those early days, when com. Jpanies had not crushed all the romance out .f gold mining, and bushrangers assisted to iaake things generally lively. It was always an hour or two's aanusement Hrhen old Baarison was induced to favour us fcith some of his early Colonial experiences. Due night, I remember, we were talking of the bushranger of fiction, who is usually (represented as a sort of nineteenth century Claude Duval, while his horse can usually feire points to Dick Turpin'e bonny Black jiBess, and, as the arguments went on between ÐS, Mr. Rarrison-the only one of us, by the way, who had ever been in Australia—kept silence for a time and sjfetened- to the discus- eion while he placidly smoked his cigar. "Ah, yes," he said at last, during a pause, "I remember one of those- gentry myself, who flourished just about the time the gold-fever first started. The man went by the name of n Lucifer, though whether on account of his evil doings, or because we have it on wood authority that the Prince of Darkness ae a gentleman, I cannot say, for this Cap- 4oaim Lucifer had certainly received a gentle- intan's education, had at one time mixed in good society, and still knew how to comport ftumeelf therein should accident ever make it necessary. Certainly, on the only occ&si?n I ? -r met him his manner was perfection, and .1 may even say it was very taking." "So you have been 'stuck up,' don't you Vail it, by a bushranger?" but only once I am glad to say," I let's have the yarn, Mr. Harrison, please," was the urnauimous request. Well, 88 it will joat fill in t,he time till We turn in I don't mind if I do, and we settled ourselves down to listen. Well, as I have said, the only bushranger I ewer came across in my life was this Cap- tain Lucifer. Who lie was, wilat his real ttamewae, or where h&h-&d. come from, nobody (seemed to know, hut in all probability he waa a convict who had escaped from prison fan the early days of the gold rush.' He \may, indeed., have originally started mining on his own aocotnrt, but decided that it was ieasier to tatos the gold ethers had dag than to dig yourself and find hardly any, but I think that tho probabilities are that the former was tbe-oaee. Thus it was in the early-days of the gold erase that Captain Lucifer first appeared re an unappteeiatting auciieace, and after jfhis debut, his peefoiBMancea were to be heard of in every part, of the district. The man seemed ubiquitous; one night sticking Tip a øtation in one part of the country, and the jsext operating on a mail or a bank in another part a.bout a hundred miles or so away. At first his gang had numbered only two, or, at the outside, three; but it rapidly Sncsaosed, and he aocm. found himself leader of as choice a band of prize cut-throats as gladdened the heart of SataJi. This band, though it oometimes split up into .various parties which did a little on their own account just to ktnep their hands in, talways united under Lucifer's command when any special venture was contemplated. The aaan had spies everywhera; indeed, there were many of the poor claae of squatters who only ■wanted the necessary courage to set up in business for themselves, and who were secret sympathisers with the bush- rangers. Ait all events, Lucifer was always well informed as to the mowmenta of the mails and the police, while the latter had never once got within reach of him, though on more than one occasion) they had ex- changed shots with members of his baud, fand. they had been lucky enough to kill a ¡ m,a.n who had acted as Lucifer's lieutenant. "The captain was just at his zenith at the -time I first went to Btlactanames Creek to try i- ¡my lack at the diggingw, and many a time rafter the day's work was over were his [doings discussed by the miners in the drink- ing saloons of the camp, in tihe presence of 'members of his gatug, perhaps—perhaps even before himself, for it was believed that on, several occasions he had personally visited ,the camps in order to gain, trustworthy 'information. However, he little troubled me, for so far ;1 had not succeeded in picking up enough to pay my expenses—and sometimes hardly that L --and had not much surplus cash to be r i despoiled of. "One day, how-ever. after I had been, some 95ix months at the diggings it bec.ame neces- «ary for me to go down to Sydney on busi- ness, so, leaving my claim to the care of my partners, I packed my trape and took a seat .in the coach which was going down under escort with gold. Captain Lucifer had been very quiet for the last two or three months. He might be taking a well-ea<rned rest, but he might also be preparing for a grand coup no one could MY-but in any case no pre- ■ cautions would be relaxed. I was not parti- cularly concerned—vacuus eantaibit a.nte! latronem viator," yon know—though certainly I did net wiaft, to lose vehat little I had a;bout 'me. it was a cold night with a slight touch « frost, as I settled myself down in the Syd- ney coach and looked around me to see who "were my fellow-passengers. There were three of them. Two wera miners, like myself, evi- dently going down to Sydney for a epree; the third was a gentleman in the ordinary tweed sort affected by Englishmen, evidently a. -new chum looking round Australia for plea- sure; in fact, he told us so. He seemed a very pleasant fellow, with a perpetual flow of anecdote and talk, and he kept us thoroughly amuped, which was lucky, as the aroughness of the road and the jolting of the eoaoh made sleep impossible, until we dretw up at a email vrayside statioa, where we ¡ received an addition to our number in the shape of a young and decidedly pretty girl. evidently on her way to Sydney from some I up-country station. "We had the inevitable drink at the little (hotel, and then we started again, but from ith-at- time we had but little more of the bright conversation of our English com- panion, who seemed to be exclusively occupied with our latest acquisition. He iad soon struck up an acquaintance with .her. and chatting easily and without the slightest inquisitiveness, scon had her story (such as it was) out of her. She was an orphan, having originally come to New South Wales with her father, who had died p won after landing and left his daughter little but his blessing. She had succeeded an obtaining a. situation as governess up country, bat her pupils had now outgrown ■her care. and she was coming down to Syd- ney to try to settle somewhere aga-in as governess or companion. For the rest of us the .time passed on slowly and quietly enough. till at last we came to a, spot which rejoiced in the name of Hangman's Gulch. Certainly it was a villainous-looking place; rocks on each side of the road, at places even overhanging it, a spot where regiments could have. lain in ambush, while the long shadows of the rocks, caused by the winter moon, enhanced its possibilities' of conceal- ment. The escort here redoubled their vigi. 11, and conversation in the coach now became gemral, naturally turning on th?t bugbear, Captain Lucifer. Je two miners, who had been very Mbmt aH thTo?h the journey, but who had been on very confidential terms with their flasks, now woke up and became iexcew-ively garrulous, while they were very emphatic as. to what they would do should that. rower sho-w his face near them. She Englishman, however, was more of the opinion tha.t He who fights and runs away. ::may live to fight another day,' and thought That in some cases it was even better to run away without taking the trouble to fight, for the bushrangers always took very good care to attack their prey at a. 'vantage. The miners, however, who had drunk themselves Unto a most bellicose condition, again jTepeated, and, if possible, in even stronger terms, what they would do ehould that Lucifer attempt to attack the coach that they were on. He only wanted to be tackled by men, and he would curl up at once; just let him show his face here, and they'd let him know what was what.' "Their vapourings were here suddenly interrupted by a volley of musketry; there was a. shriek, a groan or two, hoarse voicœ "WIere heaj-d; then came the clatter of horses' II hoofs, a sudden jerk, and the coach came to oa. standstill. The coach from Bl.:1ekm..1.n 8 Creek 'had been stuck up. 1 -'It seems, gentlemen, you have your oppor- tunity," said the Englishman, as he drew his -•revolver, and we followed suit; then in a odüferent and sterner tone, pointing his revover at us and. not at the men who could now be seen approaching the eoach, 'Cœne mow, 'be sensible; can't you see when you're ,,beat, JuA drop these and come out qudtely.' With a curse one of the miners aimed at jthe speaker, and drew his trigger, but there w. mo report. Really, gentlemen, this trifling is absurd. I drew the charges of these revolvers at our /last stoppage. Come, now, a top down. My ^patience is getting exhausted." "TheTe-,was nothing for it but to obay; 8() ;throwing down our useless weapons we got oat of the coach sullenly enough, while Luci- caurteoasly assisted the poor, trembling JSirl. who was our fellow-passenger. Ton are Captain Lucifer, I presume?' C At your service, trir: was the answer. ".YDu see the roads are so unsafe about, betre, aDd the discovery of gold hae brought 4so many loose characters a/bout this part of eAw.eo=trT, tbla I prefer to travel on a gold coach under police escort when possible. In fact, I am partial to all the coaches that carry the gold you worthy fellows dig up with so much honest perseverance, with so much honest toil. But come, let us to business. Short reckonings," you know, etc." "Unarmed, and surrounded by about eight or nine seroundcls fully armed, there was nothing for us but submission, so we pro- ceeded to divest ourselves of all the valuables we had albout us, Lucifer looking on with a bland smile -but in reality watching us like a hawk, while two or three of the gang took out the gold and packed it in portable parcels, while others rifled the mail bag of all contents likely to prove of any value to them. They were cer- tainly quick enough over their work, while we naturally were not so keen, so we were all finished about the game time. Last of all canae the young lady passenger, to whom Lucifer had been so polite on the journey. With a trembling hand she held out to him her prase—'twas, but a small one, yet it con- tained her all-an-d her only ornament a plain gold locket, with a monogram set in pearls on it. 'It was my mother's,' she fal- tered, as-she gave it into the robber's hand. The man turoed his face aside. Was he thinking of his own mother, still living in far away England( thinking and praying for her son? Had some chord in his finer nature ,been touched? Did the loneliness of the poor girl and her evident poverty appeal to him? I cannot say. There was a clink of gold against gold, and then Lucifer turned round, his face impassive as ever, his glance keen. then,' he called; 'is that work finished yet,?' Yes, ca/p'n.' 'W,ell, be off. Those two fellows who escarped may be back with help at any time, and we must put. as many miles as possible between as and tfhe Gulch by daylight. Off you g(.> And his followers dashed off, leav- ing Ijucifer aione save for one follower, who stood behind him holding a horse for his leader. Cood-bye, gentlemen,' said Lucifer. I .aim sorry I cajrnot enjoy your society longer, or anieompany you on your journey. I have a prtsssing appointment elsewhere, besides IWIbrich the air of Sydney does not agree with me. I leave the wounded in your care," he added,, pointing to the roadside to four da-rk figures lying in the dnst, two cf whom, one could see at a. glance, would never need care in this ld again. And now, mademoi- selle, good-bye, and many thanks for your charming -society, which whiled away the tire- j some hours so pteasantly last night. Here is your purse and your mother's locket." And without waiting for thanks, which, indeed, the poor girl was too agitated to give, he jnmped on his horse, waved his hand, bade us a 43ehery g-ood-nigilt and bon voyage,' and disappeared in the darkness, followed by his attendant. "Then there waB a> apaark of chivalry in hiam, after all," saJd I, as Afr. Harrison paused. "There was a d of romance abemt him, the bustoraoger of fiction may ihave a parallel; in fact?" il',m, tbtaA depends. He gave the girl her purse back certainly; but he emptied it of its contents first." "1 said I hesurd the clink of gold, but it was- her goldjoraing ours in his belt. As for the locket, its intrinsic value was not great, and would only have possibly compromised him had he kept it or parted with it. At all 4events, the poor girl landed in Sydney .piraotically penniless, but her story made friends for her as soon a3 it was known; she ,goat an, excellent situation as a companion to an elderly lady, where she lived happily enough for over a year and a half, and wfhere I found her when I returned to Sydney, having struck it rich and made my pile. Sdx weeks after we were married." So that's where you first met Mrs. Harri. ,eon. That is so?" "And Lucifer. What of him?" "The -usual- thing. Went on, too long. Police caught him one day with a single companion, surrounded him; he made fight, got four bullets in his body, and escaped the gallows. No, his real name was never dis- covered. Well, I'm off to roost. Good night aJI." Good-night.

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