The Gold Hunter's Adventures Or, Life In Australia Volume 2 ( Of 2 ) by William H. Thomes (books to read in your 30s TXT) 📕

With Chains Every Person Who Utters A Word Against The Government. If I

Had A Sensible Man To Deal With Instead Of The Commissioner, I Think

That This Storm Would Blow Over, Or At Least Be Delayed For Some Months,

Until Advices Could Be Received From The Home Secretary. But As It Is--"

Mr. Brown Stopped Talking Suddenly; And When I Looked Up To Learn The

Cause, I Saw, To My Surprise, That Mr. Sherwin Had Entered The Store

Unperceived, And Had Probably Heard A Portion Of The Conversation.

There Was An Embarrassing Silence For A Few Moments; Although Mr. Brown

Did Not Look At All Frightened By The Presence Of His Superior Officer.

I Expected A Scene, And I Was Not Disappointed, For Ill Feeling Had Long

Been Engendered Between Them, Partly Owing To The Mining Tax, Which Mr.

Sherwin Was Supposed To Have Induced Government To Believe Was Just And

Equitable, And Partly Owing To Conciliatory Measures Instead Of Harsh

Ones, Which Mr. Brown Had Judged Best To Adopt For The Purpose Of

Keeping Ballarat Quiet.

"I Need Not Suggest," Said Mr. Sherwin, With One Of His Most Sarcastic

Smiles, "That This Store Is Hardly The Place To Squander Time In When So

Many Disloyal Men Are Plotting Against The Government, And When An

Outbreak Is Threatened Every Hour."

"You Are, Undoubtedly, Addressing Your Conversation To Me," Mr. Brown

Exclaimed, With A Lazy Yawn, And A Good-Natured Smile.

"I Certainly Am," Was The Short Rejoinder, Accompanied By A Look Of

Surprise.

"And I Suppose That You Think I Am Not Doing My Duty, Simply Because I

Am Resting My Weary Form?" Mr. Brown Asked, Still Maintaining His

Composure.

"Your Thoughts Are Perhaps Right On That Point. Time Is All That We

Desire Now Until The Troops Arrive, When We Can Deal With These Foolish

Men As We Please, And As The Best Interests Of The Country Demand."

"I Don't Think That I Distinctly Understand You," The Inspector

Remarked. "Do You Wish Me To Break Up The Meetings Which The Miners Are

Holding, And Make Arrests For Every Dissatisfied Word That Is Uttered?"

"Such A Course Would Meet My Approbation, And, I Think, The Approval Of

The Governor And His Advisers. You May Take A Different View Of The

Matter."

"And If I Should Venture To Differ With You, What Then?" Demanded Mr.

Brown, His Cheeks Flushing Slightly.

"A Resignation Placed In My Hands Would Be Instantly Forwarded To The

Proper Quarter, And I Have No Doubt That It Would Be Accepted," Was The

Curt Rejoinder.

"I Feel Quite Grateful To You For The Hint, And To Show That I Can Act

On It, Will Lose No Time In Drawing Up Such A Paper."

Mr. Brown Walked Quietly To Our Desk, Helped Himself To A Sheet Of

Paper, Wrote A Few Lines, Signed His Name With A Flourish, And Handed

The Document To The Commissioner. The Latter Cast His Eyes Over It, And

A Grim Smile Mantled His Dark Face As He Did So.

"You Have Done Well, Sir, And I Think That The Government Will Be

Obliged To Me For Thus Bringing Matters To A Crisis; You Are No Longer A

Member Of The Police Force At Ballarat."

Mr. Sherwin Turned To Depart, But Mr. Brown, Still Calm And Quiet,

Detained Him.

"One Word Before You Go. You Acknowledge That I Am No Longer Your

Subordinate Officer, Do You Not?"

The Commissioner Bowed Stiffly, But Did Not Deign To Make Reply.

"A Few Minutes Since," Mr. Brown Went On To Say, "I Was Accused Of

Squandering Time. I Wish To Ask Whether I Was Ever Known To Squander

Money Belonging To The Government?"

Had Mr. Brown Fired A Pistol At The Head Of The Commissioner, The Latter

Could Not Have Been More Astonished. He Stared Upon His Questioner With

A Bewildered Air; And I Could See His Swarthy Cheeks Turn Pale, As

Though Impeachment Stared Him In The Face For Malfeasance While In

Office. I Knew That There Were Dark Hints Of His Corruption, And That Be

Had, In Some Manner Not Known To The Public, Made A Fortune While He

Held The Office Of Commissioner.

"What Do You Mean?" Demanded Sherwin At Length; And Even While He Spoke

His Voice Was Husky And Tremulous.

"I Asked A Simple Question, And It Requires Some Time And Consideration

On Your Part To Make An Answer, It Appears. I Will Repeat The Question.

Did You Ever Know Me To Squander Money Belonging To The Government, And

Fail To Give An Account Of It?"

"Do You Dare Insinuate Aught Against Me In My Official Capacity?" Cried

The Commissioner, Stepping Towards His Late Officer With A Threatening

Brow.

"Have I Said A Word That Should Cause You To Feel Aggrieved? Do My Words

Apply To You In Any Way Or Form?" Mr. Brown Exclaimed, Without Flinching

From The Withering Look That Was Cast Upon Him.

"I Know What You Mean; And If You Dare To Accuse Me Of Peculation While

In Office; I Will Brand You As A Liar!"

The Belligerents Were Not More Than Five Feet Apart; And I Expected To

See Some Brisk Work For A Few Minutes, But Fred Passed Between Them, And

Prevented A Collision That Seemed Inevitable.

"You Have Met In The Store," Said Fred, "On What We Call Neutral Ground,

And Therefore We Cannot Permit This Quarrel To Go Any Farther. If You

Have, Unfortunately, Differences Which Must Be Settled, Do Not Involve

Us, For Remember, We Are Friends To Both."

"You Speak Wisely," Mr. Sherwin Said, After A Moment's Thought, During

Which Time He Recovered His Composure; "I Was Foolish To Get Angry At

Any Words That Might Be Addressed To Me By That Gentleman. I Have Known

Him Long, And Suffered Severely From His Vindictive Temper. His Claws

Are Now Cut, And He Is Powerless."

"But I Have A Tongue, And Know How To Use It Like An Englishman!" Cried

Mr. Brown, Proudly; "You May Triumph Now, But I Warn You That Before

Many Days, You Will Be Stripped Of Your Title And Honors, And Inquiries

Instituted Which Will Bring To Light Many Secrets That You Little Dream

Of. I Have Watched Your Course In Ballarat, And The Report I Shall Have

To Make Is Not A Creditable One, Believe Me."

"I Cannot Prevent People From Playing The Spy Upon My Actions, And

Neither Do I Wish To. I Am Honest In My Deeds, And Care Not Who Knows

Them; And If I Am To Be Injured, It Must Be By Some Person Who Is Ready

To Perjure His Soul For The Sake Of Revenge."

I Thought That Mr. Brown Would Rush Upon His Opponent, And Strike Him To

The Floor, He Looked So Indignant. His Small Form Swelled With

Ill-Concealed Rage At The Accusation; But Before An Outbreak Took Place,

I Placed My Hand Upon His Shoulder, And Led Him Into The Private Room,

And During His Absence, Mr. Sherwin Hurried Off.

"The Mean, Cowardly Wretch!" Exclaimed Mr. Brown, Grinding His Teeth

With Suppressed Rage; "To Think That The Very Man Whose Peculations And

Stealings I Have Helped To Cover Up, For Fear That Disgrace Should Be

Brought Upon The Police Department, Now Dares To Place Me Upon A Level

With A Spy, And To Proclaim That The Government Will Feel Rejoiced At My

Loss, Is Sufficient To Test The Fortitude Of A Christian. D---- Him,--I

Would Shoot Him, If That Would Not Deprive Me Of The Satisfaction Of

Seeing Him Disgraced."

We Did Not Interrupt His Ravings, And At Length He Cooled Down, And

Smiled At His Past Folly.

"I Am Glad That I Am Now Out Of The Force," He Continued, "Because, As I

Have Always Contended, There Will Be No Honor Gained When Blows Are

Struck, And Much Condemnation Will Follow. Government Will Shuffle The

Blame Upon Some Poor Devil Of An Employé, And Contend That Instructions

Were Exceeded. Many Letters Will Be Written On The Subject, And A Rigid

Investigation Held--Pounds Of Printers' Ink Will Be Shed, And The

Newspapers Will Be Lively With Discussions, And In The End The Miners

Will Triumph, And The Tax Will Be Abolished."

"And What Do You Intend Doing? Stay Here In Ballarat, Or Go To

Melbourne?" Demanded Fred.

"I Have Hardly Made Up My Mind. I Shall Write To The Captain Of Police A

True Statement Of My Situation, And The Manner In Which I Was

Endeavoring To Conduct Affairs To Avoid An Eruption; And Although I Am

Not Very Desirous Of The Office, Yet I Will Lay A Wager That I Am

Reinstated In Some Other Locality, And That I Take A Higher Rank In My

Profession."

The Prognostication Was Correct; For Mr. Brown Was Removed From The

Ballarat District, And Did Duty For Many Months In Melbourne As A

Lieutenant, And Ranked Next After Murden.

Just Then A Few Customers Entered The Store, And We Hastened To Attend

Upon Them, And After Their Wants Were Supplied, And The Place Cleared Of

Eavesdroppers, Mr. Brown Drew His Chair Up To Ours, And Asked,--

"Which Of You Would Like To Accompany Me On A Short Journey, And Be

Absent For A Week Or Two, Eh?"

"We Have Not Time To Spare For That," I Said.

"But One Of You Can Go As Well As Not; That Fellow, Barney, Whom I See

Hanging Around Here,