The Gold Hunters' Adventures Part 122

"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 doc.u.ment 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 pa.s.sed 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 t.i.tle and honors, and inquiries inst.i.tuted 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 fort.i.tude 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 employe, 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, waiting for Smith, can be made to a.s.sist the one who remains in the store."

"Where do you propose going?"

"I will tell you," replied Mr. Brown, hitching his chair still nearer, and dropping his voice to a whisper; "I am going to make search for a buried treasure!"

We started, and p.r.i.c.ked up our ears. Here was something worth listening to.

"Do you think that one of you can go?" Mr. Brown continued, with a sly wink.

"Well, you have altered our minds slightly, already; but to have our free consent, state the case frankly."

"I will. You remember when we made an excursion into the country some three months since, that we had a brush with a party of bushrangers, and that we captured a number, and among them Bill Swinton, the leader?"

We nodded. We began to comprehend him. Mr. Brown continued, after first glancing around the room to see that no one was listening save ourselves,--

"You will also recollect, if you tax your mind, that I endeavored to get Bill to make some revelations concerning a quant.i.ty of dust which he helped rob a guard of many months since."

We remembered the circ.u.mstance, and also the furious manner in which Bill had refused to divulge his knowledge of the transaction.

"I told him then that I should learn in what part of the country he had buried his share of the treasure, but if I am not mistaken, I was laughed at and defied."

We confirmed Mr. Brown's words in that respect.

"Well," continued the ex-officer, "poor Bill has taken leave of this world, and I hope has gone to a better one. He was hardly suited for this bustling sphere, and I think his cares were too much for him."

"When did he die?" I inquired.

"Last night."

"Did he make a confession? who was with him when he died?" we asked, eagerly.

"Softly; you would hardly have required me to bother the poor fellow with questions, when his breath was scant, and his thoughts were on things not of this earth. I was with him, but he spoke not, excepting to utter the words,--

"'I am going--remember the _shadow_!'"

"To what did he refer?"

"That is precisely what the watcher, who was with Bill when he breathed his last, wanted to know."

"He was probably wandering in his mind, and knew not what he said."