Ghost Stories and Mysteries (27 page)

While at the back of the hill—that is to say, the side farthest removed from our camp—I thought I heard a faint sound like a distant shot. I listened, but heard nothing more, and concluded it was fancy. Having found the water, I thought I would ascend the mount out of curiosity. From the top there was an extensive view, but by no means a cheerful one—black and gloomy looked the sea of dark scrub around. I had been looking away from our camp. When I turned towards it I saw, to my astonishment, a glow of fire in that direction. It seemed to me to be beyond the ridge where the reef was, and I could not understand it, for there was no grass to burn in that region. Hastily descending, I made back to the camp.

“One way and another, I had been about four hours absent by the time I reached the camp again; and what was my horror to hear cries of pain and sounds of scuffling as I approached. Coming out of the scrub into the open, I saw distinctly, for the moon was directly overhead, and it was bright as noonday. I heard, as I said, groans and cries of anguish, and I saw a camel worrying a man. Instinct told me it was ‘Crookshanks’ having his revenge on Dunaston. He was literally wiping the ground with him. No wonder the poor wretch shrieked, for of all bites, that of a camel is the most painful, more so than a horse’s.

“I was in time to save his life, for ‘Crookshanks’ was about to make an end of him by dropping on him with his chest and crushing him. I rushed up and blazed my revolver off close before the camel’s eyes. I only wanted to frighten him off his victim, for in my heart I rather sympathised with the animal. With shouting and firing another shot, I got Dunaston away, and he was a pitiable sight.

“I was completely bewildered. How did Dunaston come to be there? Where was Martow? However, the only thing to do was to look to the groaning man. I carried him to the camp, put him on the blankets, got a light, and proceeded to examine him. He had had a terrible time of it; no bones were broken, but he was so bruised that I doubted if in that bet climate he would recover. I once had to do my best for a man who was dying from being mauled by a camel. Dunaston not so bad as him, and that was all I could say.

“I had brought a small medicine-chest with me, and I bandaged him up and gave him a quietening draught to take the strain off his nerves; then I made up the fire and looked about the camp, but could find no sign of Martow, living or dead. I had to wait until Dunaston was able to speak. He came to himself when the effects of the soothing draught I had given him had worn off.

“‘When did you come back?’ I asked.

“‘About half an hour ago,’ he answered.

“‘Where is Martow?’

“‘I don’t know. I have not seen a soul. I was looking about when that devil attacked me. I’ll cut the soul out of him when I am able to get up.’

“‘You may never get up,’ I said shortly.

“He tried to sit up, but gave a yell of pain, and lay staring at me.

“‘What do you mean? Am I fatally hurt?’

“‘No, But you are bruised and bitten all over, and only constant attention and care will save you in this climate. For at least two days somebody must be in attendance to change and renew the bandages and keep them moistened with the antiseptic I have put on. Now, satisfy my curiosity. What have you been doing, and why are you alone?’

“‘We went into Wonderranup and fixed everything up, and Winkelson will be here in a day or two with the camels. The warden is coming out with him. I was anxious about you fellows, and pushed on before them. Where is Martow?’

“‘That’s what I must find out. I left him here at dusk, while I went over to a hill three miles away to see if there was any water. I just came back in time to save you from having all the life squeezed out of you.’

“‘What do you think can have become of Martow?’

“‘I cannot possibly imagine. I am going to have a cruise round.’

“‘Don’t go far, For Heavens sake, don’t go out of hearing.’

“‘Don’t excite yourself; it’s the worst thing you can do. I am not going to leave you just yet.’

“I made him comfortable, and, taking a rifle, went out on what I felt was a hopeless quest.” The doctor paused, drank off his whisky, and then resumed.

“Somehow I felt certain Marrow was dead. I went up the ridge to the reef, looked all about where we had been working, fired a shot or two, and waited. No answering shot came. The interior of Western Australia at night is a land without sound; in the dead stillness the slightest noise could be heard; but I heard none. Martow was dead, but who killed him? Dunaston said he came only half an hour before I returned.

“Then I suddenly recalled the sound of a shot that I had fancied I heard when at the granite hill. Dunaston was a liar, and, I began to believe, a murderer as well. I returned to the camp, for there was nothing else to be done till morning.

“I sat down gloomily, scarcely speaking to the wounded man. I began to think that old ‘Crookshanks,’ the camel, had saved my life. I was safe at present, for the man was helpless. I attended to his bandages during the remaining hours of darkness, and meditated on the position.

“At daybreak I got some food ready, and told Dunaston I was going to make a thorough search for Martow.

“‘And leave me here to die,’ he cried.

“‘You must chance that,’ I answered. ‘You should have thought of that before you murdered Marrow.’

“For a minute the man was speechless. Then he said in a husky voice—

“‘Why on earth should I murder Martow?’

“‘Because there would be one less in the reef. You would have done the same by me, but for ‘Crookshanks’ having a grudge against you.’

“‘God! What put such villainous thoughts in your head?’

“‘Facts. What has become of Martow? I left him here alive and when I come back I find you here, and he has disappeared. While I was away I thought I heard a shot. When the warden comes with Winkelson there will be a strict search made, if I have not found him before then.’

“A curious expression passed over the man’s face. He made an effort to move, and groaned in agony.

“‘You said yourself that I should die if not looked after; how can you talk of leaving me?’

“‘You
will
die probably; I don’t like the look of those bruises at all this morning. I might be able to save you, but duty calls me elsewhere. Martow may be lying wounded in the scrub.’

“‘Stay with me, doctor. Oh, for mercy’s sake, don’t let me die just when I’m going to be rich.’

“‘You’ll die easy. Mortification will set in, but just before it comes you’ll suffer torture.’

“‘How can you be such a brute? You’re a murderer if you leave me here.’

“‘I firmly believe you are one, or I shouldn’t talk to you like this. But I must go. I will get you some breakfast, leave everything handy for you, and then spend the day searching for Martow.’

“‘Don’t go! Don’t leave me to die alone like a dog. You can save my life if you stay with me. Martow can take care of himself. Don’t leave me, doctor; don’t let me die!’

“So the man pleaded in his agony and fear of death.

“I went outside and made up the fire. Looking about, I saw ‘Crookshanks,’ the camel, who had been caught by his nose-rope in the scrub. I went down to him, and, as he seemed to be in a good temper, I led him up to camp, unsaddled him, gave him a drink, and put him oil some feed. Then I went back and gave Dunaston some breakfast, and had some myself.

“‘Doctor,’ he pleaded faintly, when I was making ready to start, ‘listen! If Martow does not turn up, there will be his share to divide between us two’—

“‘Between us three,’ I reminded him.

“‘Yes. Now, I will give you half my own share, in addition to yours, if you will stay with me and attend to me until I am out of danger.’

“That was my sin and my mistake. I had been gloating over that gold too long, and now I hungered for it. Instead of leaving him at once, to live or die, as Fate thought fit, I lingered.

“‘Half my share! Why, man, no doctor in the world ever got such a fee before.’

“I hesitated, then I asked when he expected the others up.

“‘Not less than a day or two,’ he said.

“‘I will stay with you two days on those terms. By then you will either be dead or out of danger.’

“He was not able to hold a pen, but I wrote it down, and he touched the pen while I signed for him. Then I fought with death for forty-eight hours, and I won.

“On the third day Winkelson and the others had not arrived. I told Dunaston that he was safe, and that I would take ‘Crookshanks’ and go and meet them, and direct them to the other rock-hole, as the one where we were camped was getting very low.

“He agreed, for he could crawl about, and I started, taking, by his directions, the track by which he and Winkelson had gone in. The first day I met no one. The second day I met no one. The third day I came upon a host of tracks making towards the Spindrift on a slightly different line. Much puzzled, I kept on, and met a camel team. We stopped to talk, and they informed me they were pushing out for the new rush, ‘Dunaston’s Find.’ I asked if Winkelson was ahead with the warden. They did not know the name. They were in Wonderranup when Dunaston came in, and they were certain that he came in alone.

“Their words turned me cold, although the day was hot enough. Had there been two murders? I found I was only twenty miles from Wonderranup, so I went on there, and learned the full extent of his villainy. He had come in alone, and the ‘Spindrift’ was taken up solely in his name. Winkelson must have been treacherously put out of the way on the road down. This was cold-blooded work for you! I joined in with some others going to the new rush, and returned. The place was changed entirely, even in those few days, and was now a busy scene of life. I sought out Dunaston at once; he saw me coming, and managed to get rid of the men he was talking to.

“‘Well,’ I said hotly, as I came up, ‘you had better say your prayers, you d— murdering villain! for I have found out everything, and this crowd will think nothing of lynching you when they know what you have done, although it does not often happen in Australia.’

“Dunaston looked at me with provoking coolness. ‘If they lynch anybody, or anybody deserves hanging it’s you. You left with two mates: you turn up alone with a cock-and-bull story about their having mysteriously disappeared, and I suppose you claim the discovery of this mine.’

“I couldn’t speak. The man’s astounding audacity and wickedness staggered me.

“‘You see the situation, and, I need scarcely say, will accept it—will have to accept it. I know nothing of you, or of the men who went with you. As things go in the constant change and excitement going on now, the disappearance of our friends will not be noticed; but let me draw attention to it, doctor, and you’ll find yourself in an awkward position.’

“‘Then you mean to deny everything, you diabolical villain! My saving your life from the camel; your bond to me for your life?’

“‘Everything,’ he calmly replied. ‘We were fellow-passengers on board the steamer; since then we have not seen each other. Remember the people who were in Wonderranup when we started are now dispersed all over the goldfields, and were too busy with their own affairs to notice us,’

“The wretch was right. He could easily throw all suspicion on me, and I should have a small chance for life, I simply had my hands tied, and was utterly in his power. He owned the reef; the paper which I held was in my own handwriting; I had not a single proof of any stability to bring forward. Would you believe it? It was not the horror and atrocity of the man’s crimes that overwhelmed me at the moment, but the contemplation of what a besotted fool I had been to let this villain get the best of me when I held the game in my own hands.

“‘I would to God you were in old ‘Crookshanks’ clutches again, and I looking on,’ I said.

“‘You would let him crush me. That is exactly what you ought to have done, doctor, and precisely what I should have done, in your place. However, we can’t put the clock hack, and you are a man of sense,—and thoroughly understand the position.’

“I did understand the position, and my blood boils and nearly maddens me, when I think of it. The man is a double-dyed murderer and robber, and I am a struggling physician, but he has the money. Still, I believe that I shall hold trumps one day, and then God help Lambert Dunaston. I’ll avenge the deaths of the two men he murdered.”

“You found no trace of the lost men?”

“No. I own I did not stay there much longer.”

Part 2: How the Debt was Paid

LAMBERT DUNASTON and his bride were passengers on the China steamer
Emperor
,
en route
for the pleasant and interesting land of Japan. It had been rather a shock to him to find that his old West Australian mate, Dr. Hunt, was taking a holiday by filling the place of the regular ship’s doctor that trip, but it was too late to draw back, and as Hunt met him on the standing of a stranger, he concluded that it was simply one of those unfortunate coincidences that happen during a man’s life time.

Under shelter of the Great Barrier Reef, along the coast of Northern Queensland, the voyage was through summer seas, and but for the haunting presence of his former friend, Dunaston’s honeymoon trip would have been an ideal one. Summer seas, however, are proverbially treacherous, and once past Thursday Island the
Emperor
got into a storm belt, and received some buffeting about.