human
If it had not meant so much to me, that hundred pounds, Dick continued, as though arguing with himself,
gpt
It was a hundred and thirty, said Flint;
human
I remember that you didn't forget the odd thirty then.
gpt
Dick, Fanny presently exclaimed, out of a brown study,
human
No use thinking, Dick answered.
gpt
By this time he's a life--if they didn't hang him.
human
What?
gpt
Why, the last I heard of him--the day I sailed from Melbourne--was, that he was captured somewhere up in Queensland.
human
If you had sailed a day later you would have heard more.
gpt
What?
human
He escaped.
gpt
Escaped?
human
The same night. He got clean away from the police-barracks at Mount Clarence--that was the little Queensland township. They never caught him. They believe he managed to clear out of the country--to America, probably.
gpt
By Jove, I'm not sorry!
human
Here are some newspaper cuttings about him, continued Flint, taking the scraps from his pocketbook and handing them to Dick.
gpt
Read them afterwards; they will interest you. He was taken along with another fellow, but the other fellow was taken dead--shot through the heart. That must have been the one he called Ben; for the big brute who tried to knife you had disappeared some time before. When they were taken they were known to have a lot of gold somewhere--I mean, Sundown was--for they had just stuck up the Mount Clarence bank.
human
Yes, I heard that when I heard of the capture.
gpt
Well, it was believed that Sundown feared an attack from the police, and planted the swag, went back to it after his escape, and got clear away with the lot. But nothing is known; for neither Sundown nor the gold was ever seen again.
human
Mamma, aren't you glad he escaped, cried Fanny, with glowing cheeks.
gpt
It may be wicked, but I know I am! Now, what would you do, Dick?
human
What's the good of talking about it?
gpt
Then I'll tell you what I'd do; I'd hide this poor Sundown from justice; I'd give him a chance of trying honesty, for a change--that's what I should do! And if I were you, I should long and long and long to do it!