emoved the cross from the neck of the dead robber, placed it around
my own, and reported his death to Murden.

"Dead, is he?" repeated the officer, carelessly; "did he make any
confession?"

"He spoke about an unjust sentence," I replied, "that is all of any
importance, excepting a history which he confided to me; it would be
uninteresting to you, however."

"Ah, I dare say," answered Murden, languidly; "but to tell you the
truth, the man always passed for a person of good birth, even at the
hulks; and there was some romance connected with his sentence, but what
it was, I have forgotten. Old Pete, however, the same whom Gulpin
murdered when he made his escape, used to receive money from some source
or other, for keeping them posted concerning his health and habits, but
the old fellow was a sly dog, and never divulged secrets."

"If a portion of his story is correct, why not the whole?" I asked
myself, as I thought of the hidden treasure, buried somewhere in the
vicinity of the last resting place of Darnley.

The more I pondered over the subject, the more firmly I became convinced
that Gulpin meant honestly by me, when he said that thousands of
dollars' worth of gold dust, taken from people returning from the mines,
was deposited in the earth for safe keeping, and perhaps with a hope
that some day it might be removed, when its owner was ready to flee the
country.

Resolving to consult with Fred, as soon as I could do so without
exciting suspicion, I left, the lieutenant and Fred talking together,
while I went in search of a proper place to bury the dead bushranger.

I had been employed but a few minutes, when Smith joined me, and in
spite of my remonstrance, relieved me of the work which I was
performing.

I did not think it necessary to tell him, at that time, of the
confession of Gulpin, although I knew very well that his assistance
would be necessary when we commenced our search for the gold.

In spite of the intense heat, Smith soon had a grave large enough to
admit, the body of the bushranger, and then we returned to the hut, and
got Murden to allow three or four of his men to carry the body to the
spot.

Fred, Smith, and myself followed the procession, and consigned the body
to the earth, without a word being spoken. It was a solemn moment, and
as I heard the dirt fall upon the corpse, my thoughts wandered to the
proud lady, and the stern father through whose instrumentality the lover
and son became a