id, with an angry scowl, "that you will
have the pleasure and triumph of carrying me to Melbourne alive; you are
mistaken."

"Look well to your prisoner!" shouted the officer, as the men prepared
to slip a cord over his wrists.

He was too late in his warning, for the desperate robber suddenly thrust
his hand into his bosom and drew forth a huge knife, which he waved over
his head.

The policemen started back, surprised and confused at the suddenness of
the action; and before they could rush and disarm the prisoner, he was
outside of the door, nourishing the knife, and threatening death to all
who opposed him.

"Fire on him!" yelled Murden, perfectly frantic at the thought of his
escape. "Kill him--kill him!"

The robber rushed towards the woods, and it seemed as though he would
escape in spite of the loaded guns which we carried in our hands; but
one of the men, more cool than the rest of us, discharged his carbine,
and the ball struck the right leg of Nosey, and crushed the bone as
easily as though it was a pipe stem.

Wounded as he was, he did not immediately stop, but continued on,
striving to gain the woods, as though his safety was secure if he could
reach them. But the effort was too much for human endurance. He
staggered, struggled to maintain his erect position, and then fell with
a crash to the ground. We went towards him; he did not move; we turned
him over, and found that he was lying in a pool of blood, quite dead.
Either by accident or design, he had fallen upon his knife, and it was
sheathed to the hilt in his heart.

CHAPTER XXXII.

RETURN TO THE STOCKMAN'S HUT.--SMITH IN LOVE.

The bushrangers were struck with awe at the sudden death of their chief,
and made no resistance as they were bound in pairs. Indeed their
audacity appeared to desert them, although they maintained a sulken
aspect until they got a glimpse of Steel Spring, who, to prevent
mistakes had been bound to a tree, while we secured his comrades.

The glances of hate and scorn which were cast upon their betrayer
appeared to have no effect upon his well-tried nerves, and he seemed to
act as though he had done his duty and was not ashamed of it, and didn't
care who knew the part which he had played in the drama. The death of
Nosey, however, appeared to astonish Steel Spring, for when he was
allowed to see the body he grew pathetic.

"So old Nosey is dead!" he exclaimed, looking upon the face of the
wretch; "veil, he vas