Page 147 - A Little Bush Maid

rather worried at the reports-- T don’t fancy the notion of escaped gentry of
that kind wandering round in the vicinity of my small daughter."

"Well, T don’t think you need have worried," said Norah, laughing up at

him; "but all the same, T’m not a bit sorry you did, if it brought you home a
day earlier, Dad!"

"Well, it certainly did," said Mr. Linton, pulling her ear; "but T’m not sorry
either. T can’t stand more than a day or two in town. As for the murderer,

T’m not going to waste any thought on him now that T am here. There’s the
gate, and here comes Billy like a whirlwind to open it."

They bowled through the gate and up the long drive, under the arching
boughs of the big gum trees, that formed a natural avenue on each side. At

the garden gate Mrs. Brown stood waiting, with a broad smile of welcome,
and a chorus of barks testified to the arrival of sundry dogs. "Tt’s a real
home-coming," Mr. Linton said as he walked up the path, his hand on

Norah’s shoulder--and the little girl’s answering smile needed no words.
They turned the corner by the big rose bush, and came within view of the

house, and suddenly Norah’s smile faded. A trooper in dusty uniform stood
on the doorstep.

"Why, that’s a pleasant object to greet a man," Mr. Linton said, as the
policeman turned and came to meet him with a civil salute. He nodded as

the man came up. "Did you want me?"

"Tt’s only about this ’ere murderer, sir," said the trooper. "Some of us is on a

sort of a scent, but we haven’t got fairly on to his tracks yet. T’ve ridden
from Mulgoa to-day, and T came to ask if your people had seen anything of

such a chap passing--as a swaggie or anything?"

"Not that T know of," said Mr. Linton. "What is he like?"

"Big fellow--old--plenty of white hair and beard, though, of course, they’re

probably cut off by this time. Very decent-looking old chap," said the
trooper reflectively--"an’ a good way of speakin’."