“The treacherous scamp, after he had won their confidence by relating some incidents connected with his early life, began to examine the guns which the miners carried; and after he had finished, and when the men were about ready to commence their journey, a stout, dark-faced, ferocious-looking man appeared before them.  He soon made known his intentions, for in his belt he carried a pair of pistols, and at his shoulder, with glistening eyes glancing along the barrel, sighting the first one that offered to stir, was a heavy gun, with a bore like a blunderbuss.

“For a few seconds they stood thus, not a word being spoken, when suddenly Steel Spring, with a pretended cry of terror, threw himself at the feet of the stranger and shouted for mercy.  It was a trick of his, and well he played his part; yet the miners did take up their guns, but found that the priming had been removed by Steel Spring while they were drinking his liquor.

“The instant the poor fellows made a motion towards repriming, the bushranger discharged his gun, and one fell.  The other two, struck with awe at the sight of their comrade’s blood, turned and fled—­but a pistol shot brought down one of them, while, by good fortune, the third escaped, and brought to me a narrative of his sufferings.

“He had lost all of his hard earnings, for the gold dust was in their knapsacks, and left behind, a prize to Black Darnley.  The survivor begged of me, nay, entreated, and promised half that he had lost if I would only recover his wealth.  In fact, he appeared to be much more anxious to get his gold than avenge the death of his comrades; and amidst all his grief, he had the impudence to ask me if I did not consider that he was entitled to the wealth of his partners in case I recovered it.  I was almost tempted to turn him out of my room, but I thought that it would do no good; I recollected that I had a public duty to perform, and I made preparations for an immediate departure.  I took with me but three men, stout fellows whom I knew I could rely upon, and whose courage had been tested in a dozen fights.

“We armed ourselves with pistols and rifles, and mounting the fastest horses that we could command, started for the scene of robbery, in hope of tracking the villains to their retreat, and bringing them to speedy justice.  We reached the tree, near where the murders had been committed, but no bodies were in sight.  A short distance from the road, however, was a long line of dried weeds and rank grass, and as I observed a number of birds of prey sailing over the place, I concluded that I should find the remains of the men there.  I was not disappointed.

“The bodies had been dragged out of sight of the road, and then rifled of every thing of value.  I did not stop to give the poor fellows burial then, because every moment was of importance; but after we had concluded the expedition, my men returned and covered them with earth, and placed a rude cross at their heads.