for the term of his natural life-第85章

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y　that；　some　six　months　afterwards；　Mr。　North；　when　at　Parramatta；　received　an　official　letter　（in　which　the　expenditure　of　wax　and　printing　and　paper　was　as　large　as　it　could　be　made）　which　informed　him　that　the　〃Comptroller…General　of　the　Convict　Department　had　decided　that　further　inquiry　concerning　the　death　of　the　prisoner　named　in　the　margin　was　unnecessary〃；　and　that　some　gentleman　with　an　utterly　illegible　signature　〃had　the　honour　to　be　his　most　obedient　servant〃。




CHAPTER　XXII。

GATHERING　IN　THE　THREADS。



Maurice　found　his　favourable　expectations　of　Sydney　fully　realized。　His　notable　escape　from　death　at　Macquarie　Harbour；　his　alliance　with　the　daughter　of　so　respected　a　colonist　as　Major　Vickers；　and　his　reputation　as　a　convict　disciplinarian　rendered　him　a　man　of　note。　He　received　a　vacant　magistracy；　and　became　even　more　noted　for　hardness　of　heart　and　artfulness　of　prison　knowledge　than　before。　　The　convict　population　spoke　of　him　as　〃that　　Frere；〃　and　registered　vows　of　vengeance　against　him；　which　he　laughedin　his　bluffnessto　scorn。

One　anecdote　concerning　the　method　by　which　he　shepherded　his　flock　will　suffice　to　show　his　character　and　his　value。　　It　was　his　custom　to　visit　the　prison…yard　at　Hyde　Park　Barracks　twice　a　week。　Visitors　to　convicts　were；　of　course；　armed；　and　the　two　pistol…butts　that　peeped　from　Frere's　waistcoat　attracted　many　a　longing　eye。　How　easy　would　it　be　for　some　fellow　to　pluck　one　forth　and　shatter　the　smiling；　hateful　face　of　the　noted　disciplinarian！　　Frere；　however；　brave　to　rashness；　never　would　bestow　his　weapons　more　safely；　but　lounged　through　the　yard　with　his　hands　in　the　pockets　of　his　shooting…coat；　and　the　deadly　butts　ready　to　the　hand　of　anyone　bold　enough　to　take　them。

One　day　a　man　named　Kavanagh；　a　captured　absconder；　who　had　openly　sworn　in　the　dock　the　death　of　the　magistrate；　walked　quickly　up　to　him　as　he　was　passing　through　the　yard；　and　snatched　a　pistol　from　his　belt。　The　yard　caught　its　breath；　and　the　attendant　warder；　hearing　the　click　of　the　lock；　instinctively　turned　his　head　away；　so　that　he　might　not　be　blinded　by　the　flash。　　But　Kavanagh　did　not　fire。　　At　the　instant　when　his　hand　was　on　the　pistol；　he　looked　up　and　met　the　magnetic　glance　of　Frere's　imperious　eyes。　　An　effort；　and　the　spell　would　have　been　broken。　A　twitch　of　the　finger；　and　his　enemy　would　have　fallen　dead。　There　was　an　instant　when　that　twitch　of　the　finger　could　have　been　given；　but　Kavanagh　let　that　instant　pass。　　The　dauntless　eye　fascinated　him。　He　played　with　the　pistol　nervously；　while　all　remained　stupefied。　Frere　stood；　without　withdrawing　his　hands　from　the　pockets　into　which　they　were　plunged。

〃That's　a　fine　pistol；　Jack；〃　he　said　at　last。

Kavanagh；　down　whose　white　face　the　sweat　was　pouring；　burst　into　a　hideous　laugh　of　relieved　terror；　and　thrust　the　weapon；　cocked　as　it　was；　back　again　into　the　magistrate's　belt。

Frere　slowly　drew　one　hand　from　his　pocket；　took　the　cocked　pistol　and　levelled　it　at　his　recent　assailant。　　〃That's　the　best　chance　you'll　ever　get；　Jack；〃　said　he。

Kavanagh　fell　on　his　knees。　　〃For　God's　sake；　Captain　Frere！〃　Frere　looked　down　on　the　trembling　wretch；　and　then　uncocked　the　pistol；　with　a　laugh　of　ferocious　contempt。　　〃Get　up；　you　dog；〃　he　said。　〃It　takes　a　better　man　than　you　to　best　me。　　Bring　him　up　in　the　morning；　Hawkins；　and　we'll　give　him　five…and…twenty。〃

As　he　went　outso　great　is　the　admiration　for　Powerthe　poor　devils　in　the　yard　cheered　him。

One　of　the　first　things　that　this　useful　officer　did　upon　his　arrival　in　Sydney　was　to　inquire　for　Sarah　Purfoy。　　To　his　astonishment；　he　discovered　that　she　was　the　proprietor　of　large　export　warehouses　in　Pitt…street；　owned　a　neat　cottage　on　one　of　the　points　of　land　which　jutted　into　the　bay；　and　was　reputed　to　possess　a　banking　account　of　no　inconsiderable　magnitude。　He　in　vain　applied　his　brains　to　solve　this　mystery。　　His　cast…off　mistress　had　not　been　rich　when　she　left　Van　Diemen's　Landat　least；　so　she　had　assured　him；　and　appearances　bore　out　her　assurance。　How　had　she　accumulated　this　sudden　wealth？　　Above　all；　why　had　she　thus　invested　it？　　He　made　inquiries　at　the　banks；　but　was　snubbed　for　his　pains。　　Sydney　banks　in　those　days　did　some　queer　business。　Mrs。　Purfoy　had　come　to　them　〃fully　accredited；〃　said　the　manager　with　a　smile。

〃But　where　did　she　get　the　money？〃　asked　the　magistrate。　　〃I　am　suspicious　of　these　sudden　fortunes。　　The　woman　was　a　notorious　character　in　Hobart　Town；　and　when　she　left　hadn't　a　penny。〃

〃My　dear　Captain　Frere；〃　said　the　acute　bankerhis　father　had　been　one　of　the　builders　of　the　〃Rum　Hospital〃〃it　is　not　the　custom　of　our　bank　to　make　inquiries　into　the　previous　history　of　its　customers。　The　bills　were　good；　you　may　depend；　or　we　should　not　have　honoured　them。　Good　morning！〃

〃The　bills！〃　Frere　saw　but　one　explanation。　　Sarah　had　received　the　proceeds　of　some　of　Rex's　rogueries。　　Rex's　letter　to　his　father　and　the　mention　of　the　sum　of　money　〃in　the　old　house　in　Blue　Anchor　Yard〃　flashed　across　his　memory。　　Perhaps　Sarah　had　got　the　money　from　the　receiver　and　appropriated　it。　　But　why　invest　it　in　an　oil　and　tallow　warehouse？　He　had　always　been　suspicious　of　the　woman；　because　he　had　never　understood　her；　and　his　suspicions　redoubled。　　Convinced　that　there　was　some　plot　hatching；　he　determined　to　use　all　the　advantages　that　his　position　gave　him　to　discover　the　secret　and　bring　it　to　light。　The　name　of　the　man　to　whom　Rex's　letters　had　been　addressed　was　〃Blicks〃。　He　would　find　out　if　any　of　the　convicts　under　his　care　had　heard　of　Blicks。　Prosecuting　his　inquiries　in　the　proper　direction；　he　soon　obtained　a　reply。　Blicks　was　a　London　receiver　of　stolen　goods；　known　to　at　least　a　dozen　of　the　black　sheep　of　the　Sydney　fold。　　He　was　reputed　to　be　enormously　wealthy；　had　often　been　tried；　but　never　convicted。　Frere　was　thus　not　much　nearer　enlightenment　than　before；　and　an　incident　occurred　a　few　months　afterwards　which　increased　his　bewilderment　He　had　not　been　long　established　in　his　magistracy；　when　Blunt　came　to　claim　payment　for　the　voyage　of　Sarah　Purfoy。　　〃There's　that　schooner　going　begging；　one　may　say；　sir；〃　said　Blunt；　when　the　office　door　was　shut。

〃What　schooner？〃

〃The　Franklin。〃

Now　the　Franklin　was　a　vessel　of　three　hundred　and　twenty　tons　which　plied　between　Norfolk　Island　and　Sydney；　as　the　Osprey　had　plied　in　the　old　days　between　Macquarie　Harbour　and　Hobart　Town。　　〃I　am　afraid　that　is　rather　stiff；　Blunt；〃　said　Frere。　　〃That's　one　of　the　best　billets　going；　you　know。　I　doubt　if　I　have　enough　interest　to　get　it　for　you。　　Besides；〃　he　added；　eyeing　the　sailor　critically；　〃you　are　getting　oldish　for　that　sort　of　thing；　ain't　you？〃

Phineas　Blunt　stretched　his　arms　wide；　and　opened　his　mouth；　full　of　sound　white　teeth。　　〃I　am　good　for　twenty　years　more　yet；　sir；〃　he　said。　　〃My　father　was　trading　to　the　Indies　at　seventy…five　years　of　age。　I'm　hearty　enough；　thank　God；　for；　barring　a　drop　of　rum　now　and　then；　I've　no　vices　to　speak　of。　　However；　I　ain't　in　a　hurry；　Captain；　for　a　month　or　so；　only　I　thought　I'd　jog　your　memory　a　bit；　d　ye　see。〃

〃Oh；　you're　not　in　a　hurry；　where　are　you　going　then？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Blunt；　shifting　on　his　seat；　uneasy　under　Frere's　convict…disciplined　eye；　〃I've　got　a　job　on　hand。〃

〃Glad　of　it；　I'm　sure。　　What　sort　of　a　job？〃

〃A　job　of　whaling；〃　said　Blunt；　more　uneasy　than　before。

〃Oh；　that's　it；　is　it？　　Your　old　line　of　business。　　And　who　employs　you　now？〃　There　was　no　suspicion　in　the　tone；　and　had　Blunt　chosen　to　evade　the　question；　he　might　have　done　so　without　difficulty；　but　he　replied　as　one　who　had　anticipated　such　questioning；　and　had　been　advised　how　to　answer　it。

〃Mrs。　Purfoy。〃

〃What！〃　cried　Frere；　scarcely　able　to　believe　his　ears。

〃She's　got　a　couple　of　ships　now；　Captain；　and　she　made　me　skipper　of　one　of　'em。　　We　look　for　beshdellamare　＇beche…de…la…mer＇；　and　take　a　turn　at　harpooning　sometimes。〃

Frere　stared　at　Blunt；　who　stared　at　the　window。　　There　wasso　the　instinct　of　the　magistrate　told　himsome　strange　project　afoot。　　Yet　that　common　sense　which　so　often　misleads　us；　urged　that　it　was　quite　natural　Sarah　should　emp