hurt."

"I intended that the blow should," replied Maurice, making preparations
to repeat it.

"Don't strike, for God's sake don't. I'll tell the truth this time," he
yelled.

"How much money did the men have, and what was your share?" repeated
Murden.

"I don't know how much they had, but I does know that I got a hundred
pounds for my share in the affair. But I didn't kill the men. 'Pon honor
I didn't"

"I believe you on that point. Wait a moment, Maurice; I have another
question or two."

"I vish that you'd let me hanser 'em vithout bein' tied up," groaned the
wretch.

"What became of that young girl who was on her way with a party of
friends to join her father at Ballarat, and who was carried off by a
gang of bushrangers?" questioned the lieutenant.

"She's dead," replied Steel Spring, dropping his voice and looking
around anxiously, as though fearful he should see her ghost in the
darkness.

"Who claimed her as a prize?"

"Nosey took charge of her, and threatened to kill any one vot spoke to
her; but I believe that she got a knife and stabbed herself, sooner than
submit to his vishes."

"This is horrid," I said, hardly knowing whether to believe all that I
heard, or consider it the effect of imagination.

"Nevertheless, it is true. You have never heard all the cruelties that
the gangs commit; if you had you would be ready to exclaim, Give them no
quarter, for they deserve none!"

"Now that I've hanswered all you vant to know, you von't vip me any
more, vill you?"

Murden was about to speak, but just then a new subject engrossed his
attention, and he had no longer an opportunity to inflict chastisement
upon the begging wretch.

CHAPTER XXIX.

REVENGE OF THE BUSHRANGERS.--FIRING OF THE FOREST.

The punishment of Steel Spring was suspended, and the stout sword belt
remained in the hands of Maurice, inactive, while all eyes were directed
towards the heavens, from whence a bright light proceeded, which
illuminated the open space where we stood, so that even the ghastly
faces of the dead and dying could be observed with awful distinctness.

For a few minutes' time, even the busy tongue of Steel Spring ceased to
wag and each turned to the other, and asked the reason of such a bright
light at that time and place.

"I think it's the moon just rising," one of the men ventured to say.

"There's no moon to-night," was the brief rejoinder.

"Then what is the meaning of the light?" was the in