and as the market
was, in mercantile parlance, glutted with goods of all descriptions, a
forced sale was effected, and Smith bought largely at a low figure. He
is in good spirits, and says that he never felt so well in his life as
since he was married."

"Married?" we repeated, in astonishment.

"Yes, Smith has married Becky Lang, and a good wife she will make him.
The lady's father, the convict, still remains on his cattle ranch, and,
for some strange reason, refuses to move to Melbourne, where Becky has
taken up her residence. The ceremony was performed at the latter place,
and I was one of the witnesses."

We could readily understand why the old man refused to move. The banks
of the brook near which he resided were too rich in gold deposits to be
given up until a competence was acquired. We wondered if Smith revealed
the knowledge of the money which we had dug successfully for, and which
we had shared between us. We feared that he had, and that Murden would
consider we had acted unfair in the transaction. But as he said nothing
on the subject we were not disposed to introduce it.

"How is my old friend Brown, and how does he like the duties at this
station?" Murden asked, as he rose from the supper table, and Steel
Spring took his place.

We gave a favorable account of the inspector, and while the lieutenant
was listening, a sudden thought entered our heads, which we were
resolved to carry into effect, and thereby get square with Mr. Brown,
who had played us a trick some time before. Murden was anxious to speak
with the inspector and deliver his letters, but he wished to do it in a
secret manner, so that no suspicions should be awakened that he was on a
government mission, or that government was preparing to strengthen its
force at Ballarat. The authorities knew that a struggle must occur
between the miners and the police, and it had been considered advisable
to hasten the conflict before the miners gained more strength, defeat
them badly, as the council at Melbourne supposed could be easily done,
hang a few for high treason, and afterwards the mining tax could be
collected without any difficulty whatever.

Such was the programme that the governor-general and his council laid
out, and they supposed that it could be executed; and even Murden
labored under the same impression until we convinced him of his error,
and advised him by all means to keep out of the conflict if possible, as
which ever way the battle w