LEIGH HEARS STRANGE THINGS
Craig Bellshaw was in an ill humour. He had received a letter from Lin
Soo which upset him. The Chinaman said he had changed his mind. He could
not supply him with what he required, it was too risky; already he had
been in trouble with the police, and he dare not undertake it. These
were not the exact words, for the letter was illiterate, but Lin Soo
made it plain enough to Bellshaw.
"He hasn't returned the money I advanced him, but he'll have to if he
doesn't fulfil his part of the bargain. There's no risk, at least not
much, and he's done it before. I can't live here without some sort of
comfort."
His quarrel with Garry Backham made him vindictive. He was rather afraid
of Garry after what he had said. The man knew too much about certain
things at Mintaro, doings, which, if they came to light, would get him
into serious trouble. He would have to give Garry the money he had lent
him, but intended keeping him in suspense for a time.
Glen Leigh arrived at Mintaro in the evening. When Bellshaw saw who his
visitor was he wondered what brought him there. It was bold conduct on
Leigh's part to come and face him after deserting his post.
"Are you surprised to see me?" asked Glen as he dismounted, and Bellshaw
came out.
"Yes, you're a cool hand."
"Why?"
"I suppose you know I can have you arrested for deserting?"
Glen laughed.
"Who is to arrest me?"
"I have the power."
"And who's to look after me if you arrest me?"
"I can easily manage that."
"But you won't."
"Why not?"
"Because it would only cause you trouble and worry."
"What have you come for?"
"To buy horses," replied Glen.
Bellshaw laughed as he said, "Turned horse-dealer, have you?"
"I'm on the look out for a dozen of the worst buckjumpers I can find,"
said Glen.
"What for?"
Glen explained. Bellshaw became interested. There seemed to be money in
the idea.
"You'll find plenty here, but you'll have to sort them out yourself. I
can't afford men to help you."
"I'm prepared for that. Garry Backham will find the men."
"Backham's behaved badly towards me; he's not to be trusted. I shouldn't
advise you to have much to do with him."
"He'll not get round me. I've had a long talk with him. He tells me you
put him into Bigs's place; it was good of you to help him."
"And he's repaid me by the basest ingratitude, but it's generally the
way if you help a man."
"It's not my way," said Glen.
"You'll stop the night?" asked Bellshaw.
"Yes, if you'll put me up."
"There's heaps of room. You're welcome to some of it," answered Bellshaw
ungraciously.
After dinner they talked about the horses, and Bellshaw agreed to let
him have a dozen for a hundred pounds, which was quite as much, or more,
than they were worth, but Glen had no desire to haggle over the affair.
He slept in a room near Bellshaw's. In the wooden homestead sounds
carried far.
About the middle of the night Glen was roused by hearing someone walking
on the verandah, pacing to and fro. The footsteps sounded stealthy and
peculiar. He could not make it out; his curiosity was aroused. He got
off the bed quietly, he was only partially undressed, and went to the
door, which opened on to the verandah. It was not locked. He turned the
handle, opened it cautiously, and looked out. There was a faint light,
and at the end of the verandah he saw Craig Bellshaw coming towards him;
he was, like himself, only partially dressed. He did not wish Bellshaw
to think he was spying on him so he almost closed the door and listened.
The pad of his bare feet on the boards sounded strange in the stillness.
Bellshaw stopped when nearly opposite Glen's room. He was talking in a
weird voice; it sounded unnatural. As Glen listened he came to the
conclusion that Bellshaw was walking in his sleep; to make sure he
opened the door wide. He could easily make an excuse that he heard
someone prowling about and wanted to see who it was--if Bellshaw were
not asleep.
The squatter faced him, his eyes wide open, but vacant. He stared
fixedly at Glen but did not see him.
"He's fast asleep," thought Glen, and crept closer to him, not being
able to restrain his curiosity.
"Don't struggle, you fool, or make that horrid row. I'll put you in that
hole if you do. Bite, will you, you vixen? I've had enough of you;
you've tired me out with your grumbling ways. Brought you here by
force! It's a lie. You came of your own free will. You knew why you came
to Mintaro."
Bellshaw clutched the air with his hands as though trying to strangle
something. Glen watched every movement closely. He felt he was on the
eve of a discovery. Bellshaw went down on his knees and pressed the
boards with both hands.
"Keep still, will you! Keep still," he muttered, "or I'll crush the life
out of you. She's quiet now. I'll leave her here. She'll die. There's no
place for her to go to. She'll wander about until she drops, and then
give up. That's the best way. No one can say I killed her. I'll leave
you here. It will give you some sort of a chance if it is a poor one."
Bellshaw got up and began talking again. This time Glen knew he was
speaking to his buggy horses.
Suddenly Bellshaw caught Glen by the arm. For a moment the shock
staggered him. The awakening was dangerous; he seemed about to faint.
With an effort he pulled himself together and glared at Glen Leigh.
"What the devil are you doing prowling about on the verandah at this
time of night?" asked Bellshaw.
"I might ask the same question. I heard your footsteps. Naturally I
wanted to see who it was. You were walking in your sleep. I thought it
best not to wake you. I've heard it's dangerous," replied Glen.
Craig Bellshaw shivered. He was thinking of what he might have said or
done, in Leigh's presence.
"I'm troubled with sleep-walking," he said, "and have been for some
time. It's beastly. No doubt I do and say queer things for which I am
not responsible."
Glen made no answer. He had heard sufficient to put him on what he
thought was the right track, and he could have strangled Bellshaw
without compunction. His hands itched to get at him, but he must bide
his time, and make his punishment more severe. A quick death was too
good for this man, if what he, Glen, surmised was correct.
"I advise you to go and rest," he remarked at last, "or you'll be fit
for nothing later on."
"I'm always upset after this," said Bellshaw. "It unnerves me. If you
want to get away early don't mind me. You can have as many buckjumpers
as you care to take. Pick 'em where you like. I'll lend them to you.
When you've finished with them you can return them, or sell them, and
we'll divide the money."
He spoke feverishly, hurriedly, evidently with the intention of
propitiating Leigh.
"No thank you," answered Glen. "I prefer to buy right out. I'll pick
what I want, and a hundred pounds will more than cover it. A bargain's a
bargain. Besides if I buy the horses I'm under no obligation to you, and
I can do as I like."
Glen left him, went into his room, and shut the door.
Bellshaw walked to his room and sat down in a cane chair, cursing his
luck that he should have walked in his sleep with Glen in the house.
What had he said?
This question kept on repeating itself with monotonous regularity. It
sounded like the ticking of a clock in his head. On one occasion, when
he woke up suddenly, and found himself on the verandah, it all came back
to him how he acted in his sleep. He remembered it now. Had he said
anything that Leigh could get hold of?
No, of course he hadn't. If he'd gone through the whole thing Leigh
would not have understood what he meant. He laughed at his momentary
fears. Glen Leigh might think him mad, but he would never guess at the
truth; it was impossible. He started. Leigh had seen Garry Backham. Had
Garry told him what he suspected? This was hardly likely. Why should he?
Glen Leigh did not lie down again. He was piecing the threads of a
tragedy together, and Craig Bellshaw was depicted as a most hideous
villain, a monster deserving of slow torture, if what he, Leigh,
thought were true. He'd find out, get proof, and when there was
sufficient to go upon, Craig Bellshaw had better beware. No mercy would
be shown him. The scene when he found Clara Benny in his hut rose before
him. He clenched his fists, raised them above his head, and vowed
vengeance on Craig Bellshaw.
Taking a piece of paper he wrote in pencil in large letters LIN SOO.
Dressing himself he went out. When he reached Bellshaw's door he pushed
the paper underneath. He got his horse, saddled it, and rode towards
Boonara.