Cover image for

In The Far North

Author Louis Becke
Category Short Story
Language English
Published 1901
Notes

From The Tapu of Banderah and Other Stories.

Approx. 8,592 words.

Excerpt

t, a man he knew--had known years before when he (Harrington) was a drover and the other man--Walters--was a mounted trooper in the Queensland police.

They shook hands warmly, and then Walters said, "Come along with me, Jack, to the Water Police Station; we can have a yarn there.... Oh, yes, I'm a Sydney man now--a full-fledged inspector of police... tell you all about it by and by. But, push along, old man. One of my men has just told me that a woman who jumped off the Circular Quay and tried to drown herself, is lying at the station, and is not expected to pull through. Hallo! here's a cab! Jump in, Jack; there's some whisky in the sergeant's room, and after I've seen the cadaver--if she has cadavered--we'll have a right down good yarn."

The cab rattled through the now almost deserted street, and in a few minutes Harrington and his friend alighted at a small stone building overlooking the waters of Sydney Harbour. A water-policeman, who stood at the door under the big gas-lamp, saluted the ins