The True Story of the KellyGang of Bushrangers Chapter 9 page 4

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On arriving at Euroa, Mr Wyatt gave Watt’s message concerning the requisite aid and material very fully to Mr Gorman, the stationmaster, and informed him that the line was ‘down through a whirlwind.’ This was Mr Wyatt’s own opinion, strengthened by that of some passengers whom he had heard say that no men could have pulled the posts down like that - that it would require at least a team of bullocks to do it.

From the station Mr Wyatt went straight to the courthouse, distant about half a mile, where his business, which consisted in granting a few licences, was over in a quarter of an hour. Being still much interested in the question of the broken wires, Mr Wyatt obtained a horse and buggy - with some difficulty, since nearly all the horse-flesh and vehicles of the township were under requisition for a large funeral then proceeding - and drove out towards Faithfull’s Creek. Near the homestead he encountered a man who asked him if that were the road to the station, to which Mr Wyatt replied he did not know, and the stranger, making use of some obscene expression, rode away. Looking at his watch, Mr Wyatt came to the conclusion that with this slow going horse, which objected to any pace faster than a walk, it would be impossible for him to go further and yet be back in time to catch the Sydney train northwards from Euroa, as he had to do to keep an appointment at another station next day, and he therefore returned to Euroa. On the way a strong suspicion flashed across his mind that the man who had accosted him was one of the outlaws, and as he jogged stationwards the idea that the destruction of the line was the work of the Kellys gradually gained strength. He remembered that within hundreds of yards of the fallen telegraph posts were no fallen trees or branches, which effectually disposed of the whirlwind theory. On again meeting Mr Gorman his first question was as to whether the repairer Watt had returned. The stationmaster said, ‘No;’ whereon, remarking that the distance was only three miles and three-quarters and that Watt could not repair the line himself, Mr Wyatt told his suspicions. ‘Mr Gorman,’ he said, ‘there is something up; you must give me express permission to ride upon the engine and stop the train and get down to examine the line. I do not believe it was a whirlwind now, because I recollect there was not a single tree or shrub injured anywhere about.’ He particularly enjoined Mr Gorman to tell no one of what he suspected, and said to him, ‘To anybody who enquires, answer, ‘It looks like a whirlwind.’’

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