E. W. Hornung

“ And as if to finish the thing off with a flourish Thomas Blacker was finally even better than his word, for, as far from the end of the week as the Wednesday evening, he dined in Sydney and rode out by moonlight and the Point Piper Road with Whybrow's ticket signed and sealed in his pocket. ”

“ Had no one told her the harbour was full of sharks? But the land sharks in Sydney itself, the felons and malefactors stalking at large there in the light of day, were as bad and worse; yet she could trust herself willingly to one of these!
Mrs. Astley had changed colour at his words,
"Hush!" she cried at last. "He will hear you."
"He!" exclaimed the martinet. "What do I care what he hears? Let him listen and take heed."
"But I care," insisted the lady in an imploring voice. "I take an interest in the poor fellow. I am sorry for him. He has been telling me his trouble. ”

“ Oh, can one wonder that men grow worse out here, if that is all you expect of them! If you treat your convicts like dogs, whip them like dogs, and never credit them with a single remnant of their native manhood, how can you expect ever to make them into the men they were? ”

“ The Major strode through the cottage, was shown the boat rounding Shark Island homeward bound, and elected to await the lady's landing in her own garden. He must speak seriously to Mrs. Astley. It was bad enough for an unprotected woman to live alone in that lonely place with a convict man-servant and a maid who was no doubt a convict also: but to trust herself upon the water with the male criminal and none beside! It was worse than madness. The poor lady was in need of a friend to warn her of her danger, and she should find that friend in Thomas Blacker. ”

“ I'm afraid you'll have trouble with your convict servants; if you don't you'll be different from everybody else; when you do, you come to me."
The widow bowed and smiled, and asked her visitor whether it was long since he had been in England. It was seven years: there had been sad changes in the time. George the Fourth was gone, and poor dear Edmund Kean; the stalls would never look upon his like again. No, the theatre in Sydney was of the poorest description; madam must not dream of going there, at least not without the Major's protection. ”

“ I am always ready; and you, you will have the right to take care of me as you should: you will have your ticket-of-leave."
"Never!" muttered the Major between his teeth, and he crunched the paper he held ready in his hand into a ragged ball. He forgot his doubts upon the moonlit road. The injured man was all the man now. He crept still nearer and saw that for which he was now so fully prepared: the widow reposing in the convict's arms. ”

“ Whybrow might hesitate to cut your throat—I doubt if he has the pluck for one thing—but he'll rob you as sure as you stands there. I remember his case very well. A more accomplished villain has never been transported. ”