Pat Ritter. Books

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'The Shearer' - Page 79:

‘I’ve never been robbed in my life.’ Hannah said after a short distance. He’s taken all of my money,’ Tears started to well in her eyes, ‘and Joe’s ring – what will I do?’
‘Don’t worry, the police will catch him and you’ll get your ring and money back,’ John reassured Hannah. John formed an idea to help Hannah and hoped she’d agree with his proposal. ‘I’m staying at the Railway Hotel, if they’ll have me, until I withdraw money from the National Bank to see me through.’
‘I’m staying at Ma’s Guest House – not far from the Railway Hotel, only a couple of houses up the street.’ Hannah felt much better.
Soon the stagecoach pulled up in front of the depot office, and an attendant called to the driver, ‘What’re you doing back so soon?’
‘We’ve been robbed, Billy Wells, he said his name was. Where’s the Sergeant?’ The driver replied.
‘Across the road at the police station, do you want me to fetch him?’
‘No – I’ll go myself.’ The driver crossed the road and walked into the police station where Sergeant Gray stood behind the counter.
‘We’ve been robbed Sergeant, Billy Wells, said his name was. Something about his brother, the police murdered him.’
‘What the hell – we’ve never had a hold-up in these parts since 1880 – what’s the place coming too? Where did this happen? You said his name was Billy Wells?’ Wonder if he’s related to the Wells who attempted to rob the National Bank about six years ago and climbed a tree to escape. He was hung so it can’t be him, unless he’s a ghost.
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'The Shearer' - Page 80:

‘That’s the name he gave – happened at the twelve mile north of town. He told us to ‘stand and deliver’ and we did. He stole the cash box the bank gave me to deliver to Charleville and all my money and things from the passengers.’ The driver told the Sergeant.
‘Where are your passengers now?’ Sergeant Gray asked.
‘Over the road at the depot – they’re upset,’ The driver answered.
‘Constable Andersen – gather the troopers and tracker, saddle the horses, take the driver with you and find this fellow. He couldn’t have gone far. Scout along the river and look for tracks. Report back to me when you find anything,’ Sergeant Gray instructed, ‘Would you mind going to help and show Constable Andersen where the stagecoach was held up?’ he asked the driver.
‘Sure will. I want my money back. It’s all I have to me name.’
Sergeant Gray walked to the depot across the road to speak with the passengers. When he approached the office he saw a male and a female seated in the corner on a seat. ‘Are you the passengers who were held up?’
‘Yes – I’m John Shirley and this is Hannah Young.’ John held his hand out to shake Sergeant Gray’s hand. ‘This has been a terrifying experience not only for me but also for Miss Young,’ he explained.
‘Can you tell me your version of what happened?’ Sergeant Gray took a notebook from inside of his coat pocket, a pencil from his shirt pocket and opened his notebook to begin to take notes of their conversation.
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'The Shearer' - Page 81:

‘By all means – yes, one minute we were chatting in the stagecoach and suddenly a male voice shouted, ‘stand and deliver’. The coach stopped and a man mounted on a horse wearing his hat pulled over his eyes, and a bandana across his face, pointed two pistols at us.’ John explained.
‘He had bright blue eyes, Sergeant,’ Hannah interrupted. She’d never forget his eyes, blue as a clear sky.
‘Is there anything else you can tell me?’ Sergeant Gray continued.
‘Two pistols, one in each hand. He swung down from his horse in one clean movement. Said his name was Billy Wells, thought it a bit strange for a bushranger to provide his name. Said something about police murdering his brother, but it didn’t make sense.’ John continued.
‘He stole my necklace and a ring given to me by my boyfriend’ Hannah broke in.
‘Can you describe the ring and necklace?’ Sergeant Gray continued.
‘Yes – the ring has the initials JR on the face of the ring. Joe Ryan, my boyfriend gave me the ring,’ Hannah explained.
‘Joe Ryan – the shearer?’ Sergeant Gray asked in a non belief voice.
‘Yes, Joe is a shearer. Do you know him?’
‘I know Joe personally. He’s been a guest in our accommodation a couple of times after a night on the grog,’ Sergeant Gray admitted.
‘Sergeant, I can inform you Joe and I are together and assure you he will not be carrying on like he has in his past if I have anything to do with it!’ Hannah explained sternly.
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'The Shearer' - Page 82:

‘Now, John was it? Have you anything else to add?’ Sergeant Gray directed his question to John.
‘No I only hope you arrest this bushranger because he not only stole the cash box but he’s taken all my money.’ John replied.
‘We’ll do our best. Is there anything else either of you want to add?’ Sergeant Gray asked.
‘No I can’t tell you anything more.’ John admitted.
‘I’d love to get my ring back,’ Hannah concluded.
‘Where are you each staying if I need to contact you?’ Sergeant Gray asked.
Both gave their addresses where they could be contacted, bid farewell to Sergeant Gray and left the depot.
‘Hannah, if you have an opportunity over the next couple of days, please contact me. I want to ask you something which could help you,’ said John.
‘Okay, I’ll rest and see you in a couple of days. I’ll be at Ma’s Guest House if you want to call in to speak with me,’ Hannah replied.
‘I might do that. I’ll settle in first and see the bank about money. Hope they have some left,’
They said their farewells. John went to the hotel whilst Hannah walked to Ma’s Guest House where she knocked on the front door, ‘Comin – hold your horses!’ Ma shouted. She opened the door, ‘Hannah - you only left this morning. What happened, my dear?’
Hannah threw her arms around Ma and cried, ‘We were robbed by a bushranger,’
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'The Shearer' - Page 83:

‘Come inside and tell Ma all what happened. I’ll make a cuppa.’ Ma took Hannah by the arm, led her into the kitchen and sat her at the table. Hannah smelt freshly baked bread, ‘Here sit, love and I’ll make you a cuppa.’
Hannah told her story to Ma step by step until she came to the part when the bushranger stole Joe’s ring. ‘What’ll I do?’ she cried.
‘Don’t worry sweetheart, Joe will understand.’ Ma told Hannah. ‘Now you have this cuppa and I’ll make you a lovely piece of freshly baked bread with strawberry jam.’ Ma prepared the meal seething with anger and furious this could happen to Hannah. Billy Wells – I know him alright. His brother Joseph attempted to rob the National Bank and shot a fellow who tried to stop him. He climbed up the tree down the road and the police caught him. They named the tree ‘Robber Tree’. They hung him. She remembered the day clearly, because an event like a bank being robbed in Cunnamulla didn’t happen every day.
Hannah finished her cuppa and piece of bread. ‘Thanks Ma, I feel much better. Do you mind if I have a lay down in Joe’s bedroom for awhile?’
‘You go ahead my dear, you know where to go. Pity I couldn’t get a message to Joe. I don’t know where he’s shearing. Go ahead and have a rest; I’ll check on you later. You stay as long as you want,’ Ma said wondering how she could get a message to Joe.
Hannah soon fell asleep in Joe’s bed; dreaming of seeing the bushranger hold his pistols in her direction. She didn’t know whether he was going to shoot them or not, and was lucky to be alive. Thank goodness Mr Shirley was there beside her.
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'The Shearer' - Page 84:

Ma kept a close eye on Hannah sleeping, seeing her turn several times. She knew the stress this would have had on Hannah, being held up by a bushranger. Must have been terrifying; and the most valuable treasure she possessed, Joe’s ring, stolen. She felt sad and glad at the same time thinking how lucky they all were to still be alive to tell their story. The Police would catch this bushranger, she was certain.
After ensuring Hannah had settled, Ma left her home, which she seldom did. She walked to the Railway Hotel to speak with the barman, Alex, to see if he could get a message to Joe wherever he was shearing. She walked into the public bar where Alex served, ‘Alex, can I have a quiet word with you?’ Ma asked softly.
‘Sure Ma – what’re you doing here? This is the first time I’ve seen you in the public bar. You know women ain’t allowed in the public bar but you are an exception,’ Alex told her. He walked from behind the bar and escorted Ma to the hotel lounge where they each sat opposite one another.
‘Alex, I need you to get a message to Joe. I don’t know which shearing shed he’s working.’ Ma explained.
‘I can do that,’ Alex replied. ‘This about the stagecoach robbery?’
‘Yes, Hannah was one of the passengers who were robbed. A ring Joe gave her was stolen by the bushranger, Billy Wells. You remember his brother Joseph attempted to rob the bank some time back and was hung?’
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Thank you mzawf for your thanks: here is the page for today: 'The Shearer' - Page 85:

‘Yeah I heard about the stagecoach hold-up from one of our customers. Mr Shirley, he’s staying at the hotel and was a passenger with Hannah. He told me all about what happened,’
‘Can you get a message to Joe to tell him Hannah is staying with me and Billy Wells stole the ring he gave to Hannah with her money? Can you do that?’ Ma asked.
‘Sure can Ma, I’ll get onto it right away,’ Alex replied, ‘You leave it with me. The bush telegraph would’ve probably got to him by now in any case.’

Chapter 11

Constable Andersen with an aboriginal tracker, stagecoach driver and two troopers gathered their horses and rode north along the track the stagecoach had travelled. Nearing the spot where the stagecoach was held up earlier the driver yelled, ‘Here it is, right here! This is where he stopped us.’
The aboriginal tracker dismounted and gave the reins of his horse to Constable Andersen to hold. He scanned the ground. ‘Been here boss – horse shod, went this way.’ He pointed towards mulga scrub.
‘We’ll take it from here. You return to town and leave the horse in the police paddock at the back of the station. Thanks for your help,’ Constable Andersen said to the driver.
‘I want to come with you – might need a hand.’
Constable Andersen raised his voice. ‘We’ll be right, there are enough of us. You return to town and tell Sergeant Gray we’ll follow the tracks and report to him later when we find something.’
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