'Sam Flood, a gambler in a little Western mining town, was in love with May, the pretty daughter of Harper, who ran the local pub, but that love was not returned, May having bestowed her affections on a handsome young miner named Dick Taylor. Flood induces Dick to have a game of poker, and while the game is proceeding, Dick sees Flood slipping four cards up his sleeve. Dick immediately rises and calls Flood a cheat; the latter draws a revolver and covers Dick. The onlookers stand spellbound. While the tension is at its highest there is a sudden movement and Dick has Flood by the wrist. In the struggle the revolver goes off, but nobody is hurt, and at last Dick secures the weapon, calmly takes the cartridges out, and returns it to Flood. Dick challenges Flood to fight him in true Australian fashion, and they adjourn outside the pub to see who is the better man. After a hard fight Dick, with a left to the body and a right to the jaw, puts Flood to sleep. The miners are so overjoyed that they hoist Dick shoulder high and carry him back to the pub. Bad as Flood is, there is a woman who still loves him, though ho treats her badly — her name is Tess Jones. After the fight when every one has left him, Tess comes to him with soothing words, her goodness being repayed with blows. A few days later Flood follows May into the bush and attempts to kiss her, but, fortunately, Dick has followed, and Flood is forced to beat a hasty retreat.
'Flood and three accomplices arrange to stick up the gold escort, and their plan is overheard by May and her little brother Jack. The men see May and seize her, but Jack has hidden behind a tree and has not been seen. They take May with them, and after they are gone, Jaok comes from his hiding place and runs home, where he tells his parents and the miners what has happened. The miners, led by Dick, start out in pursuit. May is tied to a tree and left there while Flood and his party leave for the place arranged for the attack on the escort, A tree is felled across the track, and the men await the arrival of the escort. A mounted trooper appears and rides up to the tree and dismounts. Directly he does so, Flood hits him over the head, stunning him, then drags him into the bush. They are just in time, for the coach comes swinging round a bend, the driver pulling up as he gets to the fallen tree. Flood and his companions open fire, two troopers fall, and the others surrender. The robbers overturn the coach and drive the horses into the bush. While getting out the gold boxes and mail bags, Dick and the miners ride up, firing a volley as they do so, and the men, with the exception of Flood, are captured. Flood, slipping away in the excitement, gets back to where his horse was left and makes his escape, although the miners were hot on his track.
'A week later Dick and May are to be married. In the meantime Flood, who has evaded capture, returns to the township to have revenge on Dick, although Tess tries to dissuade him. The wedding day arrives, and by Dick's wish they are to be married in the bush. The minister has just made them one, when Flood rushes on, revolver in hand. Just as he fires, Tess steps forward and receives the bullet meant for Dick. The miners seize Flood and nearly tear him to pieces before handing him over to the police. Dick and May are very happy, but they will never forgot how nearly they were being separated the day of "The Bush Wedding."'
Source:
'The Miner's Curse', Jerilderie Herald and Urana Advertiser, 23 February 1912, p.5 (via Trove Australia).
