Sword and shield., 1885-07-04
NUMBER 1872.

on Dartmoor, few miles from Princes
Town. l had been strolling lazily
about for some time, when / suddenly
came upon bit of moorland, which |
decided it was imperatively my duty to
transfer to canvas, so | sat down on a
messy bowlder, and was soon diligent-
Y at work, and absorbed in the task of
trying to represent the lovely autumnal
tints on stream, rock, and heather In
tent on my picture, | took no note of
time, till suddenly | perceived the
shadow getting ominously long; and
consulting my watch, / found it was
past five o'clock, and that, unless
made speedy start, / should hardly
reach Princes Town before nightfall; so
hastily packed up my traps, deciding
that would come and finish the sketch
on the following day. | was just light
ing my pipe, preparatory TO starting,
when fancied that l saw something
move behind large rock a few yards
away, and heard what sounded very
like y smothered cough. was bit
startled, as, save the birds, no living
thing had been near me for hours; but
| thought would see what it was, so
/ walked up TO the spot, and pushing
aside the high braeken, was going to
examine the place, when suddenly a
figure rose up and confronted me- |
am not a nervous man, but / must con-
fcSs / got start as | saw before me a
man clothed in convict garb, bare
headed, wild, and dishevelled Even
in my first alarm, | remember | no
ticed the number 492 on his clothes,
and don't fancy / shall ever forget
that number. | grasped my stick firm
", and thought to myself that / was,
SO to speak, in very nice little fix.
Conyicts are not pleasant neighbors at
any time; but tete-d-tete with an es-
capped convict on lonely moor, miles
from any house. is decidedly an inter-
view not to be desired. However, my
fears speedily subsidized. for my convict
did not seem 1T all disposed to make
himself disagreeable, but merely stood
looking at NE, trembling III every
limb, and from time to time coughing
in way that shook his wasted frame
all over. Poor chap! he was piteous
spectacle his checks all sunk and hol-
low. and with his prison dress just
hanging about him. he looked like 4
living skeleton.
The situation Was awkward to me.
As law-abiding citizen, felt that it
was my duty 70 take some means Of
restoring him 70 the establishment at
Princes Town which he had evidently
quilted without leave Whic. is IN or
diaary human being, felt The SINGER
est pity for the haegari fellow who
stood there, gazing a me with hollow.
1evrrish eyes. However, the contest
between duty and compassion was
speedily put IN end 70 b, no. 1872 him
self, for, alter j more than usually
rackmg cough, his legs gave way un-
der him and lie rolled down among the
brackcn. .Duty fled; compassion won
the day. | went and picked him up,
and propped him with his back against
a rock, where he gaspcd and choked
till | really thought he would die then
and there. In minute or two, how
ever, he revived, and in 4 very faint
and feeble voice said I'm nigh
starved, guy nor; guess lis about up
with me- -
| went back TO get some sandwiches
out of my case, and offered them to
him; he seized them eagerly. and be-
gan to eat them rayenously; but again
a terrible fit OF coughing came on, and
he sank back, saying: 1T amt no
use; can I eat now; pose I'm gone
too far
Here was a pleasant position. The
man was evidently in the last stage of
exhaustion; and even my unpracticed
eye could see that No. 492 had his
days, or even hours, numbered. |
moistened his lips with some brandy
out Of my flask, and saw, to my salts
faction, that this produced a decided
improvement. But what in the world
] should do next perplexed me sorely,
50 | repeated the dose of brandy, and
took counsel with myself as to the next
move
Under the influence of the brandy,
my patient propped himself up again,
and with great difficulty told me how
he had escaped from the convict prison
three days before, and had wandered
over the moor, till want of food and
exposure had-to use his own words
''spoilt his game, and he was going
back to prison to give himself up. Sec
ing me sketching, and feeling his /
strength almost gone, he had decided !
to come and surrender himself to me;
but when he got near, the poor fellows
courage failed him, and he had crawl
ed away behind the rock where | had
discovered him.
1T amt no use my trying to get
away, guv'nor," said he. sadly; lin
that weak can't walk a step.
couldn't escape now, not if carriage
and-four was waiting for me. I'd want
a nuss to lift me up into it. Guess I'll
die in quod after ALL
did not think hc would die in auod:
but kept my thoughts to myself, ,.for
felt sure that before the prison could
be reached, No. 492 would be far
enough away, and it would only be
suit of convict clothes on wasted
skeleton that would enter the gloomy
gate.
Look here, my poor chap" said /.
''You can't stop here; you must let
me carry you as well as 1 can, and
must try and get you back to the pris-
on" l felt rather mean as | said this,
for did pity him heartily. / knew
nothing about his crimes. He might
have been the greatest villain; yet /
felt for him, having just tasted liberty
and having to go back to captivity; and
a single glance at him showed pretty
plainly that the prison would not hold
him long, even if we ever got there. I