The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-09-18
turned the key and took out little

turned the key and took out a little
blue packet.
"1havehad to forbid Mrs. sylvester's
visits" he said, land when / tell you
the reason, | think you will agree that
am right in sending Dirk to Cape
Town. You zee, he seemed to expect,
when the reprieve came, that he would
be set at liberty; and so did she, but
as you know, the death sentence has
only been committed to one of inn
prisonment for life; and how on earth
they managed to persuade the Govern
or to do that, can't tell. Well, since
that has been made plain to Dirk, he
has been u changed man. He talks
hopelessly of his future-and God
knows, poor fellow, it's dark enough!
he seems to be pining for freedom, he
says the convict dress clings to him
like searcloth, and the other day just
after his wife had visited him, saw
such IL queer look i'll his eyes that
quietly turned over his things. Atthe
bottom of Il basket OF comforts she
had brought him, found this"
He opened the packet, and poured
out before my eyes whitish powder.
"Well?" said interrogatively.
"Poison!" he briefly replied, as he
swept the powder back into the pack
ct. "And now," he added, "don't
think me hard If send Dirk to Cane
Town"
There was an unusual stir and ex-
citement in Kimberly; the streets were
crowded with men and women whose
faces bespoke every kind OF emotion,
from despuiring rage to rejoicing
malice; whilst hither and thither
amongst the throng in the market
square rode officials in the dark blue
uniform OF the Cape Civil Service.
At length there was u cloud OF whirl-
ing dust in the Transvaal road; the
crowd swaycd and parted, and at a
hand gallop two heavily laden mule
wagons passed through the surging
ranks, and halted for the escort to
close round.
A woeful freight those wagons bore;
a load OF human misery; a company of
wretched convicts, into whose souls
the iron of captivity had already Ell
tered; a consignment ofbaffled, trapped
and forsaken seekers afterillicit wealth.
Youth and age We're there, and the
CALLING letters bound all together
IN the links of n common despair.
Chained as they were, like wild beasts,
some stood up, and in agonized voice
called upon friend, wife and child, who
answered not; while others, crouching
piteously in a corner of the rude con-
veyance, bowed their heads between
their trembling hands, and sought to
keep out the light of sun which had
become hateful to them.
Suddenly, caught sight of Dirk Syl-
vestcr. He was sitting OH the side of
the foremost wagon, his arms folded
across his chest, and Il look of eager
expectation OH his finely nodded face,
thin and pale with confinement and
suffering. l called to him, but he
heard not; his gaze seemed fixed on
some far-away object, and a smile
played upon his wan lips.
l hurried on in advance ofthe caval-
cade toward the Oasis, which l knew
it must pass, OH its way to the open
veldt. l remembered that the govern
or OF the Jail had told me the night be-
fore that he had allowed u last inter-
view before the fearful journey to Cape
Town between man and wife, and that
they spoke some words in French,
which lie did not understand, but
which seemed to have a wonderful ef.
feet OH Dirk.
AS neared the gate of the Oasis,
over which the blue-gums cast their
shade, and where the sweet trailing
flowers We're i'll their full autumnal
beauty, saw Sylvester's wife standing
motionless. She was attired in the
plain white dress she wore OH the day
hi the trial, and also when she crowned
Dirk's hopes and rendered him the envy
OF the bachelors OF the Fields by be-
coming his .own. Her golden hair
iloated unheetled OH the lazy breath
from the distant plain; her eyes were
turned upward to the deep blue sky
above, and her lips seemed to be NOV
ing us if in silent prayer. There was
the convict party; their coming was
herallcd by a wild refrain of dismal
song chanted by the prisoners; and
adown the startled air came the sound
OF creakins wheels, the cracking of
whips, the shouting OF orders and the
responsive curses Of the mob. Twas
unwilling to obtrude myself on her
notice, and therefore l did not speak
to her, but merely took up a position
close by the gate.
Nearer and nearer came the rolling
wagons; and the crowd rushed through
the eddying dust, till, suddenly, they
caught q glimpse of the lonely watcher
in the gateway. There was not a man
there who did not know that the slight,
pale woman standing with her hands
claspcd convulsively together, and her
whole so,,l concentrated as = ,vora i,
one long gaze. was sylyester's wife
Even the officials knew his history.
they knew he was no midnight pur.
chaser of stolen gems. but only n has.
sionate, hapless man;and as if by in.
stinct. the melancholy procession
slowed and steadied and paused before
what was once the home of a pure and
holy love.
Dirk was standing now: the smile
on his Inns lit IN his whole conn.
tcnance; he looked like the careless
happy Dirk of former davs: the lines oi
care and deep and dull agony seemed to
soften and disappear from his face