Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-06-12
PART TWO-TREASURE,
CHAPTER VI.
TWO DESPERADOES.

It will be remembered that the jury
adjudged Keppel Darke guilty Of murder
in the second egree-perhaps to fortify
their consciences against The phantom Of
that small man with the hair on his face.
The publiC--so far as the newspapers rep
resented it-professed itself satisfied with
the sentence of imprisonment for life in
Sing Sing. The prisoner himself, how
ever was ungrateful enough 10 declare
himself highly disconnected; and Olym
pia Raven, who contrived, in spite OF her
mothers protestations, to gain access to
the prison before he left New orl, said
TO him words which he never forgot, and
which made him resolve never to give
up the hope of freedom "Keppei, she
said, Il know you are Innocent, | prom
Use to love you always and never to marry
any man but you"
The authorities We're very proud OF the
CELEBRITY which had characterized their
conduct of the case from the beginning.
Instead of lingering along for two or
three Years they had their man convicted
in three OF four months. Ii was a lovely
day in s.1mner when sentence was pro-
nOuuced, and in order to maintain their
good record they arranged to dispatch
Che priscner to Sing Sing that night
At sunset heavy thunderstorm sprang
up, and instead of clearing away after
an hour or two fresh battaions of clouds
gathered az darkness fell, and the cleo
trical flashes and detonations shivered
and resounded through the heavens. The
train with Keppel on board started from
the station in the midst of drenchiny
rain.
Keppel sat in the car next the baggage
car. Frank Monroe, the detective VINO
had arrested him, sat in the seat by his
side. His left wrist was fastened to the
right wrist Of the officer by the hand
cuffs. Another officer sat in the seat in
front Of him. There were about twenty
other passengers in the car; but few or
none of them We're aware that Keppel
was prisoner-still less that he was the
famous murderer of Harry Trent.
Most Of them began to be sleepy after
half an hour or so and disposed them
selves as comfortably as they could for a
nap. Even the detectives eyes We're
heavy, and he kept himself awake only
by vigorous chewing Of tobacco. But
Kappel was not sleepy in the least, He
felt as if he should never sleep again.
lie reviewed in his mind all the Incl
dents Of the last three months. A silent
passion OF rage and rebellion seized upon
him. He felt that 10 gain liberty he
would do murder hundred times over.
lie WIS at deadly war with the world; il
had taken from him without justitica.
ton everything that he held dear. Nc
imaginable retaliation on his part could
be too great. But he was absolutely
helpless. He was chained b his captor
and III little more than an hour he would
be between walls that he could never
scale, The rain dashed against the win
dDws; the lightning glared through tht
darkness. Oh, if heaven would but send
bolt To shatter his letters and set hilL
treel
His eyes, wandering about the car, be
came fixed upon young man who wa
seated in the next seat forward, on thu
other side Of the aisle. 1t struck hin
that this young man bore considerable
resemblance to himself He was tai
and rather slender, and had long darl
hair that hung down on the back Of hi
neck. His hands were slender, with lon.
pointed fingers, The face was scarcely
like his; the nose was different, ant
there was slight mastache on the up
per lip. His coat, too, instead of being
black, like keppel's, was gray summe
tweed lie sat in the corner of the sea
by the window. with his head throw
back, asleep, How careless and secur
he looked. He had a happy life befor