The morning call., 1893-08-27

HdlluS IOE q Tie L hCau-
while sitting in deep thought. Ihen he
rose and abruptly left the room. Minnie
waited, bewildered. agOnized. for few
minutes.
Then the President returned, bearing in
his hand slip of paper. Minnie's heart
reached her mouth. if there is anything In
the phrase.
81 have seen my executive" said the
President 1--WE cannot pardon him and
set him free as you wish, but his sentence
shall be committed. Give this 10 the Land
drost Tonight. He shall hear further from
me-"
Minnie took the paper from the Presi-
dents hand. scarcely able TO repeat the
burning words Of gratitude that rose 10
lips:
II cannot thank you as l should" she
murmured but shall never forget your
goodness, and God will bless you forever"
She took the big hand of President Paul,
pressed it reverently to her lips. and was
speedily gone.
Once more in the coach on the way to
johannesburg Minnie's tears fell fast. but
they were tears of gratitude. thankfulness
and joy that she had SO we'll succeeded in
her mission.
Arrived in johannesburg. she lost not a
moment in seeking the Landdrost. to
whom she handed the Presidents paper.
The JaDddrOsS read il carefully and
then sternly said: THE President and
executive have been pleased to commute
Thomas ClarkSOn'S sentence to penal SER
vltude for life. l am sorry to say that he
has proved unworthy Of the kindness-he
has escaped from our charge"
Escaped" repeated Minnie, half-be-
wldered, from where?"
From the Jail, of course. Where else?
But he cannot have gone far and will soon
be rpcaptured.
"Whtn did he escape?"
Early this morning, so far as any one
chooses to tell. He must have had help
from the outside. 1t would have been i'm
possible for him to escape unaided. | am
sick Of these cases of lail-breakiug. Some
body must have helped him." And the
LanddrOst looked suspiciously at Minnie.
Without replying. the girl went away
bewildered. almost stupefed.
Midnight found Minnie sitting in her
room. wide-eyed and wakeful. She had
gone through a wearying and exciting
day, but she was unable to rest. Her
thoughts were, of course, with Thomas.
How had he cOntrlved to escape? she
wondered. Who had helped him? Where
was he now? Could he get safely out Of
the country, or would he be recaptured
and dragged ANONYMOUSLY back to prison
thousand fears tOrmented her.
Mlnnle!' Ii was low whisper borne
oD the midnight breeze. She started to
her feet, listening intentlY.
Then she heard footstep outside the
window. 1t was soft and stealthy, but
she knew it well.
Wrapping a cloak closely round her she
softly opened the door and stepped out
side. For moment she was inclined to
think that her excited Imagination had
played her false, but the next in slant both
her hands were grasped in tight clasp.
Thomas" she softly, eagerly whis-
pered, sis it really you?'
q / lie I
'Oh, why did you Gomez" she cried in
terrible risk? Go! On. 90 at once"
Il am going instantly; but L could not
90 until ] had seen you once more. Do
not tremble SO, Minnie. There isno danger.
No one dreams that am still here"
How did you escape? VINO helped
you?"
"a man who is almost stranger, and
on whom | had not the slightest claim. He
is waiting with horses in the next street
now. We shall travel through the night,
and in the morning he will conceal me in
the house of a friend. To- morrow night
we shall go on again. He has provided me
with disguise and given me money. He
planned it ALL"
WHO is he ?"
"He is-but. no. l will tell not you. You
NAV be questioned. and what you do not
know you cannot tell
haps you had better not tell me that, for |
may be questioned"
Il could not tell you if would. my dar-
ling, for / do not know. am coward to
run away, Minnie, but 1 could not face
death on a scaffO6.
Minnie shuddered.
Thank God you are free. Thomas, from
that danger. They could not have taken
your lie, for the President has ordered a
com mutation of your sentence"
The President! At whose instigatiOn-
who asked him to-
II did"
"You. Minnie? Heaven bless YOU. nv
brave darling. but now | must 60"
es. go! There is danger in every mo-
ment that you linger here. GOod-by.
Thomas"
"Good-byI May heaven bless You and
keep you, my darling" And with a loving
embrace they separated.
Would they ever meet again on this
earth? Ii seemed very improbable.
ClarksOn went out into the dark night
and into darker future. Minnie was left
alonc-alone in great misery.
The blazing sun of December noon cast
its fierce rays on the dry" diamond dig
glugs at Hebron, on the broad, sluggish
V aal; on the rough red and brown kOpies
with their glaring gravel heaps, and on the
square, shallow claims where the digger
gaZed eagerly over his sleeves. In a claim
at the bottom Of the Natal kopje was n
young man. He was not sorting or dig
ging, nor. in fact. doing work of any kind.
He was sitting idly on a huge rock, his
elbows on the edge OF his gravitating tub.
his chin resting on his hands. Do You
know him? Do you recognize the tall.
slight figure, the worn, anxious face,
the weary, sad eyes, with such a weird,
dark, far-away look in them? You have
met him before. Once. wandering through
the streets of Johannesburg = hungry,
frlendless, penniless. Once again You saw
him in the crowded Courthouse and heard
him sentenced TO death. You heard him.
too, reader. IN the midnight of darkness,
bidding to his betrothed what seemed 10 be
tender. final farewell. You know him,
for he is Thomas Clarkson.
1t is year and half since ali that hap
pened. and he has been at the Hebron dig
gings eyer since. Christmas eve is at
hand, and he is thinking of the past with
dull. aching pain at his heart-a PAIN not
now sharp and maddenng as 1t used TO be
at first, for the shame and hopelessness
have become familiar to him. He is ac-
customed to them aud they have grown to
be part Of himself A lonely, dreary
life he has lived at HebrOn--an existence
bereft Of every joy, hope and cheering
prospect. He had worked on from day to
day, not in the hope of finding fortune;