Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-01-15

and that the real culprit had escaped.
His sentence, however, was that of
penal servitude at Botany Bay fer life
probably the doubt alone saved him
from being hanged.
Naturally, his spirit was CALLED; he
became morose, wild, severe in aspetit
as in temper, and his reputation pn
the convict ship was that of the wo1 st
criminal on board. He rebelled at Lis
jailers, at his food, at his confinement,
and felt ready for any dark deed. The
chance soon came. The vessel was off
the Cape of Good Hope, some miles
away, when he first got knowledge of
& projected mutiny, in which the cap
tain, crew and jailers were all to be
murdered /; and the successful mutt
neering convicts were then to steer
for some unknown point to Africa and
land there.
"It was a desperate scheme, and
with the mutiDy he was thoroughly in
unison, but not with murder. he was
not yet as black as that, and tried
hard to dissuade his fierce companions
from it. but in VAIN. As they persist
ed in their plans he felt that all he
could do was to keep quiet till the
time for action came; but the captain
and his wife had been really kind to
him. and he determined that they
should not die. Yet he would not be-
tray his companions like coward.
"On September 8 the attack was
made. He stood near the captains
cabin to protect its unsuspecting in
mates. When the mutineers, having
seized the watch on deck and killed
them, came rushing down, he ordered
them back from that cabin; they re-
fused to go, and fight ensued. The
captain became reused, the alarm was
given, and, after o desperate resist
ance, the rebels were overpowered and
put in irons. The captain begged of
the guards to set the convict who had
saved his life at liberty, but they de-
clined, pretending that, in reality, he
was as bad as the rest. So he was
closely guarded.
''It was on touching at Perth that
the captains opportunity came. Hav-
ing secured the cooperation of his
mates, he entertained the whole of the
guards at dinner one evening, and
made them hopelessly drunk. In the
meantime, one of his party contrived
to secure possession of the keys, and
in very few moments the conyiot's
irons had been unloosened, and he
was free. The captain himself came
and shook hands with him ere he sent
him off in the boat which was waiting
for him.
IEknow, said he, 'that what I have
done for you is risky, and may cost
me something if my parti discovered;
but you saved my life, go I will take
this risk to save you from the crush.
ing penal servitude. All 1 have to.
say to you is, get away from the coast,
after you have landed, as soon as pos
sible, change your name and appear
ance as much as you can; go into some
honest business, and, though it is not
likely, if ever do hear of you again,
let it be in such way that will do you
credit, and repay me for giving you
freedom tonight.
''The tears stood in the copvict's
eyes as ne thanked his benefactor, and
grasped his hand.
Sir, shall take your advice. My
little bit of good was almost agone by
the brutal treatment I have suffered
for I don't think 1 killed that game
keeper, but even if I did, it was pure.
ly accidental. You have proved to
me that all the kindness and gratitr
are not yet gone out of the woriu, and
hope some day to be able to show
you now appreciate it,.
"Nithin q few minutes more the
boat had landed him on the main
land. He watched it return to the
ship, and then departed.
cit was six years after this that,
with money made in sheep farming,
Joseph TurneH, the former convict,
taraed up at Ballarat just as the first
rush of the gold fever occurred. 1t
WAS Turnell who bought the great
tract of land which was afterwards
discovered to be almost wholly gold
under the surface, and who sold it,
after getting some thousands out of it,
for very large sum. But nobody in
England or Australia, when Joseph
Turnell's name was mentioned, ever
thought for moment that he was the
escaped convict about whom such
stir had been made at home, both on
his escape. and later, when a dying
tramp confessed that it was his gun
shot that memorable night WHICH killed
the keeper.
"Joseph Turmoil was wealthy, and
had married dear girl in Victoria,
who had borne him daughter ere she
died. NeedI go on, Emily? You have
guessed it all He came to England
and took the name of Henry Vane,
owing to having had some estates left
him, as he told his friends; in 1eality,
to throw any chance old acquaintance
off the scent. There is no fear now of
any discovery or disagreeable thing
happening. I felt nervous the first
year or two, but now the only two
who know all this are you and I, for
even the good old captain is dead.
So, you see, I was imprisoned unjustly
after all, but it has turned out good
thing for me in the end. And, now
you have wealth and beauty. I wanted,
for nv own ambition, to see you q
lady by title and position, aud the
Earl of Seacroft could have no finer
countess, nor you more desirable
husband"
She sat pale and agitated, yet smil: