Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-08-19


:anP9 stealthy movement Of his
head that the warder's back was turn
ed, and. setting down his barrow, he
pulled OF his cap and wiped his steam-
ing head and face. The younger man
went on swinging his pick MS steadily
as ever.
The outdoor gangs had been at work
nearly four hours under that shifting
zenith. and the gray white quarries
were as beds Of fire. Civil Guard Tuck
went to and fro on his sentry beat
against the wall, the sun cleaning
from the barrel Of his rife. Except for
the rifle on Mr. Tuck's shoulder, that
boundary wall would have seemed
small enough. Old Remnant was GER
tain he could take it at vault. But
Mr.. Tuck had once severed with bull
let the spine of man who was curious
to know just what height the wall was.
l suppose the man also wanted to
know what was on the other side of the
wall, for in seventeen years he had not
passed beyond it.
1t was nearly II O'Clock, and those
horrible quarr1es under that vault of
fire would grow yet more promethean
hot.
Old Remnant went forward Wtth bis
barrow, o brawny convict Of fiye ~ aix
and forty, as fine as steel. the skin Of
his face, neck. arms and hands burned
almost walnut. He had long irreg-
ular face. with blue eyes. straight nose
and beautiful square mouth stocked
with the whitest teeth. What hair the
convict barber had left him was just
passing from deep brown to gray. His
arms were tattooed profusely, and he
was especially proud Of the deaths
head on his right forearm. His knick-
erbocker suit Of drab had the yellow
facings of a second class prisoner, for
Old Remnant could never stay long in
the first class, and the figures on his
sleeve badge told that he must wear
that suit for ten dreadful years.
| he cast look beyond the wall, the
look Of a man who would do very In
discreet things If chance would but
give him the very tiniest opening, for
just beyond that paltry barrier lay the
fair world of freedom, cribs to crack
race courses where you could bet the
odds, flash houses to drink and gamble
In all night, music hall, women friends
and quiet publics south Of the Thames
where you could enjoy bit Of cock
/ fighting undisturbed.
But, above everything else. 1t was the
thirst that plagued him, and Old Rem
nant's eyes were fixed upon the green
signboard at the door Of the Plum and
Feathers, right in the middle Of the
village street. which was just visible
from the purgatorial quarries. Free
men were in there. out of the accursed
sun, drinking what they pleased. Old
Remnant almost fancied he could hear
the ale flow frothing into the pewter
pots. Five years since he had raised d
i pewter to his lips!
The young man continued steadily
to swing his pick.
"Mateyp whispered Old Remnant.
"WellY And you could tell by the
voice that the younger one was gen
tleman lag" "toff." His sleeve car
ried the figure s.
II I1OW uOS5 lSSclOtul 6kdAku
ooh, pretty wellr'
.Ughl cd drink the bloomin' silver
Thames!'
''Now, then, old un," cried the ward
er, you'll catch q cold If you take 1t &
easy there!s
fright, STRIP chuckled Old Remnant
who could swallow q hint profferei
jestwise.
The officer In charge Of the Quarrie.
put his whistle to his lips and blew tn,
cease work."
''Slops on, and fall inr' said the ward
er Of Old Remnants party.
The sun smote him sorely through hi
stiff cap and serge tunic, and the swort
at his belt seemed to scorch his leg
but not muscle Of him was relaxed.
Drawing on their slop jackets, tn
men of each party formed in doubl'
file; party advanced to join party; tn
military guard, sweltering In thei
scarlet tunics. came behind, and tn
civil guard, with their guns to shoe
down lags brought up the rear. Thel
the long drab column began Imply t,
march through the burning quarries.
Beside Old Remnant walked Fail
fax, the one with the on his sleeve
He stood two inches above his com
rade and was reckoned the best lookin
convict In Longstaff.
Old Remnant, who was fastdious /
his choice of pal, had frozen to Fai,
fax, who had sacrificed his liberty 70
five years In an hour of political sleep
walking In Ireland. he was the onl
political" on the roll of Longstaf
though there were two or three score
Of gentlemen lags," with very unger
tlemanly records at their backs In al
! that drab colored column, moving slack
ly through the fervid dust of the quar-
rles, Fairfax was perhaps the only on
who had never stained his inmost sci
through the eight and twenty year
Of his quixotic life.
From the broiling gray white qua,
ries to the blisterlng gray yards Of tn
prison and up the asphalt slope to til
parade ground, search parade, caps of
Stops unbuttoned, arms outstretchei
as If, novels excepted. you could fetc
In book or a file or a saw from th
Quarries Of Longstafe!
The deputy governor, In from hi
canter by the river, famed himsel
with his straw and clicked spu
against buttress Of the clock towe,
he nodded to the chief wart1es es th
parties were checked of and SAT
"Hurry uni" Mt intervals.
"Ahl You're wantin' that whisky ar
soda, ain't your muttered Old Rem
nant. "Ain't goin' to put me alongsid
of one, expect"
Remnant" J, whispered Fairfax
whats wroneAwith you this morn
ing? Don't get in trouble"
He had known his gang companion
only as the wariest and most pruden
Of prisoners. The warders, having
longer acquaintance with him, kney
the ''old un" as very tough membe
Il H. III o.,