Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-07-06
CHAPTER NN

Rex told Mr.. Meekin. who, the next
day, did him the honor to visit him,
that, under Providence, he owed his
escape from death to the kind manner
In which Captain Frere had spoken of
him"
Il hope your escape will be a warning
to you, my man." said Mr.. Meekin, "and
that you will endeavor to make the rest
Of your life an atonement for your early
errors"
Indeed l will, SIR" said John Rex,
who had taken Mr.. Meekins measure
very accurately, "and it is very kind
of you to condescend to speak so to
wretch like me. All sir, l wish had
attended to the gospels teachings when
| was younger. l might have been saved
from all this"
"You might, indeed poor man; but the
Divine Mercy is infnite-quite infinite,
and will be extended to all Of us-to
you as well as to me-" CThis with the
air of saying, What do you think of
thatTO Remember the penitent thief,
Rex-the penitent thief"
Indeed l do, SIR
II will speak to the authorities about
a change in your dietary SCALE" return
ed Meekin, patronizingly. "ln the
meantime, just collect together in your
mind those particulars of your adven-
lures of which you spoke. Such q re-
markable history ought not to be lost"
THANK you kindly, sir. l will, sir.
All! l little thought, when l occupied
the position Of a gentleman, Mr.. Meek
In, that l should be reduced to this.
But it is only just, sir. Good morning,
and heaven bless you, sir" said Rex,
with his tongue in his cheek for the
benefit of his yard mates; and so Mr..
Meekin tripped gracefully away, con-
vinced that he was laboring most sue
cessfully in the vineyard, and that the
convict Rex was really superior per-
son.
II will send his narrative to the
bishop" said he to himself at will
amuse him. There must be many strange
histories here if one could but find them
out"
AS the thought passed through his
brain his eye fell upon the notorious
Dawes" who, while waiting for the
schooner to take him back to Port Ar
thur, had been permitted to amuse him
self by breaking stones.
A fanciful visitor, seeing the Irregular
ty rising hammers along the line, might
have likened the shed to the interior of
some vast piano, whose notes an unseen
hand was erratically lingering. Rufus
Dawes was seated last of the line. This
was the place nearest the watching con-
stable, and was allotted on that account
to the most ill-favored.
"Well, Dawes" says Mr.. Meekin,
measuring with his eye the distance be-
tween the prisoner and himself, as one
might measure the chain Of some fero-
cious dog "How are you this morning,
Dawes?'
Dawes, scowling In a parenthesis be-
tween the cracking Of two stones, was
understood to say that he was very
WELL
81 am afraid, Dawes" says Mr.
Meekin, reproachfully, "that you have
done yourself no good by your outburst,
In court on Monday. I understand that
public opinion is quite incensed against
you"
Dawes, slowly arranging one large
fragment of bluestone In comfortable
basin of smaller Fragments, made no
reply.
81 am afraid you lack patience,
Dawes. You do not repent Of your Of
fenses against the law, I fear"
The only answer vouchsafed by the
Eoned man was savage blow, which
splt the stone into sudden fragments.