Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-07-27
Kirkland was dead.

that bound Rufus Dawes. Two con-
stables were alongside him in an instant,
for sometimes newly tortured men grow
desperate. This one, however, was ST.
lent with the last lash, only, in taking
his shirt from under the body of the
boy, he muttered "Deadw and In his
tone there seemed to be a touch of
envy. Then hinging his shirt over his
bleeding shoulders, he walked out, de-
fant to the last
Game, amt he?" said one constable
to the other, as they pushed him, not
urgently, into an empty cell, there to
wait for the hospital guard. The body
OF Kirkland was taken away In silence,
and Burgess turned rather pale when |
ne saw North's threatening face. "It |
isn't my fault, Mr.. North,'' he said. 81
didn't know that the lad was chicken
hearted" But North turned away in |
disgust, and Macklewain and Burgess
pursued their homeward route together. |
Mr.. North, in agony of mind at what
he considered the consequences of his
neglect, slowly, and with head bowed
down, as one bent on a painful errand,
went TO see the prisoner who had sur
vived. He found him kneeling on the
Rufus Dawes"
At the tone Rufus Dawes looked up,
and seeing who it was, waved him off
Don't speak to me-" he said, with an
impreceation that made North's flesh
creep. I've told you what I think of
you-a hypocrite, who stands by while
a man is cut to pieces, and then comes
and whines religion to him."
North stood in the center Of the cell,
with his arms hanging down, and his
head bent. you are right" he said, in
, low tone. Il must seem to you a
hypocrite. | servant of Christi A
, besotted beast rather! l am not come to
! whine religion to you. l am come to
ask your pardon. I might have saved
you from punishment-saved that poor
!, boy from death. l wanted to save him,
God knows! But l have a vice; l am
drunkard, yielded to temptation, and
i was too late. l come to you, as one
sinful man to another, to ask you to for
give me-" And North suddenly flung
himself down before the convict, and
catching his blood-bespotted hands in
J. his own, cried, Forgive me, brother"
Rufus Dawes, too much astonished to
e who crouched at his feet and ray Of
Il divine pity penetrated his gloomy soul.
He seemed to catch a glimpse of misery
T. more profound than his own, and his
l. stubborn heart felt human sympathy
s. with this erring brother. "Then in this
!, hell there Is yet a man." said he; and
u hand-grasp passed between these
e. two unhappy beings. North arose, and
:. with averted face, passed quickly from
81 the cell. Rufus Dawes looked at the
d hand which his strange visitor had TAX
is en-, and something glttered there. 1t was
i tear He broke down at the sight of
ii it, and when the guard came to fetch
the tameless convict, they found him on
~ his knees in a corner, sobbing like a
lie child.
The morning after this, the Rev. Mr.
~ North departed in the schooner for
n. n Hobart Town. Between the officious
20 chaplain and the commandant the events
- of the previous day had fixed great
~ gulf. Burgess knew that North meant to
III report the death of Kirkland. and guess
3, =, ed that he would not be backward In
~ relating the story to such persons In
- - Hobart Town as would most readily re
-. peat it.
If Burgess, however, touched with sci
be fish regrets, determined to balk thu
ot parson at the outset. He would sent
bt down an official return" of the unfor
81 tunate occurrence by the same, vesse
n that carried his enemy, and thus ge
ng the ear of the office. Meekin, walkin,
as on. the evening of the fogging past tn,
:" wooden shed where the body lay, saw
I Troke bearing buckets filled with dark
IN, colored water, and heard great splash
ing and sluicing going on inside the hut
as "What is the matter?' he asked.
I'M Doctors bin post-morticing the pris
ut oner what was fogged this morning
of sir" said Troke "and we're cleanin
lis up"
to North, on his arrival, went straigh
he to the house of Major Vickers. 81 hav
IS, complaint to make, sir" he said. "
OIL wish to lodge 1t formally with you.
DO prisoner has been fogged to death q
pc Port Arthur. I saw it DONE"
EN- Vickers bent his brow. "a seriou
ell accusation, Mr.. North. I must, Q
'as course, receive 1t with respect, comm
ed from you, but I trust that you hav
Ike fully considered the circumstances of tn
led case. l always understood Captain Bul
ed, CESS was a most humane man."
ing North shook his head. He would nc
elf accuse Burgess. He would let event
po- speak for themselves. II only ask fc
or an inquiry" said he.
his Eyes, my dear sir, know. Yer
the proper, indeed, on your part, II yo
uld think any injustice has been done; b,
ion have you considered the expense, IL
delay, the immense trouble and dissa
cat isfaction all this will give?'
gh- mo trouble, no expense, no dissati
the faction, should stand in the way of h
les, manity and justice" cried North.
18th "Of course not. But will justice
: a done2 Are you sure you can prove yo1
red case1 Mind, admit nothing again