Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1906-06-22
for The Term of His Natural Life

BY MARCUS CLARIxR

ne' asked brere, drawing back. But
the convict did not reply. His moment
airy emotion passed away, the pangs Of
hunger returned, and greedily seizing
upon the piece of damper, he began to
eat in silence
DO you hear, man?" repeated Frere,
at length. what are your
An escaped prisoner. You can give
me up in the morning. I've done my
best, and I'm beat"
This sentence struck Frere with dis
may. The man did not know that the
settlement had been abandoned!
Il cannot give you up. There is no
one but myself and woman and child
on the settlement" Rufus Dawes, paus-
ing in his eating, stared at him in amaze
ment The prisoners have gone away
in the schooner. If you choose to re-
main free, you can do so as far as l
am concerned. 1 am as helpless as you
are"
But how do you come hereT'
Frere laughed bitterly. To give ex-
plantations to convicts was foreign to his
experience, and he did not relish the
task. In this case, however, there was
no help for it. 1.-THE prisoners mu-
tinted and seized the brig"
A terrible light broke upon Rufus
Dawes, and he began to understand how
he had again missed his chance. "Who
took herr"
'"That double-dyed villain, John Rex"
says Frere, giving vent to his passion.
Rufus Dawes burst into a laugh 80
discordant that it made the other shud-
der "Well starve together, Maurice
Frere," said he; 'for while you've a
crust, I'll share it. If l don't get lib
erty, at least I'll have revengep
The sinister aspect of this famished
savage sitting with his chin on his rag
ged knees, rocking himself to and fro
in. the light Of the fire, gave Mr.. Maui
rice Frere a new sensation. He felt
as might have felt that African hunter
who, returning to his campfire, found a
lion there. Wretch" said he, shrink
ing from him, "why should you wish to
be revenged on me?'
The convict turned upon him with a
snarl. Take care what you say! I'll
have no hard words. Wretch! If / am
a wretch who made me one7 If 1 hate
you and myself and the world, who made
me hate it2 was born free-as free as
you are. Why should be sent to herd
with beasts, and condemned to this slav-
cry, worse than death? Tell me that,
Maurice Frere-tell me thatv
II didn't make the laws" says Frere
"Why do you attack meY
Because you are what was. You
are free. You can do as you please
You can love, you can work, you can
think. l can only hatew He paused as
if astOnished at himself, and then con.
tinued, with a low laugh: Zine words
for 4 convict, chi But never mind, it's
all right, Mr.. Frere; we're equal now
and sha'n't die an hour sooner than
you, though you are a free man"
Frere began to think that he was deal
ing with another mailman. Die! There's
no need to talk of dying" he said, as
soothingly as it was possible for him t.
say it. ''Time enough for that by and
by"
"There spoke the free man. We con
victs have an advantage over you gentle
men. You are afraid of death; we praJ
for it. 1t is the best thing that car
happen to us Die! They were go
ing to hang me once. L wish they had. ,
There was such a depth of agony il
this terrible utteFance that Mauric,
Frere was appalled, at 1t. There, &
and sleep, my man." he said. "You arr
knocked up. Wen talk In the morning.
Hold on a bitv cries Rufus Dawes
with coarseness of manner altogethel
foreign to that he had just assumed
who's with yer"
1.-THE wife and daughter Of the com
fandant," replied Frere, half afraid t,
ly put.
"Poor sOulsw said the convict, 81 pit!
them" And then he stretched himself
like a dog, before the blaze and went t,
sleep instantly. When morning dawne,
Frers awoke him.
Rufus Dawes glanced around him stu
pidly, and then remembering what hat
happened, with a great effort he stag
gered to his feet. II thought they'd 20
me-" he said; but It's the other way
l see. Come, let's have breakfast, MI
Frera I'm hungry"
"You must wait" said Frere. I'D
you think there IL no one here but your
self?"
Inc convict stretching out his vast
ed arms, looked down upon them wit
the uncertain gaze of drunken man. "
am weak now" he said. "You have tn
best of me-" and then he sunk suddenl
down upon the ground, exhausted, ''Giv
me drinkP' he moaned, feebly motionin
with his hand.
Frere got him water In the pannikir
and having drunk 1t, he smiled, and la
down to sleep again. Mrs. Vickers an
Sylvia coming out while he still SLEPT
recognized him as the desperate Of tn
settlement.
HE was the most desperate man W
had" said Mrs. 'Vickers, identifyin
herself with her husband. ooh, wha
shall we doT'
He won't do much HARM" returne
Frere, looking down at the notoriou