Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1906-06-23

What do you mean? Do you know
meg asked Frere, drawing back. But
the convict did not reply His moment
airy emotion passed away. the pangs of
hunger returned, and greedily Selling
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. l 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. "The prisoners mu-
lluleu duu SelZeu the Drlg.
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 so
| discordant that it made the other shud-
der. well starve together, Maurice
| Erora ha.
crust I'll share it. If 1 don't get lib
erty. at least I'll have revengew
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 l am
wretch who made me one? If hate
you and myself and the world, who made
| me hate it? I was born free-as free as
| you are. Why should I be sent to herd
| with beasts, and condemned to this slav-
| cry, worse than death? Tell me that,
Maurice Frere-tell me thatr'
i didn't make the laws" says Frere.
"Why do you attack meY'
Because you are what l was. You
are free. You can do as you please.
You can love, you can work, You can
think. 1 can only hate." He paused as
if astonished at himself and then con-
tinued, with a low laugh Fine words
for convict, Ell! But never mind, it's
all right, Mr.. Frere; we're equal now,
and 1 sha'n't die an hour sooner than
you, though you are 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 to
say It, Thine 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 pray
for it. 1t Is the best thing that car
happen to US Die. They were 60
ing to hang me once. 1 wish they had >
There was such depth of agony in
this terrible utterance that Maurice
Frere was appalled, at it There. &c
and sleep, my man." he said. you are
knocked up. Wen talk In the morning ,
Hold on a bit!' cries Rufus Dawes
with a coarseness Of manner altogether
foreign Ito that he had just assumed
who's with ye?"
THE wife and daughter of the com
fandant." replied Frere half afraid t.
refuse an answer to a question so fierce
ly put.
Poor soulsw said the convict, "I pity
them" And then he stretched himself
like a dog, before the blaze and went t.
sleep instantly. When morning dawnee
Frere awoke him.
Rufus Dawes glanced around him stu
ptdly, and then remembering what has
happened, with a great effort he stag
gered to his feet. II thought they'd 70
NO." he said; "but it's the other way
1 see. Come, let's have breakfast, Mr.
Frere I'm hungry"
you must wait" said Frere. I'D,
you think there Is no one here but your
self?"
The convict, stretching out his vast
ed arms looked down upon them will
the uncertain gaze of drunken man. a.
am weak now" he said. you have tn
best of me-" and then he sunk suddenl,
down upon the ground, exhausted. "Giv
me drink he moaned, feebly motionin
with his hand.
Frere got him water in the pannikip
and having drunk 1t, he smiled and la,
down to sleep again. Mrs. vickers an
Sylvia coming out while he still slept
J recognized him as the desperate Of tn
settlement.
HE was the most desperate man w
had" said Mrs. Vickers identifyin