The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1906-08-10
Tor The Term of His Natural Life

By MARCUS CLARKE

" TIE oluer, as tney puSneQ nlm, 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. 1T
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
| ne considered the consequences of his
| neglect, slowly, and with head bowed
dc"n, as one bent on a painful Grand
went to see the prisoner who had sur
vived. he found him kneeling on the
| ground. Frustrated.
Rufus Dawesw
At the tone Rufus Dawes looked up.
and seeing who it was, waved him off,
Don't speak to me-" he said, with an
lmpreceation that made North's flesh
creep. I've told you what 1 think of
you-a hypocrite, who stands by while
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
a low tone. Il must seem to you
hypocrite. l a servant of Christ? A
besotted beast rather! am not come to
whine religion to you. l am come to
ask your pardon. I might have saved
you from northumberland that DOOR
boy from death. l wanted to save him,
God knows! But 1 have a vice; I am
a drunkard, yielded to tempta ton, and
Il was too late. 1 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
his own, cried, Forgive me, brother"
Rufus Dawes, too much astonished to
speak, bent his black eyes on tho man,
who crouched at his feet. and a ray of
divine pity penetrated his gloomy soul
He seemed to catch a glimpse Of misery
more profound than his own, and his
stubborn heart felt human sympathy
with this erring brother. "Then in this
hell there is yet a man." said he; and
hand-grasp passed between these
two unhappy beings. North arose, and
with averted face, passed quickly from
the cell. Rufus Dawes looked at the
hand which his strange visitor had TAX
en-, and something glittered there. It was
tear. he broke down at the sight of
it, and when the guard came to fetch
the tameless convict, they found him on
his knees in a corner, sobbing like a
child.
The morning after this, the Rev. Mr.
North departed. in the schooner for
Hobart Town. Between the oficious
| chaplain and the commandant the events
of the previous day had fixed a great
gulf. Burgess knew that North meant to
report the death of Kirkland. and guess
ed that he would not be backward in
relating the story to such persons in
Hobart Town as would most readily re-
peat it.
Burgess, however, touched with sell
fish regrets, determined to balk the
parson at the outset. He would send
down an official return" of the unfor-
tunate occurrence by the same vessel
that carried his enemy. and thus get
the ear Of the Office. Meekin, walking
on the evening of the fogging past the
wooden shed where the body lay, saw
Troke bearing buckets filled with dark
colored water. and heard a great splash
ing and sluicing going on inside the hut
what is the matter?' he asked.
Doctors bin post-morticing the pris-
oner what was fogged this morning,
SIR" said Troke. "and we're cleanin'
up"
North. on his arrival. went straight
to the house of Major Vickers. II have
- L
wish to lodge it formally with you. A
prisoner has been logged to death at
Port Arthur. l saw it DONE"
Vickers bent his brow. "a serious
| accusation, Mr.. North. must, of
course. receive it with respect, coming
from you. but I trust that you have
fully considered the circumstances of the
case. I always understood Captain Bur
CESS was a most humane man."
North shook his head. He would not
accuse Burgess. He would let events
speak for themselves 81 only ask for
an inquiry" said he.
Eyes, my dear sir, I know. Very
proper. indeed. on your part if you
think any injustice has been done; but
| have you considered the expense, the
delay, the immense trouble and dissat-
isfaction all this will give?'
| NO trouble, no expense, no dissatis-
faction. should stand in the way of hui
mainly and justice" cried North.
"Of course not. But will Justice be
done? Are you sure you can prove your
case? Mind, l admit nothing against
| Captain Burgess. whom l have always
considered a most worthy and Jealous
officer; but. supposing your charge to
be true. can you prove it?'
| "Yes. If the witnesses speak the
truth"
who are they?'
| Myself, DR.. Macklewain. the consta-
BILE and two prisoners, one of whom was
fOgged himself. He will speak the
truth. believe. The other man l have
| not much faith in
Very WE'LL then there is only a pris-
oner and DR.. Macklewain; for if there
has been foul play the conference.-the
will not accuse the authorities. More
over, the doctor does not agree with
YOU"
NO" cried North, amazed.
mo. You see, then, my dear sir, how
necessary it is not to be hasty in mat.
tiers of this kind. I really think that
your goodness of heart has misled you.
Cantain BURGESS sends q report of the