The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1906-08-31
Tor The Term of His Natural Life
BY MARCUS CLARKE


| She interrupted him. Maurice, I
wish you would not use such language.
You know | dislike it." She spoke
coldly and sadly, as one who knows that
remonstrance is vain, and is yet con-
strained to demonstrate.
"Oh, dear! My Lady Proper! How
refined we are getting!'
There, l did not mean to annoy you, y
said she. YEARLY. Don't let us quarrel.
for goodness sake"
The characterization of which Rufus
Dawes had been guilty was insignificant.
1t was the custom of the newly fledged
constables of Captain Frere to enter the
wards at night, armed with cutlasses,
tramping about and making a great
noise. The men in Dawes gang were
often searched more than once in a
night, searched going to work, searched
at meals, searched going to prayers,
searched coming out, and this in the
toughest manner.
Now, Rufus Dawes, holding aloof. as
was his custom, from the ma jority of his
companions, had made one friend-if so
mindless and battered an old wreck
could be called a friend-Blind Mooney.
! o VI ''iS many way > Ill ulCu
Dawes had obtained the affection of the
old blind man was the gift of such frag-
ments OF tobacco as he had himself from
time to time secured. Troke knew this;
ana on the evening in question hit upon
an excellent plan. Admitting himself
nolselessly into the boat shed. where the
gang slept, he crept close to the sleeping
Dawes, and counterfeiting Mooney
mumbllng utterance, asked for "some to-
bacco. Rufus Dawes was but half
awake, and Troke felt something put
into his hand. He grasped Dawes arm,
and struck light. He had got his man
this time. Dawes had conveyed to his
fancled friend a piece of tobacco almost
as big as the top joint of his little fin
| ger.
One can understand the feelings of a
man entrapped by such base means.
Rufus Dawes no sooner saw the hated
face of Warder Troke peering over his
hammock than he sprang out, and, ex-
erting to the utmost his powerful mus
cles, knocked Mr.. Troke fairly off his
legs into the arms of the incoming con-
stables. A desperate struggle took place.
at the end of which the convict, over
| powered by numbers, was borne sense
less to the cells, gagged and chained
| to the ring bolt on the bare flags. While
in this condition he was savagely beaten
by i've or six constables. To this MAIN
ed and manacled rebel was the COM
mandant ushered by Troke the next
| morning.
"Ha! ha! my man." said the COM
mandant. Here you are again, you see.
How do you like this sort of thing?'
Dawes, glazing, makes no answer.
"You shall have fifty lashes, my man."
said Frere. well see how you'll feel
| thenv'
The fifty were duly administered. and
the commandant called the next day.
The rebel was still mute. Frere gave
him fifty more lashes, and sent him the
next day to grind cayenne pepper. This
was a punishment more dreaded by the
convicts than any other. The pungent
dust filed their eyes and lungs, causing
them the most excruciating torments.
For q man with a raw back the work
was one continued agony. In four days
Rufus Dawes, emaciated, blistered,
blinded, broke down.
Captain Frere, kill me at once!'' he
said.
mo fear" said the other. rejoiced at
this proof of his power. you've given
in; that's all wanted. Troke, take him
to the hospital"
Tho next day Frere visited him, com
plimented him on his courage. and offer.
ed to make him a constable. Dawes
turned his SCARED back to his torturer
| ,<n11y Aoo1srAA En-
II am afraid you have made an enemy
of tho commandant," said North the next
day. "Why not accept his offerY'
Dawes cast on him a glance of quiet
scorn. "And betray my mates? I'm
not one of that sort"
North pityingly implored the stubborn
mind to have mercy on tho lacerated
body, but without effect. His own way.
ward heart gave him the key to read
the cipher of this mans life. "a noble
nature ruined" said he to himself
what is the secret of his history?''
One day this bond was drawn so close
as to tug at both their heart strings
The chaplain had a flower in his coat
Dawes eyed it with hungry looks, and
as the clergyman was about to quit the
room, said, "Mr. North, will you give
me that rosebud?" North paused irres
olutely, and, finally, as if after strug
gle with himself, took it carefully from
his button hole and placed it in the pris
oner's brown, SCARED hand. In another
instant, Dawes believing himself alone
pressed the gift to his lips. North turn
ed abruptly, and the eyes of the pail
met. Dawes flushed crimson, but NORTH
turned white as death. Neither spoke
but each was drawn closer to the other
since both had kissed the rosebud pluck
ed by Sylvia's fingers.
Since the tobacco trick" Mooney ant
Dawes had been placed in the new
prison, together with a man named
Bland, who had already twice failed t.
kill himself. When old Mooney la
mented his hard case, Bland proposed
that the three should put in practice {
scheme in which two at least must sue
} coed. The scheme was desperate one
and attempted only in the last extrem
ity. 1t was the custom of the ring,
however, to swear each Of its member
. to carry out to the best of his abilt!
this last invention of the convict disci
| plined mind, should two other member
crave his assistance.