The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-07-12


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
fancied 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 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 five or six constables. To this maim-
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, glaring, makes no answer.
You shall have fifty lashes, my man."
said Frere. well see how you'll feel
them
The fifty were duly administered, and
the commandment 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 a 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 oncew he
| said
mo fear" said the other. rejoiced at
this proof of his power. You've given
in: that's all l wanted. Troke take him
to the hospital"
The 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.
and resolutely declined to answer.
81 am afraid you have made an enemy
of the commandant," said North the next
day. "Why not accept his offer?"
Dawes cast on him a glance of quiet
scorn. "And betray my mates? I'm
not one of that sort"
North pityingly implorod the stubborn
mind to have mercy on the 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? 2"
One day this bond was drawn so close
as TO tug at both their heart strings.
| The chaplain had flower in his coat.
Dawes eyed it with hungry looks. and.
az the clergyman was about to quit the
rom. said, mr.. North, will you give
me that rose5ud? 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 pair
met. Dawes flushed crimson, but North
! turned white as death. Neither spoke,
but each was drawn close- to the other,
since both had kissed the rosebud pluck
ed by Sylvia's fingers.
Since the tobacco trick" Mooney and
Dawes had been placed in the new
prison. together with man named
Bland, who had already twice failed to
XIII himself. When old Mooney la
mcnted his hard case, Bland proposed
that the three should put In practice a
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 members
TO carry out to the best of his ability
this last invention of the convict disci-
plined mind, should two other members
crave his assistance.
The scheme was simplicity itself. Tha,
evening. when the cell door was secure
ly locked, and the absence Of visiting
jailer might be counted upon for an
hour at least, Bland produced a straw
and held it out to his companions
Dawes took it, and tearing It into I'M
equal lengths, handed the fragments tC
Mooney.
THE longest is the one" said the
blind man. "Come on, boys, and dir
in the lucky bag"
It was evident that lots were to bs
drawn to determine to whom fortune
would grant freedom. The men drew il
silence. and then Bland and Dave:
looked at each other The prize had
been left in the bag. Mooney-fortu
nate old fellow-retained the longes
straw. BANDS hand shook as he com
pared notes with his companions. Their,
was a moments pause, during which
the blank eye-balls of The blind mar
fiercely searched the gloom, as if in tha
awful moment they could penetrate it.
Il hold the shortest" said Dawes Il
Bland. Its you that must do it"
I'm glad Of that" said Mooney.
Bland, seemingly terrified at the dan
ger which fate had decreed that h
should run. tore the fatal lot into frag
ments, and sat gnawing his knuckle
in excess of abject terror. Moone!
stretched himself out upon his planl
bed "Come on. mate" he said Blanc
extended shaking hand, and caugh
Rufus Dawes by the sleeve.
"You have more nerve than /. Yo'
do it."
mo, no." said Dawes, almost as pal
as his companion. We run my chahc
fairly. Twas your own proposal"
i The coward who. confident in his owl
luck, would seem to have fallen Into tn
pit he had dug for others, sat rocking
himself to and fro, holding his head il
his hands.
81 can't do itw he whispered, liftin
white. wet face.
what are you waiting for?" said for
tunate Mooney. "Come on: I'm ready.
T-I-thought you might like tot
pray a bit" said Bland.
The notion seemed to sober the sense
of the old man, exalted too fiercely b
his coed fortune.
ayr he said. "Pray, A goo
thought And he knelt down, and
shutting mis- blind eyes-'twas as thong
he was dazzled by some strong light
; unseen by his comrades, moved his lip
silently.
1t was quite dark now in the cell; bu
J as Bland advanced his face was like
white mask floating upon the darkness