The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1906-10-04

! 0AA3i 4 EXT AN.
This IS my story. Let il plead with
you"
1t had grown dark in the prison. and
as ne ceased speaking. Rufus Dawes felt
trembling hand seize his own 1t was
that of the chaplain.
Let me hold your handl Sir Rich
ard Devine did not murder your father.
He was murdered by a horseman who.
riding with him, struck him and fed"
How do you know thisYe
Because | saw the murder commit
ted, because-don't let go my hand-I
robbed the body"
Your
10 my youth I was a gambler. Lord
Beiiasis won money from me. and TO
pay him | forged two bills of exchange.
Inscriptions and cruel. he threatened
TO expose me If I did not give him dou-
bic the sum- Forgery was death in
those days, and / strained every nerve
to buy back the proofs Of my folly. /
succeeded. was to meet Lord BelIasis
near his own house at Hampstead on the
night Of which you speak. to pay the
money and receive the bills. When /
saw him fall | galloped up, but instead
OF pursuing his murderer l rifed his
pocketbook Of my forgeries was afraid
to give evidence at the trial, or / might
have saved you ALI you have let 70
my hand.''
God forgive your said Rufus Dawes.
and then was silent.
Speak, cfied North. Speak. or
you viii make me mad Reproach me. \
Spurn me. Spit upon me. You cannot
think worse Of me than I do myself
But the other, his head buried in his
hands. did not answer, and, with q
wild gesture, North staggered out Of the
ell.
Nearly an hour had passed since the
'haplain had placed the rum flask In
us hand. and Gimblett observed, with
establishment. that it was
lot yet empty. II he didn't finish the
Task. he would be oppressed with an
verIasting regret. If he did finish IT,
e would be drunk; and to be drunk on
uty was the one objectionable sin. He
boxed across the darkness of the sea.
D where the rising and falling light
marked the schooner. The commandant
Tas long way off A faint breeze
rhich had arisen with the night. brought (
p to him the voices of the boats crew
rom the jetty below him. His friend :
ack Mannix was coxswain of her. He
-ould give Jack a drink. Leaving the !,
ate. he advanced to the edge Of the
nbankment, and. putting his head over.
HE'D out to his friend. The breeze
Dwever, which was momentarily fresh
ling. carried his voice away: and Jack | 8
lannix, hearing nothing, continued his =
Gimblett was just drunk
loush TO be virtuously indignant Mt this
civility, and seating himself on the u
lge of the bank, swallowed the remain r
n of the rum at a draught The eff al
CT upon his enforcedly temperate ston-
h was very touching. He made one
eble attempt to get upon his legs. cast
reproachful glance at the rum bottle. m
sayed to drink out of its spirituous
lptiness. and then, with smile of n
rkless contentDent, fell fast asleep.
North. coming out Of the prison. did
t notice the absence Of the taller: in
ed, he was not In condition to notice ~
ythlng. Bare-headed, without his IN
ak with staring eyes and clinched
nds,. he rushed. through the gates into
night as one who flies headlong from =,
ne fearful vision. IT seemed that, -
sorbed in his own thoughts. he took 81
heed to his steps, for instead of TAX
the path which led TO the sea. he We
II along the more familiar one that be
to his own cottage on the hin. This "a
n convict" he cried. 'sIe Nv hero
| martyrl What a life. Lovei Yes.
{ Is love indeed Oh, James North.
v base art thou in the eyes of God mi
ide this despised outcastr And NO mI
ttering, tearing his gray hair, and
ting bis throbbing temples with su
Iched hands, he reached his own -,
m. Already he fancied he could see
sreck that vas the schooner move
Wy away from the prison shore. He
It not linger; they would be waiting
him Mt the jetty. AS he turned, the vo,
,nbeams--as yet unobscured by the II
Idly gathering clouds-aung silver re
ak across the sea, and across that
ak North saw a boat pass. Was chi
distracted brain playing him falss1 fea