Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1906-07-27
CHAPTER Xxx.

Rex told Mr.. Meekin, who, the next
day, did him the honor to visit him.
that under Providence, he owed his
escape from death to the kind manner
in which Captain Frere had spoken Of
him"
II hope your escape will be warning
to you, my man." said Mr.. Meekin, "and
that you will endeavor to make the rest
Of your life an atonement for your early
errors
Indeed will, sir" said John Rex,
who had taken Mr.. Meekin's measure
very accurately, "and 1t is very kind
Of you to condescend to speak so to
wretch like me. All! sir, l wish l had
attended to the gospels teachings when
was younger. might have been saved
from all this"
''You might, indeed poor man; but the
Divine Mercy is infnite-quite infinite,
and will be extended to all of us-to
you as well as to me-" (This with the
air of saying, What do you think of
thatT9 Remember the penitent thief,
Rex-the penitent thief"
"Indeed l do, sill"
II will speak to the authorities about
a change in your dietary scale" return
ed Meekin, patronizingly. ''In the
meantime, just collect together in your
mind those particulars of your adven-
lures of which you spoke. Such re-
markable history ought not to be lost"
'aThank you kindly, sir. will, sir
All / little thought, when l occupied
the position. Of a gentleman, Mr.. Meek
In, that should be reduced to this
But 1t is only just, sir. Good morning
and heaven bless you, STRIP said Rex
with his tongue in his cheek for the
benefit of his yard mates; and so Mr..
MOakin tripped gracefully away, con-
Vinced that he was laboring most sue
Cossfully in the vineyard, and that the
convict Rex was really a superior per-
son.
~ viii send his narrative to the
bishop" said he to himself ut will
Rmuse him. There must be many strange
histories here, II one could but find them
out"
A the thought passed through his
brain his eve fell upon the notorious
Dawes" who, while waiting for the
schooner to take him back to Port Ar
thur, had been permitted to amuse him
self by breaking stones.
A fanciful visitor, seeing the irregular
~ rising hammers along the line, might
have likened the shed to the Interior of
some vast piano, whose notes an unseen
hand was erratically lingering. Rufus
Dawes was seated last Of the line. This
was the place nearest the watching con,
stable, and was allotted on that account
to the most ill-favOred.
"Well, Dawes" says Mr.. Meekin
measuring with his eye the distance be
tween the prisoner and himself, as on,
might measure the chain of some Zero
elOus dog. How are you this morning
DaWesT"
Dawes, seowling in a parenthesis be
tween the cracking Of two stones, wa,
understood to say that he was very
well.
Fl am afraid, Dawes" saws Mr.
Msskin, reptoachfully, shat you hav,
done yourself no good by your outburs
in court on Monday. l understand tina
public opinion Is quite ineensed agains
yen"
Dawes, slowly arranging one larg,
fragment of bluestone in a comfortably
basin Of smaller fragments, made n,
reply.
Il am afraid you lack patience
Dawes. You do not repent of your of
fsnses against the law, fear"
The only answer vouchsafed By tn
ironad man was a savage blow, whicl
split the stone into sudden fragments