Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1906-04-14
CHAPTER II.

less. the shadow or the Malabar lay
solitary on the surface Of the glittering
sea.
The sun had just got low enough to
peep beneath an awning and awaken a
young man, in an undress military uni
form, who was DOING on a coil of rope.
Hang it!' said he, rising, with the
weary sigh Of a man who has nothing
20 do. II must have been asleep" and
then, holding by a stay, he turned about
and looked down into the waist of the
ship.
Save for the man at the wheel and
the guard at the quarter railing. he was
alone on the deck On the forecastle
some half-dozen soldiers were playing
at cards, or watching the fishing lines
hanging over the cat heads.
80 far the appearance of the vessel
differed In nowise from that of an ordi-
nary transport But in the waist a
curious sight presented itself 1t was
MS though one had built a cattle pen
there. At the foot of the foremost,
and at the quarter deck, strong bar
ricade, loop-holed and furnished with
doors for ingress and egress, ran across
the deck from bulwark to bulwark. Out
~NN
stood on guard inside, standing, sitting
or walking monotonously, within range
OF the shining barrels in the arm-chest,
were SEINE sixty men and boys, dressed
In uniform gray. The men and boys
were prisoners and the cattle pen was
their exercise ground. Their prison was
down the main hatchway, and the bar
ricade, continued down, made its side
walls.
IL was the fag-end of the two hours
exercise, graciously permitted each af-
ternoon, and the prisoners were enjoy
Ing themselves. 1t was not, perhaps, so
pleasant ms under the awnings, but that
sacred shade was only for such great
men as the captain and his officers, Sur
geon Pine. Lieut.. Maurice Frere and,
most important personages of all Cap
tain Vickers and his wife
That the convict leaning against the
oulwarks would like to have been able
TO get rid of his enemy, the sun, for a
moment, was probable enough His com
panions, sitting on the combngs of the |
main hatch, or crouched in careless
fashion on the shady side of the barri- |
cade, were laughing and talking, with |
merriment hideous to contemplate: but |
he with cap pulled over his brows. and |
hands thrust into the pockets of his |
coarse gray garments, held aloof from
their dismal joviality.
The low -browed, coarse-featured ruff
fans grouped about the deck cast many
a leer of contempt at the solitary figure.
but their remarks were confined to ges-
lures only. There are degrees in crime.
Ia Al,
who had but escaped the gallows to toll
ior all MS lie in irons, was a man of |
marx. lie had been tried for the rob |
berry and murder of Lord Bellasis. The |
irlendless vagabond's lame story of find |
ing on the Heath a dying man would |
not have availed him but for the curl |
Gus tact sworn to by the landlord of the |
spaniards' Inn, that the murdered no |
pleman had shaken his head when asked |
IL the prisoner was his assassin. The |
vagabond was acquitted of the murder. |
but condemned to death for the rob |
berry, and London, which took some in |
terest in the trial, considered him for |
tunate when his sentence was committed
to transportation for. life.
The young man on the deck caught
sight of the tall figure leaning against
the bulwarks. and it gave him an excuse
to break the monotony of his employ
ment
Here, you'll? he called out, "get out
OF the gangwayw
Rufus Dawes was not In the Vang-
way-was, in fact, good two feet from
n-but at the sound of Lieut.. Frede's
voive he started, and went obedientlv
toward the hatehway
IN make some of you fellows smart
II you don't have care" went on the
angry Frere. "Insolent blackguardsw
And then the noise of the sentry. on
the quarter deck below him, grounding
arms, turned the current of his thoughts
A thin, tall. solder-like man. with
cold blue eye, and prim features. came
out of the euddy below. handing out
fair-haired. affected, mincing lady of
middle age. Captain Vickers. of Mr.
Freres regiment, ordered for service in
Van Diemen's Land, was bringing his
lady on deck to get an appetite for din
ner.
Mrs. Vickers was forty-two. and had
been a garrison belle for eleven weary
years before she married prim John
Vickers. The marriage was not happy
one. NlCkeTs louuu MS vile eXtraya.
CANT, vain, and snappisn, and she Tound
him harsh. disenchanted. and common
place. A daughter born two years ne.
ter their marriage, was the only link
that bound the ill-assorted pair. Viekers
idolized little Sylvia, and upon the rec
ommendatio Of a long sea voyage for his
failing health. he insisted upon bringing
the child with him. Mrs. Vickers fol.
lowed her husband with the best grace
she could muster. When fairly out 70
sea she employed the intervals between
scolding her daughter and her maid. in
fascinating the boorish young lieutenant.
Maurice Frere.
Fascination was an integral portion of
Julia Vickers' nature; admiration was
all she lived for; and even in a convict
ship. with her husband at her elbow, she
must flirt, or perish of mental mani
ton There was no harm In the crea-
ture. She was simply a vain. middle
aged woman. and Frere took her atten-
tons for what they were worth. Run
ming down the ladder, cap in hand, he
offered his assistance.
''Thank you. Mr.. Frere. These hor-