The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1906-07-27

going to ask her for her story? They
told me that she was to be asked. Sure
" they will ask her."
II am not, perhaps, at liberty" said
Meekin, placidly, unconscious of the ag-
ony of despair and rage that made the
voice of the strong man before him
culver, ITO state the intentions Of the
authorities, but can tell you that Miss
Vickers will not be asked anything about
you. You are to 60 back to Port Ar
thur on the 24th, and to remain there"
A groan burts from Rufus Dawes; a
groan SO full Of torture that even the
comfortable Meekin was thrilled by it.
Come" says Meekin, "you can't COM
plain. You have broken the law, and
you must suffer. Civilized society says
You sha'n't do certain things, and If
you do them you must suffer the penalty
civilized society imposes. You are not
wanting in intelligence, Dawes, more's
the pity-and you can't deny the justice
Of that"
Rufus Dawes, as IL disdaining to an
swer in words, cast his eyes round the
yard with a glance that seemed to ask,
grimly, If civilized society was progress
ing quite in accordance with justice,
as that stone-walled, carbine-guarded
prison shed, and filed 1t with such crea-
lures as those forty human beasts, DOOM
ed to spend the best years Of their man
hood cracking pebbles in it.
Meditating that night in the solitude
of his cell, he almost wept to think Of
the cruel deception that had doubtless
been practiced on her. 'They have told
her that / was dead, in order that she
might learn to forget me; but she could
not do that. have thought Of her SO
often during these weary years that she
must sometimes have thought Of me.
| Five years! She must be a woman now.
| My little child a woman! Yet. she is
sure to be child-like, sweet and gentle.
How she will grieve when she hears Of
my sufferings Oh! my darling, my darl-
ing, you are not dead" And then, look
ing hastily about him in the darkness
as though fearful even there Of being
seen, he pulled from out his breast lit
tie packet, and felt it lovingly with his
coarse, tol-worn fingers, reverently rails
ing 1t to his lips, and dreaming over it,
with a smile on his face, as though 1t
were sacred talisman that should open
to him the doors of freedom.
The usual clanking and hammering
were prevalent upon the stone jetty at
Port Arthur when the schooner bearing
| the returned convict, Rufus Dawes, ran
alongside. He sat with his head bowed
down and his hands clasped about his
knees. disdaining to look until they
| reused him.
Halo, Dawes!' says Warder Troke,
hating his train of ironed yellow-jackets.
$50 you've come back again! Glad to
see yer. Dawes! 1t seems an age since
we had the pleasure Of your company,
Dawes% At this pleasantly the train
laughed, so that their irons clanked more
than ever. They found 1t often incon-
venient not to laugh at Mr.. Troke's hui
NOR. "Step down here, Dawes, and let
me introduce yer to your hold friends.
They'll be glad to see yer, won't yer,
boys? Why, bless me, Dawes, we thort
we'd lost yer! We thort yer'd given us
the slip altogether, Dawes. They didn't
take care Of yer In Hobart Town, / ex-
pect, Ell, boys? Wen look after yer
here, Dawes, though. You won't bolt
any more"
"Take care. Mr.. Troke," said a warn
Ing voice, "you're at 1t again! Let the
man aloneT'
BY virtue Of an order transmitted
from Hobart Town, they had begun t.
attach the dangerous prisoner to the
last man Of the gang, riveting the LEI
irons Of the pair by means of an extrs
link, which could be removed when nee
essary; but Dawes had given no sign Of
consciousness. At the sound of tn,
friendly tones, however, he looked up
and saw tall. gaunt man, dressed in 4
shabby pepper and salt raiment, ant
wearing a black handkerchief knottet
round his throat. He was a stranger t,
him.
II beg your pardon, Mr.. North" sait
Troke, sinking at once the bully In tn
sneak. az didn't see yer reverence"
"A parson" thought Dawes. with dis
appointment, and dropped his eyes.
az know that" returned Mr.. North
coolly. "If you had, you would hav
been all butter and honey. Don't 70,
trouble yousslf to tell a lie; it's quit
unnecessary. What's your name, m
manT
Rufus Dawes had intended to seow
= | but the tone, sharply authoritative, rous
Il Ell dis duIUAdAlC SOhNiSh SCtohu
and he answered, almost despite himself
Rufus Dawes"
"Oh," said Mr.. North. eying him wit
a curious air Of expectation that ha
|, something plying In it. "This is tn
man, is It'll I thought he was to go t
the coal Mines"
!. $50 he Is" said Troke, "but we hahn
. a-going to send there for fortnit, an
: in the meantime I'm to work him on tn
: chain"
"Oh," said Mr.. North again. "Len
a me your knife, Troke"
e And then, before them all, this curior
0 parson took a piece of tobacco out {
his ragged pocket, and cut off "chaw
!. with Mr.. Troke's knife. Rufus DAVE
! felt what he had not felt for three da!
Ian interest in something. He stare
e at the parson in unaffected astonisl
h ment. Mr.. North perhaps mistook Il
), meaning of his fixed stare, for he he
p out the remnant Of tobacco TO him.
The chain-line vibrated at this, AZ
10 bent forward to enjoy the vicarious d