The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-05-31
for The Term of Ills Natural Life
CHAPTER XIX
BY MARCUS CLARKE


come indistinct TO the general public
mind. Now that they had been captured
In remarkable manner. popular BELIEF
invested them with all sorts OF strange
surroundings They had been-accord-
ing 10 report-i;ings over savage island
ers, chiefs of lawless and ferocious pi-
rates. respectable married men in Java,
merchants in Singapore, and swindlers
II Hongkong. Their adventures had
Deen dramatized az theater, and the
popular novelist of that day was engag-
ed In work descriptive of their won
drous fortunes.
John Rex, the ringleader, was related.
II was said, to a noble family. He had
every prospect of being satisfactorily
hanged, however, for even the most out
spoken admirers of his skill and courage
could not but admit that he had conn
United an offense which was death by
the law The already crowded prison
was recrammeo with half dozen life
sentence men, brought up from Port
Arthur to identify the prisoners Among
this number was stated to be the mo
torious Dawes"
This statement gave fresh food for
recollection and invention 1t was re-
membered that '4the notorious Dawes"
was the absconder who had been brought
away by Captain Frere. and who owed
such fettered life as he possessed to the
fact that he had assisted Captain Frere
TO make the wonderful boat in which
the marooned party escaped. 1t was
remembered, also, how sullen and morose
ne had been on his trial five years before.
and how he had laughed when the COM
mutation of his death sentence was an
n0unced to him.
Miss Sylvia Vickers also received an
additional share OF public attention. Her
romantic rescue by the heroic Frere. who
was shortly to reap the reward of his de-
votion in the good old fashion. made her
almost as famous as the villain Dawes,
or his confederate monster, John Rex.
1t was reported that she was to give evil
dence on the trial, together with her
afianced husband, they being the only
two living witnesses who could speak
to the facts Of the mutiny. 1t was re-
ported, also, that her lover was. nat
urally, most anxious that she should not
give evidence, as she was affected deep
IL by the Illness consequent on the suf-
fering she had undergone, and in a
state of pitiable mental confusion as to
the whole business. These reports caus-
TO be crowded with spectators, and as
the various particulars of the marvellous
history Of this double escape were de-
tailed, the excitement grew more intense
The aspect of the four heavily ron pris-
oners caused a sensation which, in that
city of the ironed, was quite novel. and
bets were offered and taken as to the
line of defense which they would adopt.
Mr.. Meekin, sitting in the body of the
court felt his religious prejudices sadly
shocked By a sight Of John Rex. "A per
feet wild beast, my dear Miss Vickers."
be said, returning In pause during the
examination of the convicts who had
been brought to identify the prisoner, to
the little room where Sylvia and her
father were waiting. He has cutie a
tigerish look about him.
.Poor mani" said Sylvia, with sllud-
der.
The major tapped his fingers impa-
tientiy. Come here, Poppet." he said
"and look through this door. You can
see them from here. and if you do not
recognize any of them, I can't see what
Is the use Of putting you in the box"
The raised dock was just opposite TO
the door Of the room in which they were
sitting. and the four manacled men, each
with an armed warder behind him. were
visible above the heads Of tn ecrovd.
'.No, papa" she said, with a sigh of
relief; Il can't recognize them at ALL
As she was turning from the door.
voice from the witness box behind her
made her suddenly pale, and pause to
look again The court Itself appeared, at
that moment, affected, for a murmur ran
through il, and some official cried, ISL
lence,s
The notorious criminal, Rufus Dawes,
the desperate of Port Arthur, the wild
beast whom the newspapers had judged
not fit to live. had just entered the wit
ness box He was a man of thirty, in
the prime of life, with a torso whose
muscular grandeur not even the lift
ting yellow jacket could altogether con-
ceaI, with strong, embrowned and nerv-
Gus hands. and upright carriage, and a
pair of fierce black eyes that roamed
over the court hungrily.
Not ali the weight of the double irons
svaying from the leathern thong around
his massive loins, could mar that ele-
gance OF attitude which comes only from
perfect muscular development. Not all
the frow aing faces bent upon him could
frown an accent of respect into the con-
femnfuous tones in which he answered
- b;s name "Rufus Dawes. nrisonar of
-
60, NV d.-,;,yv .;s vi,
- al.rmad At his daughters bIanehad
e.. IA :. oar eyes
.sWa;tv she said. impatientlv ,;star-
ing for the voice whose owner she could
-[s, go .Rufns Dawes Oh 49,
heard that mans beforer
..you are a prisoner of tho crorn a.
H. rsnal se,,,ement of port A-thn-s. y,
ssyes,
cvrv;a turne5 To her father r,;,h
sthias. ;nou;rv in her ewes COT
n.na who Is that speaking I know the
nar,af 7 know the yoicer
.sTt.+ 60 the man who was with Won,