Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1906-07-28


you not hear me speak to you? 1 came
to console you, man. 1 wanted to give
you some good advicep'
II beg your pardon, sir. Pray 20
on"
Il was going to say. my good fellow,
that you have done yourself a great deal
of injury by your ill-advised accusat ton
OF Captain Frere, and the use you made
of Miss Vickers' name"
A frown, as of pain, contracted the
prisoners brows, and he seemed with
difficulty to put restraint upon his
speech. rs there to be no inquiry, Mr.
Meekin?" he asked, at length. What
l stated was the truth. Are they not
going to ask her for her story? They
told me that she was to be asked. Sure
ly 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 1 can tell you that Miss
Nickers will not be asked anything about
you. You are to go back to Port Ar
thur on the oath, and to remain there"
A groan burts from Rufus Dawes; a
groan 80 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 If 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.
when its civilization created such places
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 l 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 woman! Yet, she is
sure to be child-like. sweet and gentle.
How she will grieve when she hears of
my sufferingsi OH my darling, my darl-
ing, you are not deadw 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, toiworn fingers. reverently rails
Ing it to his lips, and dreaming over it,
with smile on his face, as though it
were sacred talisman that should open
to him the doors Of freedom.
The usual clanking and hammcring
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. Dawesr' says Warder Troke.
hating his train Of ironed yellow ia ckets.
$50 you've come back again! Glad to
see yer. Dawesl 1t seems an age since
we had the pleasure of your compan
Dawes" At this pleasantly the train
laughed, so that their irons clanked more
than ever. They found it often incoa-
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. 1 ex-
pect, Ell, boys? Wen look after yer
here, Dawes, though. You won't bolt
any more"
''Take care. Mr.. Troke," said warn
Ing voice, you're at it again. Let the
man slonev'
BY virtue of an order transmitted
from Hobart Town. they had begun to
attach the dangerous prisoner to the
last man of the gang. rivetng the leg
irons of the pair by means of an extra
link, which could be removed when nec-
essary; but Dawes had given no sign of
consciousness. At the sound of the
friendly tones. however. he looked up.
and saw tall. gaunt man. dressed in a
shabby pepper and salt raiment. and
wearing a black handkerchief knotted
round his throat. He was a stranger to
him.
81 beg your pardon. Mr.. North" said
Troke, sinking at once the bully in the
sneak. II didn't see yer reverence"
"a parsonw thought Dawes, with dis
appointment, and dropped his eyes.
II know that" returned Mr.. North.
coolly. IF you had, you would have
been all butter and honey. Don't you
trouble youself to tell lie; it's quite
unnecessary. What's your name, my
manW