Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1906-09-08
for The Term of His Natural Life
BY MARCUS CLARKE
CHAPTER XVII.

countable change in the manner of the
chaplain. He came to her one after
noon. and, after talking for some time
In a vague and uncounected manner
about the miseries of the prison, and the
wretched condition of some of the pris
oners began to question her abruptly
concerning Rufus Dawes.
81 do not wish to think of him" said
she, with a shudder. 81 have the stran-
gest, the most horrible dreams about
him. He is n bad man. He tried to
murder me when a child, and had it not
been for my husband, he would have
done SO. l have only seen him once
since then-at Hobart Town, when he
was TAKEN"
HE sometimes speaks to me Of you,
said North, eying her. HE asked me
once to give him a rose piucked in your
garden"
Sylvia turned pale. "And you gave
1t himP'
"Yes, l gave 1t him. Why notl You
are not angryT
"Oh, no! Why should [ be angry 2
she laughed constrainedly. "It was a
strange fancy for the man to have, that's
ALL"
81 suppose you would not give me an
other rose, if | asked your
"Why not?" said she, turning away
uneasily. Your You are a gentleman
mot You don't know me. 1t would
be better for you if you had never seen
me-"
"Mr Northw Terrified at the wild
CLEAN in his eyes, she had risen hastily.
"You are talking very strangely"
'Ob don't be alarmed, madam. | had
better leave you. Indeed, | think the
less we see of each other the better"
Deeply wounded and astonished at this
extraordinary outburst, Sylvia allowed
him to stride away without a word. The
next day he met her, and. bowling, pass
ed swiftly. This panied her.
So a week passed. and Mr.. North did
not return. Unluckily for the poor
wretch the very self-sacri6ce he had
made brought about the precise condi-
ton of things which he was DESTROYS
to avoid. But the very fact of the
sudden wrenching away of her compan-
Ion showed her how barren was the soil
tary life to which she had been fated.
Her husband, she had long ago admit |
ted, with bitter self-communings, was
utterly unsuted to her. She could find
In his society no enjoyment, and for
the sympathy which she needed was
to turn elsewhere. She I'M
derstood that his love for her had burn
ed itself out. In a word, she found that
the society of North had become so far
necessary to her, that to be deprived of
1t was a grief-notwithstand that her
husband remained to console her.
After week Of such reflections. the
barrenness of life grew insupportable
to her, and one day she came to Maui
rice and begged to be sent back to Ho
bart Town. 81 cannot live in this hor-
rible island" she said. II am getting
I'll. Let me go to my father for a few
Maurice" Maurice consent
ed. His wife was looking i'll, and Major
Vickers was an old mana rich old man
who loved his only daughter 1t was
not undesirable that Mrs. Frere should
visit her father indeed. so little sym
patty was there between the pair. that.
the first establishment over, Maurice felt
rather glad to get rid of her for
while. You can go back in the Lady
Franklin, If you like, my dear" he said.
81 expect her every day" At this de-
to his surprise-she kissed
him with more show of affection than
she had manifested for long time.
The news of the approaching depart
ure became known, but still North did
not make his appearance. Had it not
been a step beneath the dignity of
woman, Mrs. Frere would have gone
herself and asked him the meaning of
his unaccountable rudeness; but there
was just sufficient morbidity In the sym
pathy she had for him to restrain her
from an act which young girl, though
not more innocent. would have dared
without hesitation.
Between the commandant and the
chaplain now arose GOODNESS, and
Frere set himself, by various petty
tyrannies, to disgust North and compel
him to a resignation of his office. The
convict jailers speedily marked the diff
ference in the treatment of the chaplain,
and their demeanor changed. For re-
spect was substituted insolence: for
alacrity, sullenness; for prompt obedi-
bnce, impertinent intrusion. The men
whom North favored were selected as
special subjects for harshness, and for
a prisoner to be seen talking to the cer-
gyman was sufficient to insure for him
4 series of tyrannies. There was but
one being who was not to be turned from
lis allegiance-the convict murderer
Rufus Dawes, who awaited death For
many days he had remained mute brok
IN down beneath his weight of sorrow
1r of sullenness.
Frers, unable to comprehend the rea
on of the calmness with which tn,
doomed felon met his taunts and tor
nents, thought that he was shGnminl
Diety to gain some indulgence of mea
nd drink. and redoubled his severity
lie ordered Dawes to be taken out t,
york just before the hour at which tn,
Ihaplain was accustomed to visit him.
The method and manner of Frere'
evenge became a subject of whispere,
conversation on the island. 1t was re
orted that North had been forbidden I
isit the convict, but that he had re
used to accept the prohibition. and. b
threat of what he would do when tn
eturning vessel had landed him in He
art Town, had compelled the command