The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1906-09-13

CHAPTER XVII.

NN~"< = A|1AA so @~AN"N
eountable change in the manner Of tn
chaplain He came to her one after
noon. and. after talking for some time
In a vague and unconnected manner
about the miseries Of the prison. and tbs
wretched condition Of some Of the pris
oners. began to question her abruptly
concerning Rufus Dawes.
Il do not wish to think Of him." said
she. with a shudder. Il have the stran-
gest. the most horrible dreams about
him. He Is a bad man. He tried 10
murder me when a child. and had it not
been for my husband. he would have
done 50. l have only seen him once
since then-at Hobart Town, when he
was taken"
FL sometimes speaks 10 me Of you.
said North. eying her. HE asked me
once to give him a rose plucked in your
garden
Sylvia turned. pale. ~And you v
It himy'
YES. l gave it him. Why notl You
are not angry
she laughed eonstrainedly. 1T was a
strange fancy for the man TO have, that's
all"
Il suppose you would not give me an
other rose. if l asked youy
why not?" said she. turning away
uneasily. -You2 You are a gentleman"
moi You don't know me. II would
be better for you if you had never seen
me-"
MFR. North, Terrified at the wild
CLEAN in his eyes. she had risen hastily.
you are talking very strangely"
..0h. don't be alarmed. madam l had
better leave you Indeed. l 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 retnrn- Unluckily for the poor
wretch the very self-sacridee 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-
lon showed her how barren was the soli-
tary life 10 which she had been fated-
Her husband. she had long ago admit
ted with bitter self-communings, was
utterly unsuited TO her She could find
In his society no enjoyment. and for
the sympathy which she needed was
compelled 10 turn elsewhere She IN
that his love for her had burn
ed itself out. In a word. she found that
the society Of North had become so far
TO her. that 10 be deprived Of
Il was a grief-notwithstanding that her
husband remained TO console her.
After a week Of such reflections. the
Of life grew ~insupportable
10 her. and one day she came to Mau-
and begged TO be sent back TO Ho-
,art Town. II cannot live in this hor- ]
-ible island she aid II am getting {
H. Let me go TO my father for a few Z
months. Maurice" Maurice consent c
ID. His wife was looking i'll. and Major b
Tickers was an old man-a rich old man
who loved his only daughter. II was o
Tot undesirable that Mrs. Frere should c
'isit her father. indeed. so little sym I
was there between the pair, that. d
be first establishment over, Maurice felt a
ather glad to get rid Of her for a 8
Thile- You can go back In the Lady c
rankin. if you ike. my dear" he said. a
! expect her every day" At this de- F
Ision-mueh to his surprise-she kissed Al
i'm with more show Of affection han W
ne had manifested for a long time. Il
The news Of the approaching depart b
re became known, but still North did
ot make his appearance. Had II not
zen a step beneath the dignity Of a y
oman, Mrs Frere would nave gone
srself and asked him the meaning of he
$ u~naccountable rudeness: but there =
as just sufficient morbidity in the sym n
THY she had for him to restrain her IA
ON an act which a young girl. though 81
4 more innocent, would have dared no
hesitation NJ
Between the commandant and the no
aplain now srose a coolness. and ha
'ere set himself. by various petty tut
to disgust North and compel in
n to a resignation of his office. The
nvict jailers speedily marked the diff Do
'ence in the treatment Of the chaplain. VIII
d their demeanor changed. For re- dol
ect was substituted insoIence: for bo,
Icrity. su~llenness: for prompt obedi- 10
-e. impertinent intrusion. The men kn,
Iom North favored were selected AZ a
scial subjects for harshness. and for act
to be seen talking to the cIer- me
man was sufficient to insure for him the
series Of %tyrsnnies. There was but for
being who was not to be turned from the
allegiance-the convict murderer ed.
Dawes. who awaited death. For wis
ny days he had remained mute. brok- the
down beneath his weight of sorrow fan
of sullenness. sha
'rere. unable to comprehend the rea- Is I
of the calmness with which the but
felon met his taunts and tor pro,
nts, thought that he was shrnmiuz viii
~ TO gain some indulgence Of meat her,
drink. and redoubled his severity. The
ordered Dawes to be taken out 10 bic
* just before the hour at which the teh'
plain was accustomed to visit him. you
he method and manner Of Frere's the
enge became a subject Of whispered For
on the island. II was re- Their
ted that North had been forbidden 70 pris,
t the convict. but that he had re- en-
ID to accept the prohibition. and. bv theil
Of what he would do when the A1
Irning vessel had landed him in Ho- fain
Town. had compelled the command ~
TO Withdraw his order. The COM snsy
'dant- however, speedily discovered in ques
us Dawes signs Of characterization. that
set TO work again to reduce again wha