Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1906-08-10
FOR The Term of Ills Natural Life
BY MARCUS CLARKE
CHAPTER XXII.-(Continued)

bnOL eyes, ruDDeu MS iOrenedu Win
hands that trembled, and suddenly awak-
ening, rolled off the bed and rose to his
feet He saw the empty brandy bottle
on his wooden dressing table, and re-
membered what had passed. With shak-
ing hands he dashed water over his ach-
ing head, and smoothed his garments.
The debauch Of the previous night had
left the usual effects behind IT, His
brain seemed on fire, his hands were hot
and dry, his tongue Glove to the roof
of his mouth He shuddered as he view
ed his pale face and red eyes In the
little looking glass. Stealing into the
sitting room, he saw that the clock
pointed to half-past six. The hoggng
was to have taken place at halt-past
five. Unless accident had favored him
he was already too late. Fevered with
remorse and anxiety, he hurried past
the room where Meekin yet slumbered.
and made his way to the prison. As
he entered the yard Kirkland had just
got his fiftieth lash.
"stopr' cried North. Captain Bur
CESS. | call upon you to stop"
you're rather late, Mr.. North re-
torted Burgess. THE punishment ~
nearly over"
North stood by, biting his nails ana
grinding his teeth during six more lashes.
Kirkland had ceased to yell now, ana
merely moaned. His back was like
bloody sponge, while in the interval be-
tween the lashes the swollen flesh
twitched like that Of a new-klled bull
lock. Suddenly Macklewain saw his
head droop on his shoulder. Throw
him Off Throw him offp' he cried, and
T,roke hurried to loosen the thongs.
"Fling some water over him! said
Burgess Hes shamming."
A bucket of water made Kirkland
omen his eyes. 81 thought So, SAID
Burgess. "Tie him up again"
mo; not If you are Christians? cried
North.
He met with an ally where he least
expected one. Rufus Dawes hung down
the dripping cat. "Ill hog no MORE
said he.
"WhatY" roared Burgess, furious at
this gross insolence
"I'll fog no more. Get some one else
TO do your bloody work for YOU
won't"
s.Tie him up! cried Burgess, foaming.
"Tie him up Here. constable, fetch
man here with a fresh cat. III give
you that beggar's fifty, and fifty more
ON the top Of EN-; and he shall look on
while his back cools.'
Rufus Dawes, with a glance at North,
pulled off his shirt without a word
and stretched himself at the triangles.
His hack was not white and smooth,
like Kirkland's had been, but hard and
scanned. He had been logged before.
Troke appeared with Gabbett, grinnlng
Gabbett liked hogging. 1t was his boast
that he could fog man to death on
place no bigger than the palm OF MS
hand. He could use his left hand equal
ly with his right, and if he got hold OF
a "favorite," would "cross the cuts"
Rufus Dawes planted his feet firmly
on the ground, took fierce grasp Of the
slaves, and drew in his breath. Mackle
vain spread the garments of the two
men upon the ground, and, placing Kirk
land upon them, turned to watch this
new phase in the mornings amusement
He grumbled little below his breath
for he wanted his breakfast, and wheI
the commandant once began to fog
there was no telling where he would
stop. Rufus Dawes took fve-and-twen
Gabbett CROSSED the cuts" This wen
on up to fifty lashes, and North fel
himself stricken with admiration at TIL
courage of the man. IF it had no
been for that cursed brandy" though
he, with bitterness Of self-reproach. =
might have saved all this" At the hun
dredth lash. the giant paused, expecting
the order to throw off. but Burgess wa
determined TO "break the mans spirit.
an make you speak, you dog. if
cut your heart out" he cried. go on
prisoner"
For twenty lashes more Dawes wa
mute. and then the agony forced fror
his laboring breast a hideous cry. Blu
It was not cry for mercy, as that o
Kirkland's had been. Having found hi
tongue, the wretched man gave vent t
his boiling passion in a torrent. II
shrieked imprecations upon Burgess
Troke and North. He cursed all so
diers for tyrants, all parsons for hypt
critics. He called on the earth to gap
and swallow his prosecutors, for heave
to open and rain fire upon them, for he
to yawn and engulf them quick. 1t wa
as though each blow of the cat force
out of him fresh burst of beast-lik
rage. He seemed to have. abandone
his humanity. He foamed. he ravet
he tugged at his bonds until the stron
slaves shook again; he writhed himsel
round upon the triangles and spit impc
tently at Burgess, who jeered at his tol
ments. North. with his hands to hi
ears, crouched against the corner of tn
wall, palsied with horror. He woul
fain have fed. but a horrible fascinatio
held him back.
In the midst of this-when the ca
was kissing the loudest, Burgess laugh
ing his hardest, and the wretch on tn
triangles filling the air with his crie
North saw Kirkland look at him wit
what he thought smile. Was 1t