Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1906-09-08

Rufus Dawes signs of insubordination,
and set to work again to reduce again
still further the spirit" he had so In
geniously broken" The unhappy con-
vict was deprived of food, was kept
awake at nights, was put to the hardest
labor, was loaded with the heaviest
irons. Troke suggested that, if the tor
tured wretch would decline to see the
chaplain, some amelioration of his con-
dition might be effected but his sugges-
tions were in vain. Firmly believing
that his death was certain, Dawes chung
to North as the savior of his agonized
soul, and rejected all such nsidious over
lures Enraged at this obstinacy, Frere
sentenced his victim to the spread
eagle and the "stretcher."
Now, the rumor of the obduracy of
this undaunted convict. who had been
recalled to her by the clergyman at their
strange interview, had reached Sylvia's
ears. She questioned her husband con-
corning the convict's misdoings but,
with the petulant brutality which he in
variably displayed when the name of
Rufus Dawes intruded itself into their
conversation, Maurice Frere harshly re-
fused to satisfy her.
Ono sultry afternoon, when the com
mandant had gone on a visit of inspec-
ton, Troke, lounging at the door of the
new prison, beheld with surprise the fig
ure of the commandments lady.
What Is it, ma'am? he asked,
scarcely able to believe his eyes.
II want to see the prisoner Dawes"
Hes = he's under punishment.
ma'am."
what do you mean7 Are they fog
cling him?"
mo; but = but he's dangerous,
ma'am."
do you wish me to complain to the
commandantT cries Sylvia, with touch
Of her old spirit, and jumping hastily
at the conclusion that the jailers were,
perhaps torturing the convict for their
own entertainment. "Open the door at
once-at oncer'
Thus commanded, Troke, with a hasty
growl Of Its being no affair of his, and
he hoped Mrs. Frere would tell the cap
tain how it happened" flung open the
door of a cell on the right hand of the
doorway. 1t was so dark that at first
Sylvia could distinguish nothing but the
outline of a framework, with something
stretched upon it that resembled a hui
man body. Her first thought was that
the man was dead, but this was not so
he groaned. Her eyes, accustomed
themselves to the gloom, began to see
what the punishment" was. Upon the
floor was placed an iron frame about
six feet long, and two and a half feet
wide, with round iron bars, placed trans
versely, about twelve inches apart. The
man she came to seek was bound in
horizontal position upon this frame, with
his neck projecting over the end of 1t.
If he allowed his head to hang. the
blood rushed to his brain, and suffocated
him, while the effort to keep it raised
strained every muscle to agony pitch
His face was purple, and he foamed at
the mouth. Sylvia uttered a cry. "This
is no punishment; it's murder! Who
ordered this"
''The commandant," said Troke, sui
lenly.
81 don't believe it. Loose him, say.
Hailey!-you, sir, therei' The noise
had brought several warders to the spot
DO you hear me? Do you know who
l am? Loose him, I say!' In her eager
ness and compassion, she was on her
knees by the side of the Internal ma
chine, plucking at the ropes with her
delicate fingers. "Wretches, you have
cut his feshl He Is dying, Help You
have killed him"
The prisoner. in fact, seeing this angel
of mercy STOPPING over him, and hearing
close to him the tones of a voice that
for seven years he had heard but in his
dreams. had tainted. Troke and HALEY,
alarmed by her vehemence, dragged the
stretcher out into the light, and hastily
cut the lashings. Dawes rolled off like
log, and his head fell against Mrs.
Frere. Troke roughly pulled him aside
and called for water. Sylvia, trembling
with sympathy. and pale with passion,
turned upon the crew. "How long has
| he been like this?'
"An hour" said Troke.
"a lier' said a stern voice at the door.
"He has been there nine hoursr'
"Wretchesr' cried Sylvia. you shall
hear more of this. Oh, OH am sick
she felt for the wall-"I-I-''
North watched her with agony on his
face, but did not move. 81 faint IL
She uttered Il despairing cry that was
not without a touch of anger. ''Mr
Northi do you not see? OH Take me
home-take me homer And she would
| nave ldicl dCioSS lhc oOut VI the tOI-
tured prisoner had not North caught her
in his arms.
Rufus Dawes, awaking from his stu
por, saw, in the midst of a sunbeam
which penetrated a window in the CORR
dor, the woman who came to save his
body supported by the priest who came
to save his soul; and, staggering to his
knees, he stretched out his hands with
hoarse cry Perhaps something in the
action brought back to the dimmed re
membrance of the commandments wifi.