Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1906-05-19
for The Term of His Natural Life
By MARCUS CLARKE
CHAPTER TX

was coming from the after deck. The
crowd of prisoners round the door held
their breath to listen.
IT'S all planned" says Gabbett. in
low growl. "W'en the door hopens we
rush. and we're in among the guard
afore they know where they are Drag
EN- back into the prison, grab the harm
rack. and it's all over"
Stand from the door, Miles," says
Pines voice outside, in its usual calm
accents
The Grow was relieved The tone was
an ordinary one, and Miles was the sol
dier whom Sarah Purfoy had bribed
not to fire. All had gone well.
The keys clashed and turned. and the
bravest of the prudent party, who had
been turning in his mind the notion of
risking his life FOR pardon to be won
by rushing forward at the right moment
and alarming the guard, checked the
cry that was in his throat as he saw the
men round the door draw back little
for their rush, and caught a glimpse of
the giants bristlng scalp and barred
gums.
Now cries Jenny Vetch as the
iron-plated oak swung back. and. with
the cultural snarl of charging wild
toar, Gabbett hurled himself out of the
prison.
The red line of light which glowed for
an instant through the doorway was
botted out by mass of figures. All
the prison surged forward. and before
the eye could wink. five. ten. twenty of
the most desperate were outside. 1t
was as though sea. breaking against a
stone wall, had found some breach
through through which " pour its
waters. The contagion of battle lpread
Caution was forgotten and those at the
back. seeing Jenny Vetch raised up on
the crest of that human billow which
reared its black outline against an in
distinct prospective of struggling figures.
responded to his grin of encouragement
by rushing furiously forward.
Suddenly n horrible roar like that of
a trapped wild beast was heard. The
rushing torrent choked in the doorway,
and from out the lantern glowed into
which the giant had rushed fash broke.
followed by a groan, the perfdious
sentry fell back. shot through the breast.
The mass in the doorway hung irreso-
lutte. and then. by sheer weight of pres
sure from behind. burst forward. and
as it so burst, the heavy door crashed
into its jambs. and the bolts were shot
into their places.
All this took place by one of those
simultaneous movements which are 50
rapid in execution. so tedious to describe
i'll detail At one instant the prison door
had opened, at the next it had closed
The picture which had presented itself
to the eyes of the convicts was momen.
tary. The period of time that had elaps
ed between the opening and the shutting
of the door could have been marked by
the musket shot
The report of another shot. and ther
noise of confused cries. mingled with
the clashing of arms. informed the i'm
prisoned men that the ship had beer
alarmed. How would it go with thei
friends on deck? Would they succee,
In overcoming the guards. or would the,
be beaten back? They would soon know
and in the hot dust. straining their eye
to see each other. they waited for tn
issue. Suddenly the noises ceased. an,
a strange rumbling sound fell upon tn
ears of the listeners.
What had taken place? This. the mel
pouring out of the darkness into tn
sudden glare of the lanterns rushed. be
wldered, across the deck. Miles. tru
to his promise, did not fire. but the mex
instant Vickers had snatched the fire
lock from him, and, leaping into tn
stream. turned about and fired down tc
ward the prison. The attack was NOR
sudden than he had expected. but h
did not lose his presence of mind. TIL
shot would serve a double purpose.
would warn the men in the barrack. an
perhaps check the rush by stopping u
the doorway with corpse Beaten bacl
struggling and indignant. amidst tn
storm of hideous faces. his humant
vanished. and he aimed deliberately q
the head of Mr.. James Vetch; the sho
however. missed its mark, and kille
the unhappy Miles.
Gabbett and his companions had
this time reached the foot of the con
panion ladder, there to encounter tn
cutlasses of the doubled guard glea min
redly in the glow of the lanterns.
glance up the hatchway showed IL
giant that the arms he had planned
seize were defended by ten frelock
and that, behind the open doors of Il
partition which ran abaft the mizze
mast, the remainder of the detachme
stood to their arms. Even his dull i
tellect comprehended that the despera
project had failed, and that he hi
been betrayed. With the roar of
spair which had penetrated into Il
prison. he turned to fight his way bac
Just in time to see the crowd in L
gangway recoil from the fash of t
musket fred by Vickers. The next
slant Pine and two soldiers, taking a
vantage of the momentary cessation
the press, shot the bolts and secured t