The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1906-09-14
CHAPTER xviii.

wandered uneasily, and he seemed bur-
dened with thoughts which he dared not
utter.
Il want you to thank her for me. Mr..
North" said Dawes.
Thank whom?"
Mrs. Frere."
The unhappy priest shuddered at hear
Ing the name.
Il do not think you owe any thanks
to her. Your irons were removed by the
commandments order"
"But by her persuasion. feel sure
Of 1t. All, was wrong to think she had
forgotten me. Ask her for her forgive
ness"
'Forgivenessl' said North, RECALLING
the scene in the prison. What have
you done to need her forgivenessY
II doubted her." said Rufus Dawes.
Il thought her ungrateful and treach-
erous. 1 thought she delivered me again
Into the bondage from whence I had
escaped. | thought she had betrayed
me-betrayed me to the villain whose
base life saved for her sweet sake"
What do you meant" asked North.
You never spoke to me of this
mo, had vowed to bury the knowl-
edge Of it in my own breast; it is too
bitter to speak"
Saved his life!'
Az, and hers. made the boat that
carried her to freedom. / held her in
my arms, and took the bread from my
own lips to feed herl''
"She cannot know this" said North,
In an undertone.
She has forgotten 1t, perhaps, for
she was but child. But you will re-
mind her, will you not? You will do
me Justice In her eyes before die? You
will get her forgiveness for me?'
North could not explain why such an
interview as the convict desired was inn
possible, and so he promised.
She Is going away in the schooner"
said he. II will see her before she goes,
and tell her."
God bless you, sir!" said poor Dawes.
Now, pray with me-" and the wretched
priest mechanically repeated one of the
formulate his church prescribes.
The days passed swiftly, and Blunt's
preparations for sea were completed. On
the morning Of the 10th of December,
he declared himself ready to set sail, and
In the afternoon.
dow upon the schooner that lay outside
the reef, thought nothing of the fact that
after the commandments boat had taken
away the commandments wife, another
boat should put off with the chaplain.
The hot afternoon passed away in
sultry sunset, and 1t was not until the
shades of evening had begun to fall that
Rufus Dawes distinguished a boat de-
tach itself from the sides of the schoon-
er and glide through the oily water to
the jetty. The chaplain was returning,
and in a few hours, perhaps, would be
with him, to bring him the message of
comfort for which his soul thirsted He
stretched out his unshackled limbs, and
throwing himself upon his stretcher, fell
to recalling the past-his boat building,
the news Of his fortune, his love and
his sek-sacrifice.
North, however, was not returning to
bring to the prisoner message of COM
fort. but he was returning on purpose to
see him, nevertheless. The unhappy
man, torn by remorse, had resolved upon
course Of action which seemed to him
penance for his crime of deceit. He
had determined to confess to Dawes that
he message he brought was wholly ficti-
T ious. that he himself loved the wife of
he commandment. II am no hypocrite,"
e thought, in his exaltation. "This
DOR wretch, who looks up to me as an
v NIGEL. shall know me for my true self"
He had ingeniously extracted from
lunt the fact that he .'didn't expect a
ind before dark, but wanted all ship
lape and aboard" and then, just as
arkness fell, discovered that it was Inn
srative for him to go ashore. Blunt
i'd II the chaplain insisted upon going,
ere was no help for it.
4There'll be breeze In less than two
urs," said he. you've plenty of time.
I II you're not back before the first
e. I'll sail without you, as sure as
n're born" North assured him of
punctuality. Don't wait for me.
ptain, II I'm not here" said he, with
} lightness of tone which men use to
SIX anxiety. So the boat set off. Frere
erved with some establishment that
chaplain wrapped himself in boat
Al Ak that lay In the stern sheets. "Does
fellow want to smother himself In a
hit like thisT was the remark. The
Ii was that, though his hands and
were burning, North's teeth chatter.
with cold. Perhaps this was the
ION why, when landed and out of eve
Of the crew, he produced pocket
Of rum and eagerly drank. The
It gave him courage for the ordeal
ihich he had condemned himself, and.
steadied step, he reached the door
10 old prison. To his surprise, Gin.
refused him admission.
sut l have come direct from the
nandant," said North.
can't let you In. your reverence"
Gimblett.
want to see the prisoner Dawes.
We a special message for him.
come ashore on purpose"
pom my honor, sir, daren't." said
lett, who was not without mis- eood
You know what authority "a
well as I do"
It'll was In despair, but a bright
bit struck him--a thought that in
Der moments would never have en-.
his head-he would bur admission.
oduced the rum flask from beneath
lettering cloak. "Come, don't talk
use to me, Gimblett. You dent
,e / would come here without au-
-.