Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-08-24
for The Term of His Natural Life
CHAPTER XVII.
By MARCUS CLARKE

hrs. rrere noticed sudden ana unac-
countable change in the manner of the
chaplain. He came to her one after
noon, and, after talking for some time, |
In vague. and unconnected manner, |
about the miseries of the prison, and the |
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. II have the stran-
gest, the most horrible dreams about
him. He Is a bad man. He tried to
murder me when a child, and had it not
been for my husband, he would have
done SO. l have only seen him once
since then-at Hobart Town, when he
was taken"
HE sometimes speaks to me of you"
said North, eying her. HE asked me
once to give him rose plucked in your
garden"
Sylvia turned pale. "And you gave
1t himT'
''Yes, gave it him. Why mott You
are not angry?
p "Oh, no! Why should l be angry?
she laughed constrainedly. 1T was a
strange fancy for the man to have, that's
ALL"
II suppose you would not give me an
other rose, if l asked youF
why not?" said she, turning away
uneasily. You? You are a gentleman"
mot You don't know me. 1t would
be better for you if you had never seen
me-"
Mr.. North" Terrified at the wild
gleam in his eyes, she had risen hastily.
you are talking very strangely"
"Oh, don't be alarmed, madam. | had
better leave you. Indeed, | 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 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-sacrifce he had
made brought about the precise condi-
ton of things which he was desirous
to avoid. But the very fact of the
sudden wrenching away of her compan-
ion showed her how barren was the soli-
tary Nfe to which she had been tated.
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 to turn elsewhere. She un'
derstood that his love for her had burn
ed itself out. In word, she found that
the society of North had become so faI
necessary to her, that to be deprived oi
It was a grief-notwithstan that hei
husband remained to console her.
After a week Of such reflections, the
barrenness of life grew insupportablt
to her, and one day she came to Mau
rice and begged to be sent back to Ho
bart Town. 81 cannot live in this hor
rible island" she said. II am getting
Ill. Let me go to my father for few
months. Maurice" Maurice consent
ed. His wife was looking i'll, and Majol
Vickers was an old mana rich old maj
who loved his only daughter. 1t was
not undesirable that Mrs. Frere shoulC
visit her father; indeed, SO little sym
pathy was there between the pair, that
the first astonishment over, Maurice fel
rather glad to get rid of her for
while. "You can go back in the Lady
IL yOu llhc, NY ueoi' hS S"i'
81 expect her every day" At this de
cision-much to his surprise-she kissed
him with more show of affection thai
she had manifested for a long time.
The news of the approaching depart
ure became known, but still North dit
not make his appearance. Had it no
been step beneath the dignity of
woman, Mrs. Frere would have gon
herself and asked him the meaning o
his unaccountable rudeness; but ther
was Just sufficient morbidity in the sym
pathy she had for him to restrain he
from an act which young girl, thougI
not more innocent, would have dare'
without hesitation.
Between the commandant and tn
chaplain now arose GOODNESS, an
Frere set himself, by various petit
tyrannies, to disgust North and compe
him to a resignation of his Office. Th
convict jailers speedily marked the dif
ference In the treatment of the chaplain
and their demeanor changed. For re
spect was substituted insolence; TO
alacrity, sullenness; for prompt obed
ence, impertinent intrusion The me
whom North favored were selected a
special subjects for harshness, and 10
a prisoner to be seen talking to the clel
gyman was sufficient to insure for hir
a series of tyrannies. There was bu
one being who was not to be turned fror
his alleglance-the convict murderer
Rufus Dawes, who awaited death. Fo
many days he had remained mute, brol
en- down beneath his weight of sorro'
or of sullenness.
Frere, unable to comprehend the ref
son of the calmness with which tn
doomed felon met his taunts and tol
ments. thought that he was shgnmin
piety to gain some indulgence of mea
and drink, and redoubled his severit!
He ordered Dawes to be taken out
work just before the hour at which tn
chaplain was accustomed to visit him.
The method and manner of Frere
revenge became subject Of whispere