The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-06-07

Meditating that night in the solitude
of his cell, he almost wept to think Of
| the cruel deception that had doubtless
been practiced on her. ''They have told
| her that | was dead, in order that she
| might learn TO forget me; but she could
| not do that. l have thought of her so
| often during these weary years that she
| must sometimes have thought of me.
| Five years. She must be n woman now.
| My little child a woman. Yet, she is
| sure TO be child-like, sweet and gentle.
How she will grieve when she hears of
my sufferingsi Oh, my darling. my darl-
| ing, you are not deadr' And them Look
ing hastily about him in the darkness.
| as though fearful even there of being
seen, he pulled from out his breast a lit
| tie packet, and felt it lovingly with his
coarse, toil-worn fingers, reverently rails
ing it to his lips, and dreaming over it,
with smile on his face, as though it
were sacred talisman that should open
| to him the doors of freedom.
The usual clanking and hammering
were prevalent upon the stone jetty at
Port Arthur when the schooner bearing
| the returned convict, Rufus Dawes, ran
down and his hands clasped about his
knees, disdaining to look until they
reused him.
| "Hallo, Dawesr says Warder Troke.
hating his train of ironed ellow-jackets.
$50 you've come back again! Glad to
see yer. Dawes! 1t seems an age since
we had the pleasure of your company.
Dawes" At this pleasantly the train
| laughed, so that their irons clanked more
than ever. They found it often incon
| venient not to laugh at Mr.. Troke's hui
NOR. "Step down here, Dawes, and let
me Introduce yer to your hold friends.
They'll be glad to see yer, won't yer,
boys? Why. bless me, Dawes, we thort
we'd lost ger! We thort yer'd given us
| the slip altogether, Dawes. They didn't
| take care of yer In Hobart Town. ex-
pect, eh, boys? Well look after yer
here, Dawes, though. You won't bolt
any more"
take care. Mr.. Troke." said warn
ing voice, you're at it again! Let the
man alonev'
By virtue of an order transmitted
| from Hobart Town. they had begun to
| attach the dangerous prisoner TO the
last man Of the gang, riveting the leg
irons of the pair by means of an extra
| link, which could be removed when nec-
essary; but Dawes had given no sign Of
| consciousness. At the sound of the
| friendly tones, however, he looked up,
| and saw a tail, gaunt man, dressed In
shabby pepper and salt raiment. and
wearing a black handkerchief knotted
round his throat. He was a stranger to
| him.
81 beg your pardon, Mr.. North" said
| Troke, sinking at once the bully in the
sneak. II didn't see yer reverence"
"A parsonw thought Dawes, with dis
appointment. and dropped his eyes.
II know that" returned Mr.. North,
coolly. eff you had. you would have
been all butter and honey. Don't you
trouble youself to tell lie; it's quite
unnecessary. What's your name, my
manT
Rufus Dawes had intended to scowl.
but the tone, sharply authoritative. rous-
| ed his automatic convict second natures
and he answered. almost despite himself,
Rufus De YES"
"Oh," SAID Mr. North. eying him with
curious air of expectation that had
something plying in it. This is the
man, is it? l thought he was to go to
the coal mines"
| $50 he isl said Troke, shut we hain't
a-going TO send there for fortnit, and
in the meantime I'm to work him on the
chain"
"Oh," said Mr.. North again. "Lend
me your knife, Troke."
And then, before them ALL this curious
I l. - -
his ragged pocket, and cut off 'chav-"
with NJ. Troke's knife. Ruins Dawes
felt whit he had not selt for three days
-an interest in something. He stared
at the parson in unaffected astonish-
ment. Mr.. North perhaps mistook the
meaning of his fixed stare, for he held
out the remnant of tobacco TO him.
The chain-line vibrated at this, and
bent forward to enjoy the vicarious de-
light of seeing another man chew to-
bacco Troke grinned with silent mirth
that betokene1 retribution for the favor
ed convict. Here said Mr.. North.
holding our the dainty morseI upon
which so many eyes were fixed. Rufus
Dawes took the tobacco, looked at it
hungrily for an instant, and then--to the
establishment of everybody-fung it
away.
From convict mouths went out a re-
spectful roar of amazement, and Mr..
Troke's eyes snapped with pride of out
ragged authorship. "You ungrateful
dogr" he cried, raising his stick.
Mr.. North put up hand. THAT will
do, Troke," he said: 4 know your res
spect for the cloth. Move the men on
again"
Get orr and Dawes felt his newly
riveted chain tug. 1t was some time
since he had been in a chain gang and
the sudden jerk nearly over balanced
him. He caught at his neighbor, and
looking up, met a pair of black eyes
which cleaned recognition. His neigh
Dor was John Rex. Mr.. North. watch
ing them. was struck by the resemblance
the two men bore to each other. Their
height, eyes, hair and complexion were
similar. Despite the difference in name,
they might be related. ''They might be
brothers." thought he. Poor fellows.
never knew prisoner refuse tobacco
before" And he looked on the ground
for the despised portion. But in vain.
John Rex. oppressed by no foolish senti-
ment. had picked it up and put it in his
| mouth.
So Rufus Dawes was relegated to his
old life again. and came back to his
prison with the hatred of his kind, that
his prison had bred in him, increased a
hundred-fold. 1t seemed to him that
the sudden awakening had dazed him
that the food of light SO suddenly let in
| upon his slumbering soul had blinded his
eyes. used so long to the sweetly cheat
ing twilight He was at first unable &c
| apprehend the details of his misery. Hs
knew only that his dream-child was alive
and shuddered at him; that the only
thing he loved and trusted had betrayed
him: that all hope of justice and mercy
had gone from him forever; that the
beauty had gone from earth, the bright
ness from heaven: and that he was doom
| ee still to live. He went about his work
! unheedful of the jests of Troke, ungallet
! by his irons, unmindful of the groan!
! | and laughter about him. His magniicen