Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1906-08-10
CHAPTER xxII.-(Continued.)

enluR, FOlle0 on the De0 ana rose TO HIS
feet He saw the empty brandy bottle
on his wooden dressing table, and re-
membered what had passed. With shak-
ing hands he dashed water over his ach-
ing head, and smoothed his garments.
The debauch Of the previous night had
left the usual effects behind it. His
brain seemed on fire, his hands were hot
and dry, his tongue Glove to the roof
of his mouth He shuddered as he view
ed his pale face and red eyes in the
little looking glass. Stealing into the
sitting room, he saw that the clock
pointed to half-past six. The fiogging
was to have taken place at half-past
Eve. Unless accident had favored him
he was already too late. Fevered with
remorse and anxiety, he hurried past
the room where Meekin yet slumbered,
and made his way to the prison. AS
he entered the yard Kirkland had just
got his fiftieth lash.
"StopW cried North. Captain Bur
CESS, 1 call upon you to stop"
you're rather late, Mr., North" re-
torted Burgess. 1.-THE punishment is
nearly over"
North stood by, biting his nails and
grinding his teeth during six more lashes.
Kirkland had ceased to yell now, and
merely moaned. His back was like
bloody sponge, while in the interval be-
tween the lashes the swollen flesh
twitched like that of a new-killed bull
lock. Suddenly Macklewain saw his
head droop on his shoulder. Throw
him off! Throw him OFF, he cried, and
Troke hurried to loosen the thongs.
"Fling some water over him" said
Burgess. Hes shamming."
A bucket of water made kirkland
open his eyes. II thought So" said
Burgess. "Tie him up again"
mo; not If you are Christians| cried
North.
He met with an ally where he least
expected one. Rufus Dawes flung down
the dripping cat. "I'll fog no more
Said he.
"WhatT' reared Burgess, furious at
this gross insOlence.
"1'Il fog no more. Get some one else
10 do your bloody work for you. l
won't"
"Tie him upP' cried Burgess, foaming
"Tie him up! Here, constable, fetch a
man here with a fresh cat. I'll give
you that beggar's fifty, and fifty more
on the top of em; and he shall look on
while his back cools"
Rufus Dawes, with a glance at North,
pulled off his shirt without a word,
and stretched himself at the triangles
His back was not white and smooth,
like Kirklands had been, but hard and
scanned. He had been logged before.
Troke appeared with Gabbett, grinning
Gabbett liked fogging. 1t was his boast
that he could fog a man to death on a
place no bigger than the palm of his
hand. He could use his left hand equal
" with his right, and if he got hold of
a "favorite," would "cross the cuts"
Rufus Dawes planted his feet firmly
on the ground, took fierce grasp of the
slaves, and drew in his breath. Mackle-
vain spread the garments of the two
men upon the ground, and, placing Kirk
land upon them, turned to watch this
new phase in the mornings amusement.
He grumbled a little below his breath,
for he wanted his breakfast, and when
the commandant once began to fog,
there was no telling where he would
stop. Rufus Dawes took five-and-twen-
ty lashes without a murmur, and then
Gabbett CROSSED the cuts" This went
on up to fifty lashes, and North felt
himself stricken with admiration at the
courage Of the man. IF it had not
been for that cursed brandy" thought
he, with bitterness of self-reproach, 81
might have saved all this" At the hun
dredth lash, the giant paused, expecting
the order to throw off, but Burgess was
determined to 'break the mans spirit"
''I'H make you speak, you dog, if l
cut your heart outw he cried. go on,
prisoner"
For twenty lashes more Dawes was
mute, and then the agony forced from
his laboring breast hideOus cry. But
It was not a cry for mercy, as that of
Kirkland's had been. Having found his
tongue, the wretched man gave vent to
his boiling passion in a torrent. He
shrieked impreeations upon Burgess,
Troke and North. He cursed all sol
diers for tyrants, all parsons for hypo-
critics He called on the earth to cape
and swallow his prosecutors, for heaven
to open and rain fire upon them, for hell
to yawn and engulf them quick. 1t was
az though each blow of the cat forced
out of him a fresh burst of beast-like
rage. He seemed to have abandoned
his humanity. He foamed, he raved
he tugged at his bonds until the strong
slaves shook again; he writhed himself
round upon the triangles and spit impo-
tently at Burgess, who jeered at his tor
ments. North, with his hands to his
ears crouched against the corner of the
wall, palsied with horror. He would
foin have fad hut A horribIa fascipa ttou
held him back.
In the midst of this-when the cal
was kissing the loudest, Burgess laugh
ing his hardest, and the wretch on the
triangles filing the air with his cries
North saw kirkland look at him with
what he thought a smile. Was 1t q