The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1906-05-18
FOR The Term of His Natural Life
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CHAPTER TX.
BY MARCUS CLARKE


d OF prisoners round the door held
breath to listen.
Re all planned" says Gabbett, In
grhwl. "W'en the door hopens we
and we're in among the guard
they know where they are. Drag
back into the prison, grab the harm
and It's all over"
tand from the door, Miles," says
. voice outside, In Its usual calm
ats.
ie Grew was relieved. The tone was
rdinary one, and Miles was the SOL
whom Sarah Purfoy had bribed
to fire. All had gone well.
Ne Keys clashed and turned, and the
est of the prudent party, who had
turning in his mind the notion Of
ng bis life for pardon to be won
ushing forward at the right moment
alarming the guard, checked the
that was In his throat as he saw the
roand the door draw back little
their rush. and caught glimpse Of
giants bristling scalp and barred
NowT cries Jenny Vetch, as the
-plated oak swung back, and, with
cultural snarl Of charging wild
/, Gabbett hurled himself out Of the
on.
he red line of light which glowed for
instant through the doorway was
ted snt by a mass of figures. All
prisan surged forward, and before
feye could wink, five, ten, twenty of
NEST desperate were outside. 1t
as though a sea, breaking against a
10 wall. had found some breach
pugh through which to pour it's
gers. The contagion Of battle spread.
ition was forgotten, and those at the
X, seeing Jenny Vetch raised up on
crest Of that human billow which
red its black outline against an in
Einct prospective of struggling figures,
bonded to his grin of encouragement
rushing furiously forward.
Suddenly horrible roar like that of
trapped wild beast was heard. The
hing torrent choked in the doorway,
! from out the lantern glowed into
ich the giant had rushed fash broke,
owed by groan, as the perfidious
try fell back, shot through the breast.
e mass In the doorway hung irreso-
2. and then. by sheer weight of pres
% from behind, burst forward, and
1t 10 burst, the heavy door crashed
Q its lambs. and the bolts were shot
Q their places.
All this took place by one of those
lultaneous movements which are so
,id in execution, so tedious to describe
detail. At one instant the prison door
! opened, at the next It had closed.
Q picture which had presented itself
the eyes Of the convicts was momen-
r. The period of time that had elaps-
between the opening and the shutting
the door could have been marked by
mrsket shot.
The report of another shot, and then
noise Of confused cries, mingled with
, ciAshing Of arms, informed the I'M
soned men that the ship had been
lrmed. How would 1t 60 with their
ends on deck? Would they succeed
overcoming the guards, or would they
beaten back? They would soon know
d In the hot dust, straining their eyes
sec each other, they waited for the
ne. Suddenly the noises ceased, and
strange rumbling sound fell upon the
Rs Of the listeners.
What had taken place? This, the men
uring out of the darkness into the
dden glare Of the lanterns, rushed, be-
ldeted, across the deck. Miles, true
his promise, did not fire, but the next
Itant Vickers had snatched the fire
4 from him, and, leaping into the
.ealn, turned about and fired down to.
,rd the prison. The attack was more
ddan than he had expected, but he
not lose his presence of mind. The
OF would serve double purpose. II
,uld warn the men in the barrack, and
rhaps check the rush by stopping ur
. doorway with corpse. Beaten back
and indignant, amidst the
srnl Of hideous faces, his humanit,
nished. and he aimed deliberately n
. head Of Mr.. James Vetch; the shot
viewer, missed Its mark, and killed
. unhappy Miles.
Gabbett and his companions had b,
10 time reached the foot of the com
lnion ladder. there to encounter tn,
tlasses Of the doubled guard glea min,
dly In the glow Of the lanterns. 4
ance up the hatchway showed tn,
ant that the arms he had planned I,
lie were defended by ten firelocks
ID that. behind the open doors of tn
lrtitien which ran abaft the mixxeu
asst, the remainder Of the detachmen
GOD to their arms. Even his dull n
llect eomprehended that the desperat
'oject had failed, and that he ha,
zen betrayed. With the roar of de
'aif which had penetrated into tn
.ispn. he turned to fight his way bach
ut In time to see the crowd in tn
anyway recoil from the fash of tn
usket fred by Vickers. The next in
ant Pine and two soldiers, taking nd
lntage Of the momentary cessation a
10 press, shot the bolts and secured tn
.ison.
The mutineers were caught In a trar
he narrow space between the barrack
i'd the barricads was choked wit
ruggling figures. Some twenty con
cts, and half as many soldiers, struc
i'd stabbed at each other In the crowd
hers was barely elbow room, and al
lcked and attackers fought almost with
It knowing whom they struck. Gat
Ut tore cutlass from soldier, shoe
d huge head. and calling ON the Mooch
. 10 follow, bounded up the ladder, de.
srhtely determined to brave the Ere Q
ie watch. The Moocher. close at tn
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