Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1906-10-20
MARCUS CLARKE

and seeing who 1t was, waved him of.
Don't speak to me-" he said, with an
impreceation that made North's flesh
creep. I've told you what I think Of
you-a hypocrite, who stands by while
a man Is cut to pieces, and then comes
and wines religion to him."
North stood In the center Of the cell.
with his arms hanging down, and his
mead bent. You are right" he said, In
low tone. Il must seem tn you a
hypocrite. ! servant Of CHRISTI A
besotted beast ratherl l am not come to
whine religion TO you. I am come to
ask your pardon. might have saved
you from punishment-saved that poor
boy from death. / wanted to save him,
Tod knowsl But have vice; am
a drunkard, yielded to tempta ton. and
Il was too late. / come to you, as one
sinful man to another, to ask you to for
give me- And North suddenly flung
himself down before the convict. and
catching his blood-bespotted hands In
his own, cried, "Forgive me. brother"
Rufus Dawes, too much astonished 10
speak, bent his black eyes on the man,
who crouched at his feet and a ray of
divine pity penetrated his gloomy soul
He seemed to catch glimpse Of misery
more profound than his own, and his
stubborn heart felt human sympathy
with this errlng brother. "Then in this
hell there Is yet a man." said he; and
hand-grasp passed between these
two unhappy beings. North arose, and
with averted face, passed quickly from
the cell Rufus Dawes looked at the
hand which his strange visitor had tax
en-. and something glittered there. 1t was
a tear. He broke down at the sight Of
Il, and when the guard came TO fetch
the tameless convict, they found him on
his knees In corner, sobblng like a
child.
The morning after this, the Rev. Mr..
North departed In the schooner for
Hobart Town. Between the onicious
chaplain and the commandant the events
OF the previous day had fixed great
gulf Burgess knew that North meant to
report the death OF Kirkland, and guess
ed that he would not be backward In
relating the story to such persons In
Hobart Town as would most readily re-
peat II.
Burgess, however. touched with sell
fish regrets, determined to balk the
parson at the outset. He would send
down an official "return" of the unfor-
tunate occurrence by the same vessel
that carried his enemy. and thus get
the ear OF the Office. Meekin, walking
on the evening of the hogging past the
wooden shed where the body lay, saw
Troke bearing buckets filed with dark
colored water. and heard a great splash
ing and slucing going on inside the hut
What Is the matter?' he asked.
Doctors bin post-morticing the pris-
oner what was logged this morning.
sir" said Troke. "and we're cleanin'
up"
North on his arrival. went straight
to the house Of Major Vickers. 81 have
complaint to make. sir" he said. al
wish to lodge 1t formally with you. A
prisoner has been logged to death at
Port Arthur. | saw It done"
Vickers bent his brow. "a serious
accusation, Mr.. North. | must. of
course. receive il with respect. coming
from you, but I trust that you have
fully considered the circumstances of the
case. always understood Captain Bur
CESS was a most humane man."
North shook his head He would not
accuse Burgess. He would let events
|
an inquiry" said he.
Eyes, my dear sir, | know. Very
proper, indeed. on your part. II Won
think any injustice has been done: but
have you considered the expense. tn,
delay, the immense trouble and dissat
isfaction all this will giveY
mo trouble, no expense, no dissatis
faction, should stand in the way of I'm
, | ma r,lf fttaf
"Of course not. But will iustice h,
done7 Are you sure you can prove youl
case7 Mind, | admit nothing aeainst
Captain Burgess, whom | have Away.
considered a most worthy and zealou,
t officer; but. supposing your charge L
I be true, can you prove it2"
yes. II the witnesses sneak IN,
, truth"
"Who are theyT
, Myself DIR. Macklewaln, the consta
BILE and two prisoners. one of whom wa,
logged himself He will speak tn,
; truth, l believe. The other man hav,
! not much faith in"
VERY well; then there Is only a pris
; oner and DIR. Macklewain; for If Their,
has been foul play the convict-constabl ,
; will not accuse the authorities. More
over, the doctor does not agree with
you"
"No" cried North. amazed.
mo. You see, then. my dear sir, how
necessary II Is not to be hasty In mat
tiers Of this kind. | really think thai
your goodness Of heart has misled you
Captain Burgess sends a report of tn,
cnse. He says the man was sentenced
to hundred lashes for gross insolenc,
and disobedence of orders; that the doc
tor was present during the punishment
and that the man was thrown of by his
directions after he had received fftv
sir lashes. That, after a short inter
val, he was found to be dead, and tina
the doctor made a post-mortem exami
nation Of the body and found disease o.
the heart"
: North started. "A post-mortem?
never knew there had been one held"
Here Is the medical certificate" sal,
Vickers, holding 1t out. "accompanie,
, by the copies of the evidence of tn,
constable and letter from the com
mandant."
Poor North took the papers and rea,
them slowly. They were apparent,
straightforward enough. Aneurism o
the ascending aorta was given as tn
! cause Of death; and the doctor frank.
. admitted that had he known the de
, ceased to be suffering from that com
: plant he would not have permitted hin
to receive more than twenty-five lashes
North, going out with saddened spir