Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1906-06-02
CHAPTER XII

THE old trick. Ha; hal don't I know
it?' says Mr.. Frere.
well, we caught him and gave him
fifty. Then he was sent to the chain
gang, cutting timber. Then we put him
into the boats, but he quarreled with
the coxswain, and then we took him
back to the timber RATS. About six
weeks ago he made another attempt
together with Gabbett, the man who
nearly killed you-but his leg was
chafed with the irons, and we took him.
Gabbett and three more, however, got
sway"
den path and saluted.
What is it, Troke?"
Prisoner given himself up, SIR Cab
bett. He came back tonight He's
down at the sheds. You can see him at
once. gentlemen, if you like
1t was not far to the sheds, and after
few minutes walk through the wood
Ell palisades they reached long stone
building, two stories high, from which
Used horrible growing pierced with
shrilly screamed songs. At the sound
OF the musket butts clashing on the pine
wood tagging. the noises ceased. and
silence more sinister than sound fell on
the place.
Passing between two rows of warders,
the two officers reached sort of ante
room to the Jail. containing a pine-log
stretcher. on which a mass of some
thing was lying On a roughly made
stool. by the side of this stretcher sat
man in the gray dress of good CON
duct prisoners. This man held be-
tween his knees basin containing cruel
and was apparently endeavoring to feed
the mass on the pine logs.
"Gabbett."
The intelligent Troke, considerably
alive to the wishes of his superior Off
GERS, dragged the mass into a sitting
posture, and awoke it.
Gabbett-for it was he-passed one
great hand over his face, and, leaning
exactly in the position in which Troke
had placed him, scowled. bewidered, at
his visitors.
We'll, Gabbett," says Vickers, you've
come back again, you see. When will
you learn sense, Ell? Where are your
mates?'
Dead" says Gabbett
why don't you eat your gruel?'
Il have eaten it. Amt yer got nuf- |
nm better nor that to fog a man on? |
Ughl yer a mean lott Wot's it to be |
this time, major? Ffty?"
IA nice specimen said vickers. with |
a hopeless smile. what can one do |
with such a fellow?"
I'D fog his soul out of his body"
said Frere, IF he spoke to me like |
that"
The giant raised his great head and |
looked at the speaker but did not rec
ognize him. He saw only a strange |
face-a visitor. perhaps. "You may |
fog. and welcome. MASTER" said he. |
II you'll give me a fig O. tibbacky."
Frere laughed. The brutal Indifference
of the rejoinder suited his humor, and.
with glance at Vickers, he took |
small piece of cavendish from the pock-
ct of his pea jacket, and gave to the
recaptured convict. Gabbett snatched |
1t as cur snatches at a bone, and
thrust it whole into his mouth.
Flow many mates had hep" asked
Maurice, watching the champing laws
as one looks at a strange animal and
asking the question as though a mate"
was something convict was born with
like mole, for instance
Three, SIR
Three, Ell? Well, give him thirty
lashes, Vickers."
And If ha' had three more" growl-
ed Gabbett, mumbling at his tobacco
you wouldn't ha' had the chance"
AS he sat there gloomily chewing. he
was spectacle to shudder at Not so
much on account of his natural hideous-
ness increased a thousandfold by the
tattered and filthy rags which barely
covered him. Not much on account
OF his unshaven jaws, his hare-lip, his
torn and bleeding feet his hargard
cheeks, and his huge, wasted frame.
Not only because looking at the animal
as he crouched with one foot curled
round the other and one hairy arm
pendent between his knees. he was so
horribly unhuman, that one shuddered TO
think that tender women and fair chill
dren must, of necessity. confess to fell
lowship of kind with such a monster
But also because, in his slavering mouth
his slowly grinding jaws. his restless
fingers, and his bloodshot, wandering
eyes, there lurked hint of some terror
more awful than the terror of starvation
"a memory of a tragedy played ont in.
the gloomy depths of that forest which
had vomited him forth again-and the
shadow of this unknown horror. cling
Ing to him, repealed, as though he bore
about with him the reek of the sham
bles.
Come" said Vickers, ''let us go back
l shall have to fog him again. I sun
pose Oh, this place No wonder they
call it 'Hells Gates"
'Halloo! what's that red light there 2''
Dawes fire on Grummet Rock"
says Vickers, going in; ''the man l told
you about"