Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-08-31
CHAPTER XVIII.


wandered uneasily, and he seemed bur-
dened with thoughts which he dared not
utter
Il want you to thank her for me, Mr..
North" said Dawes.
Thank whom?'
Mrs. Frere"
The unhappy priest shuddered at hear
Ing the name.
Il do not think you owe any thanks
to her. Your irons were removed by the
commandant's order"
But by her persuasion. feel sure
of it. All. l was wrong to think she had
forgotten me. Ask her for her forgive.
ness"
Forgiveness" said North, RECALLING
the scene in the prison. What have
you done to need her forgiveness?"
Il doubted her." said Rufus Dawes.
Il thought her ungrateful and treach-
erous. | thought she delivered me again
Into the bondage from whence l had
escaped. l thought she had betrayed
me-betrayed me to the villain whose
base life saved for her sweet sake"
What do you mean?" asked North.
You never spoke to me of this
mo, | had vowed to bury the knowl-
edge of it in my own breast: it is too
bitter to speak"
Saved his life"
"Ay, and hers. l made the boat that
carried her to freedom. l held her in
my arms, and took the bread from my
own lips to feed her!''
"She cannot know this" said North,
In an undertone.
"She has forgotten it, perhaps. for
she was but child. But you will re-
mind her, will you not? You will do
me justice in her eyes before die? You
will get her forgiveness for me?"
North could not explain why such an
Interview as the convict desired was i'm
possible and so he promised.
She is going away in the schooner"
said he., II will see her before she goes,
and tell her."
God bless you, sir" said poor Dawes.
Now, pray with me-" and the wretched
priest mechanically repeated one of the
formulae his church prescribes.
The days passed swiftly, and Blunt's
preparations for sea were completed. On
the morning of the 10Th of December
he declared himself ready to set sail, and
In the afternoon.
Rufus Dawes, gazing from his win
dow upon the schooner that lay outside
the reef, thought nothing of the fact that
after the commandments boat had taken
away the commandant's wife, another
boat should put off with the chaplain.
The hot afternoon passed away in
sultry sunset, and 1t was not until the
shades of evening had begun to fall that
Rufus Dawes distinguished boat de-
tach itself from the sides of the schoon-
er and glide through the oily water to
the jetty. The chaplain was returning,
and in a few hours, perhaps, would be
with him, to bring him the message of
comfort for which his soul thirsted. He
stretched out his unshackled limbs, and
throwing himself upon his stretcher, fell
to recalling the past-his boat building,
the news of his fortune, his love and
his self-sacrifce.
North, however, was not returning to
bring to the prisoner a message of COM
FORT but he was returning on purpose to
see him, nevertheless. The unhappy
man, torn by remorse, had resolved upon
course of action which seemed to him
penance for his crime of deceit. He
had determined to confess to Dawes that
the message he brought was wholly ficti-
tous, that he himself loved the wife of
the commandant. ~ am no hypocrite,"
he thought, in his exaltation. This
poor wretch, who looks up to me as an
angel, shall know me for my true self"
He had ingeniously extracted from
Blunt the fact that he "didn't expect a
wind before dark, but wanted all ship
shape and aboard" and then, Just as
darkness fell discovered that it was i'm
perative for him to go ashore. Blunt
said if the chaplain insisted upon going,
there was no help for it.
"There'll be a breeze in less than two
hours" said he. You've plenty of time,
but If you're not back before the first
puff I'll sail without you, as sure as
you're born" North assured him of
his punctuality. Don't wait for me.
captain, if I'm not here" said he, with
the lightless of tone which men use to
mask anxiety. So the boat set off. Frere
observed with some astonishment that
the chaplain wrapped himself in boat
cloak that lay in the stern sheets. "Does
the fellow want to smother himself In
night like this?" was the remark. The
truth was that, though his hands and
head were burning, North's teeth chatter.
ed with cold. Perhaps this was the
reason why, when landed and out of eye
shot Of the crew, he produced a pocket
flask of rum and eagerly drank. The
spirit gave him courage for the ordeal
to which he had condemned himself, and
with steadied step, he reached the door
of the old prison. To his surprise, Gin
blett refused him admission.
But l have come direct from the
commandant," said North.
II can't let you In, your reverence, {,
said Gimblett.
81 want to see the prisoner Dawes.
i have special message for him. l
have come ashore on purpose
Upon my honor, sir, l daren't," said
Gimblett, who was not without his good