Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1906-07-20
for The Term of His Natural Life
By MARCUS CLARKE


oO"t' uedrt says flckers, grave
~ THE prisoner"
The eager light died out of her ewes.
and in its place came a look of disap-
polntment and pain. 81 thought it was
good man." she said holding by the
edge of the doorway. "It, sounded like
good voice"
And then shep ressed her hands over
her eyes and shuddered. "There there"
says Vickers, soothingly, don't be
AFRAID Poppet; he can't hurt you now"
The collOquy in the court went on.
dock?"
yes"
Who are they?'
John Rex, John Shiers. James Lesly
and, and-I'm not sure about the last
man"
You are not sure about the last man.
Will you swear to the three othersY'
1 was in the chain gang at Macuua-
RE Harbor with them for three years"
sylvia, hearing this hideous reason for
acquaintance. gave low cry, and fell
into her fathers arms.
oh. papa, take me away! I feel as If
was going to remember something ter
riblew
Amidst the deep silence that prevailed
the cry of the poor girl was distinctly
audible in the court and all heads turn
ed to the door. In the general wonder
no one noticed the change that passed
over Rufus Dawes. His face flushed
scarlet, great drops of sweat stood on
his forehead. and his black eyes glared
In the direction from whence the sound
came, as though they would pierce the
envious wood that separated him from
the woman whose voice he had heard.
Maurice Frere sprang up and pushed his
way through the crowd under the bench.
Whats this?" he said to Vickers, al
most brutally. what did you bring her
here fort She is not wanted. told
you that"
II considered 1t my duty, SIR" says
Nickers with stately rebuke
That rufian Dawes frightened her."
said Meekin. "a gush of recollection,
poor child. There, there, calm your
self, Miss Vickers. He is quite safe"
frightened her, eh?'
EYES," said Sylvia, family, "he fright
ened me, Maurice. needn't stop any
longer, dear. need l."
mo" says Frere, the cloud passing
from his face. Major, 1 beg your
pardon, but was hasty. Take her home
at once. This sort of thing is too much
for her" And so he went back again
to his place, wiping his brow, and breath
Ing hard, as one who had just escaped
from some near peril.
Rufus Dawes had remained in the
same attitude until the figure of Frere,
passing through the doorway, reused
him. ''Who is sheT' he said, in a low,
hoarse voice, to the constable behind
him.
Miss Vickers," said the man, shortly,
finging the information at him as one
might fling bone to a dangerous dog.
Miss Vickersv repeated the convict,
still staring in a sort of bewildered
agony. "They told me she was dead"
The constable shifted contemptuously
at this prepOsterous conclusion, as who
should say: "If you know all about it,
animal, why did you ask?" And then,
feeling that the fixed gaze of his inter
rogator demanded some reply, added:
you thort she was. I've no doubt You
did your best to make her so, Ive
heard"
The convict raised both his hands with
sudden action of wrathful despair, as
though he would seize the other, despite
the loaded muskets, but, checking him
self with sudden impulse, wheeled round
to the court. ''Your honor! Gentle
men! want to SPEAK"
The change In the tone of his voice,
no less than the sudden loudness of teh
exclamation, made the faces, hitherto
bent upon the door through which Mr..
Frere had passed, turn round again. To
many there 1t seemed that the notorious
Dawes" was no longer in the box, for in
place of the upright and defiant villain
who stood there an instant back was a
white-faced. nervous, agitated creature
bending forward in an attitude almost of
duplication, one hand grasping the rail
as though to save himself from falling,
the other outstretched toward the bench
your honor, there has been some dread.
full mistake made. 1 want to explain
about myself. l explained before, when
first was sent to Port Arthur, but the
letters were never forwarded by the com.
mandant. OF course. that's the rule, and
can't complain. I've been sent there
unjustly, your honor. l made that boat
your honor. saved the majors wife
and daughter. 1 was the man; did il
all myself, and my liberty was sworn
away by a villain who hated me-
thought until now that no one knew the
truth, for they told me that she was
dead" His rapid utterance took the
court so much by surprise that no one
interrupted him. 81 was sentenced to
death for boiling, sir, and they reprieved
me because l helped them in the boat
Helped them! Why, l made it! She
will tell you so. nursed her, carried
her in my arms, starved myself fol
her. She was fond of me, sir. She was