Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-10-31

VEXV in Nearest magistrate WAS dH
Anglo-1ndian of the name of
Straclan, another employer of
convict labor on a large scale
and a disciplinarian second only to DR..
Sullivan himself. The two were close
friends and Indispensable to each other
in certain ways. Both, in fact, were
magistrates, but no magistrate was
competent to deal judicially with his
w offending %convicts, and thus an
interchange of mutual favors was kept
up between the pair.
They would meet on Mondays at the
courthouse situated midway between
their respective strongholds, and at
this courthouse DR.. Sullivan would
oblige Mr.. Strachan by sentencing any
servant of the latter to as many lashes
rs his master liked, while Mr.. Strachan
was only too glad to do the same for
tual convenience that either %potentate
was delighted to hold a special in
quiry in any exceptional case to oblige
the other, and n was held according
ly in the forenoon following Toms as
Eault upon his masters son.
A mounted messenger was dispatch
ed to Mr.. Strachan, who sent back
word that he would be at the court
house as soon after IL o'clock as pos
sible. And he arrived within a few
minutes of DR.. Sullivan, his red beard
ed overseer and the culprit. who had
spent the night in heavy irons, which
he still wore.
The doctor led his brother magis-
trate aside. and Tom, raising his lack
luster eyes for once, watched them
walking arm in arm in the sunlight
for several minutes before entering
the courthouse. Ginger stood by and
told the constables the kind of map
Tom was. Tom heard him without a
word or a look. The constables agreed
that, whatever else he was, he was
them, too, but sat doggedly in the
strong sunlight, With sullen eyes upon
the two magistrates, whom he instinc-
lively knew to be deciding his fate
before the case began. Not a word
had he spoken since the irons had been
clamped upon his limbs and clasped
about his soul.
Not a word did he speak in the JUS
tice room within. His attention, how
ever, was engaged at the outset by the
extremely moderate tone in which the
charge was preferred against him. DR..
Sullivan, put on his oath, gave a per-
fectly true account of what he had
himself seen and heard in the small
hours of that morning. He even adj
mitted, in response to a question from
the bench, his impression that his son
was the first to raise a hand and add.
ed of his own accord a hope that that
circumstance would be taken into due
consideration Oh his servants behalf.
Tom could hardly believe his ears
He was still lost in wonder at this ex.
traordinary intercession on the part of
DR.. Sullivan, Of all men, when Mr.
Strachan addressed him in a tone nc
less clement and benign.
you are charged" said he, with a
very grave o~ffense, which you do not
attempt to deny. In the ordinary
course l should feel compelled to com
NIT you to another court, and your
lightest punishment would be a term
in the chain gang, eve if you were not
sent straight away to Norfolk island
1t is your good fortune, however, to
have been assigned to a humane and
merciful master, who has spoken fo1
you as l am bound to say l should not
have done in his place. He has mag
unanimously made the most of the one
slender point that might be urged in
your favor. He has begged me to deal
with you here and now. He is gener.
ously anxious to give you another
chance, of which, for your own good, ]
would exhort you to take grateful ad.
vantage. Meanwhile you have not me
to thank. but DR.. Sullivan entirely, fol
the ridiculously inadequate punish,
ment which I am about to order you,
You will be taken into the yard, and
you will receive fifty lashes with the
cat o. nine tails"
At these words Tom turned very
white and opened his lips as if to
speak, but shut them tight without q
syllable. His logged eyes cleaned
his handouts ratified and his leg irons
clanked together as the constables took
him by either arm and led him with,
out a murmur from the room.
did I say too muchY" asked Mr..
Strachan, biting at a cheroot. when the
magistrates were left alone.
Not n word" replied the doctor
cordially. Il am infinitely obliged to
you for saying what you did-for the
constables' benefit particularly. They
seemed to see nothing wrong"
Mr.. Strachan shook his head.
1T was distinctly Irregular doctor