Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-07-26
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CHAPTER XVI.
NITE new groom rubbed his eyes

this? A tumble of slab huts on the
right, and facing these wooden. one
storied rectilinear eyesore-three sides
house. the fourth formidable palsade.
and in their midst an arid courtyard
overlooked by French windows and
glass doors. No creepcr chung to the
whitened walls. No shrub softened the
rigid angles of the yard. and the We
randa was too shallow for real shade.
Yet the site had been chosen on a
ridge of red gums that had been left
unfelled beyond the palisade and rus
tied restfully above the slab huts oppo-
site, rendering the latter the more In
Wiling quarter of the two.
The riders dismounted at a gate In
the pnlisade, and as young Sullivan
led the way into the courtyard tall.
bent figure In frogged coat and a
plated straw hat stepped down from
the veranda and then stood still.
"What's this?' cried an arrogant
and aged voice. "Only one, Ell? What
have you done with the other two?"
hCouldn't get them, sir" responded
Mr.. Nat in tone quite new to Tom,
It was a very model of filial respect
and dutiful subservience.
"Couldn't get them. sir! Why, what
dye mean?v the old man Numbered.
We applied for two laborers and
groom. Why couldn't you get themY"
"1'le fact Is did" stammered Nat,
"only two out of the three We're hope-
less cases, In the last stages of-of"-
"Phthisisl" cried DR.. Sullivan, who
was an old army surgeon and tho bug
bear of sick convicts and malingerers
alike. Not nhthisis. eh?"
"That was 1t, sir-the very word the
doctor used Wien made him overhaul
them. He said 1t was no use my tax.
Ing them. as they'd certainly die on
our hands,
"Humph! He may have been right,
but I'd trust convict to sham death
itself-with anybody but me-" said the
old gentleman. looking hard at Tom.
II wish I'd seen them myself How
ever, I'll take his word and yours and
complain to the assignment board''-
"I've done all that, sir" hurriedly In
terrupted the son. II stayed the week
out doing nothing but complain.
They'll remember me, promise you.
It'll never happen again to us. Then
Mt the end of the week couldn't resist
another Sunday, and you wouldn't
grudge it me, father, If you'd heard
the sermons l heard in st. Philips
4 Church morning and evening. I must
ten You about it later on
t'You must, you must. No; don't
gruage you that. my boy, heaven
knows" said the old man. Modified in
moment. He took bamboo cane
from under his arm and raped Tom
smartly across the shoulders: "And
what of this rascal?" he added.
sWlat's he good for2'
sGroom.n
Ss "Can the ruf1ian ride2"
mot so badly"
understands horses, does he, and
has behaved himself on the wayT'
YES, on the whole, very we'll"
'.Then let him take them round to
the stables and come back here for his
supper. He may have it in the kitchen
tonight; only recollect, you convict,
that If you misbehave either there or
anywhere else on Castle Sullivan you'll!
smart for it pretty quick and pretty
heavy. Recollect that. You're here as
convicted felon, not free man, and
/ don't care what you've done to get
here. Whatever it was, the punishment
for 1t is scandalously light But the
( punishment for anything you do amiss
on my estate shall be all the heavier
on that account. So now you know.
And don't you say you hadn't fair
. warning at the start"
With this DR.. Sullivan shook his cane
In the new groom's face and called his
owerseer. for whom he had directions
to which Tom did not listen. lie was
more interested in a lighted door on
The right, where stood n female on tho
threshold of what he conceived TO be
the kitchen and whittier Mr.. Nat HIM
self had thrown furtive glances. But
now father aud son went indoors arm
in arm. The oyerseer came up. q grulf
man With flaming whiskers. and Tom
caught him also looking wistfully to-
ward the lighted door before he was
hidden to "come this way"
So he followed the fiery whiskers t.
the stables, long log building some
little distance beyond the house, ant
here Tom was so smart in unsaddlin,
and SO quick to find chaif bin and GA
sack and saddle room that his surl.
companion was moved to rude I'D
vances.
You're pretty handy he growled
"Been groom before"
"Only since we left Sydney"
swell, you're in luck too. The groor
here has a room to himself next til
saddle room. Come and I'll show
you"
The room in question was very sma
and squalid, with fixed bunk and
foul paillasse, but Tom thought
would be delightful with nice clea
straw, and to be alone ut nights wa
to compass an unexpected and III
speakable luxury. Ginger whlskel
pointed ont the other convicts' quarter
on their way back to the house. The
were the slab huts opposite tho pal
SADIE. Two were Large, the others q
small. That was the oycrseer's III
with the big chimney and the lit
veranda
"And who's the oyerseer?" inquire
Tom. "Mr. Nat?
"No. am, and hark'ce, my beaut
here we are at the kitchen. and YOU
we'll set up youngster, amt you? b