The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-05-12

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But he won't. no rear saIu Grie c-A
butcher. who had got the cat and was
practicing with it upon the woodwors
of the whipping frame.
..We'H ask him." said the sergeant
"WeIl give him the chance. Will you
come up to the mark, my son, or will
you take it hot:"
Ton looked at his inQuisitors with a
sulIen, puzzled expression and CHANGED
TO see the overseer at little distance
shaking his head and touching his
pockets.
"Not got any," cried the sergeant
/ .fYou ask him. returned Ginger.
"Got no money! said the sergeant
That's what we mean by coming up
| to the mark, you know"
"a pound apiece" suggested the free
stable-''thatd soften the job
He stared at them in logged def
ance.
Il told you So" said the butcher,
| throwing down the cat. Lets truss
him up
Even pound between u.s. the ser
/ geant had said. when the butcher be
/ gan to grumbIe and Toms lip to curl.
and this settled IL.
"Up with him. cried the sergeant.
well teach you to sheer at US. my
| gamecock! Stop a bit, though. His
legs won't stretch in these here irons.
Who the blazes put them ong And
the Jealous officer knelt himself to I'M
fasten a pair of ankiets coupled by
short but massive chain and employed
Illegally by DR.. Sullivan on his farm
A pair of figure handouts had been
locked upon Toms wrists at the same
time. but both his wrists and his hands
were small. and during the night he
had found that he could slip out of
these at any moment. He was out of
them now before a soul dreamed of it.
so slyIy did he stand to have the
shackles off his feet.
The heavy handled scourge lay on the
ground. It's raw faced wielder was
halfway out Of his coat. The other
constable was talking to Ginger in the
shade. The sergeant had undone the
second anklet and was just rising from
his knees with the pair.
Next moment he was ON his back in
the dust. and Tom was planted before
the triangles. with the scourge caught
the heavy handle whirling round his
head.
The butcher rushed at him with one
sleeve still in his coat and received the
butt end of his pet instrument full
upon the forehead. where great green
wart sprang out as if by magic even
as he reeled away. 1t was at this
there arose the cutlery which brought
DIR. Sullivan to the justice room door.
and the sight that staggered even him
was the sight of his groom. the blood
all flown from his face to his eyes,
crashing his white teeth and whirling
that thick oak handle round a head of
wavy yellow hair. Tom had not i'm
proved in looks since his arrival in
New South Wales. but at that moment
there was a fineness in his ferocity. a
sublimity in his despair. which were
not lost upon both the gentlemen now
watching from the door. Mr.. Strachan. |
for one. beheld fellow man fighting /
for a MANHOOD that was more TO nIu |
than life against degradation worse |
than death. and he wished himself |
back at his farm.
Not so DR.. Sullivan. whose conster-
nation lasted but a moment. The next |
he was in the thick Of 1t, rallying the
constables, flourishing his cane and
leading a rush which made the rebel
slip beneath the triangles and take to
his heels. The pack followed all but
Dr. Sullivan. who now fell back. with
the sun glistening on his white hair
and gnarled hand shading his eyes.
Tom plunged between the lookup and
the store and ran round the fence to
the left. like rat in a ring. but it was
too high for him at every point. The
pack doubled and had hemmed him in
when he swerved and was through
them. leaving Ginger on the ground
with redder whiskers than before.
The Anglo-Indian. at the justice room
door, was irresistibly reminded of his
youth at Rugby and had an old cry in
his throat when he recollected himself
and gulped it down in time. The con-
Wet was rushing straight for the out
let between stables and justice room.
The pack were at his heels. In front
Of him the gaunt old doctor stood his
ground like grenadier. with his bam-
boo cane. and the open gate and a
tethered horse beyond
Mr. Strachan stood petrifed by sheer
as TO what would happen
next 1t never occurred to him to in
terfere.
He thought the doctor must give
way The doctor did no such thing
He stood fast, with his cane as though
t had been q saber and Tom. whirlins
MS weapon still. whirled 1t high into
he sky and bowed to the doctor be-
,ause he could not strike him down.
As he bowed the bamboo slashed his
boulder and would have cloven him
D the ribs had it been steel. Next in
tant he was overpowered, and they
ragged him back TO the triangles as
n. sullivan turned to his brother mag
'trate. with a heightened color and
eyes.
"A hundred cried the doctor in his
lost dictatorial voice.
"A hundred what?" asked Mr..
trachan.
'-Lashesr' said the doctor. wiping his
orehead with a red silk handkerchief.
Y