Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-10-03

creature, having Deen alone at night
since his conviction on the opening
day of the sessions, hardly paused till
the small hours of the morning.
His name was Creasey. He had
been convicted of stabbing his wife Che
was twenty years of age, but had new
er done it; twas a pack of lies. But
he boosted to Tom of many a thing he
had done in his short life, and they
We're such things as Tom never forgot
In his. He lay listening and shudder-
ing upon his bed. Yet when the other
seemed to have talked himself out his
w torments only began, and he was
grateful when the brute broke out
afresh. So the night Wore on until 1
OF 2 in the morning. Then there was q
long, unbroken silence, then a sobbing
and q shaking and a burst of frantic
prayer from Creasey's bed; then quiet,
then snoring, and the bell of st. Sepul-
cheers marking the weary milestones
Of the night.
Tom never slept a wink.
Next morning in the bottom day
room, which the condemned prisoners
had the use of during the day, he rub
bed shoulders with a third convict un-
der recent sentence of death, but this
was a heavy, sullen, middle aged man
Of the name of Carter, who sat all day
with his huge head between his cruel
hands and spoke to nobody, nor did
either youth venture to speak to him.
Overhead there was another day
room and eleven more prisoners under
sentence nominally capital, but these
We're morally certain of reprieve and
could be heard playing leap frog and
larking and singing from morning till
night.
81 wish we We're up there said
Creasey ~mournfully. "But wait a bit;
the yards for us the same as for
them when it's exercise time, and then
therell be a bit O fun for us ALL"
The bit of fun essayed by Creasey
was openly to incite the eleven jovial
spirits from upstairs to badger Tom
and put him in a rage. But by this
time Erichsen's reputation in Newgate
was such that the plot fell through for
want of supporters. Tom shrugged
his shoulders at the petty treachery
and was treated by Creasey With a sly
servility when they We're locked up to-
gether once more. Meanwhile the bur-
den of the day had been lightened by
several visitors and as many private
interviews.
MI. Macmurdo, the surgeon, and Mr..
Cotton, the ordinary of Newsate. had
both shown Tom the kindest ate"
lions. He could sec, however,. L
each regarded him as a man c?'.1
Justly sentenced to deatl. .G
geon offered to use his liz .e
matter of a separate CO.! ~ 4">
Tom would not hear
mo, no." said he: - a a
poor kindness. thor. d. YOU
with all my heart fo" 4 lo7~..t. The
greatest rufian in tie J ND be a
better friend to me- - Y own re-
Elections. All, 1 see Wat YOU Think"
cried Tom as a queer light glimmered
in the surgeons eyes. well. I have
done protesting my innocence. but
" L Z lhCiH ltoNG llS Nv Ilt Sell,
that's all | ask"
Mr.. Cotton entered into spiritual
matters. to which Tom listened cour-
teously, though chiefly out of loving
respect for his dear fathers memory,
for where was the God who would per-
NIT an innocent man to suffer death
for another's crime? When, however,
the good chaplain closed his books he
referred discreetly as he rose to GER
tain efforts already being made to OBJ
tain a reDrieve, adding that he would
himself do what he could to further
them. as a matter of course.
"Why should you, sir" asked Tom
deferentially, "when you are quite
convinced Of my guilt?"
The chaplain colored.
81 said l was convinced" he
cried. st is no part of my duty to be
convinced in such matters either way.
No. my poor fellow. your guilt or your
innocence is a matter between your
w heart and God Almighty. l, his
servant, am only concerned with your
immortal soul. and the longer you live
the more time will be yours for re-
pentance = Of all your sins = and the
greater your chances of immortal life.
But build upon nothing of the kind"
And with Il parting exhortation the
ordinary went his way.
Bassett was the last visitor. He was
in a tremendous hurry. The petition
was already receiving support and
signatures IN every hand. The news
papers were full of it. And he who
had furnished the sinews Of defense
was now working heart and soul for
the respite, for which there was still
every reason to hope. So said Bassett
in a breath and was gone next minute.
1t was the last piece of news that
heartened Tom most, the news that the
noble unknown believed in him still,
against judge and jury, and was still
heroically striving to save his miser-
able life. Who could he be? Some
friend of Claire's? The thought came
for the first time. 1t never came again.
Claire was with the judge, the jury
and the world. She had not written
him n word.