Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-10-24
cspyritht. 1896. By CHARLES
SCRlBNER,S SONS.

m1nute!'
"Coming up here as a convict, that's
all, Peggy"
''There's hundreds more in thin
butts forninst u.s."
''That's no comfort, I'm afraid. You
zee, I am very selfish, I think only Of
myself"
"But they're all convicts here. livery
mothers son but the ould cove and
Mr.. Nat"
"What, the overseer too?"
"Ginger? It's Ginger we call m, an
a dacent mar at most times is Gin
ger, though you needn't be tellin' m
I said so. But, faith, he's no betther
than the rest Of us. If he isn't a con-
vict now he's a ticket-of-lave, an It's
ivery wan of usll be that, sorr, if we
live long enough"
Eyes? Don't sir me, Peggy. Call me
Tom. I'm not even like Ginger, you
know. I'm a convict Of the deepest
and the newest dye"
can what am IT
"Not you, too, Peggyw g
"Me, too, Tom, an it's siven year
I'm here for. So don't you make such
q song Of it, me dear, or it's me yell
be putin to the blush"
Indeed he had done so already. And,
to believe Peggy, the second blush
ever seen at Castle Sullivan was still
mantling her pleasant face when
spurs jingled again in the scullery, and
Mr.. Nat stood on the inner threshold.
Some moments he stood there without
a word, a furious glitter in his cold
blue eye, his lewd mouth showing
through his beard like a cash. Peggy
shrank back. Tom was wondering if
the brute had aver struck her, when
he was addressed in q voice that shook
with i'll governed ferocity.
"What are you doing here, Erich
SEM" were the words.
81 have just had my supper. I was
told to have 1t here"
ooh, you've had 1t, have you? Then
why the devil haven't you cleared
out?' roared young Sullivan, losing all
control. II tell you what, Peggy, this
mans a cold blooded murderer. That's
what he is, and that's what he's here
for. Why they didn't hang him God
knows, but they didn't, so we've got
the benefit instead. Let me never
catch him in here again. He'd cut your
throat as soon as look at you. Clear
out, you gallows bird, and show your
nose inside the palisade again If you
dare!"
Tom replied with his eye, and only
scorn was in it's steady gaze. When
the other ceased, he waited a little to
ascertain if that were all; then he
turned upon his heel, opened the door,
walked out and shut it very quietly
behind him.
There were high voices in the kitch-
en- as he went his way. And Tom
himself was less cool when he reached
his room, where, indeed, he lay awake
half the night still wondering whether
Nat Sullivan had ever struck Peggy
O'Brien and whether Peggy would
admit it if he had. But in the end he
slept soundly on the clean straw with
which he first took care to line his
bunk.
Sound1y, but not long, for in the mid
die of the night, as it seemed to Tom,
the changing of q great bell brought
him to his feet ina. state of high alarm.
He slid into bis trousers and rushed
out. 1t was that black hour before
dawn, and at first in the failing star
/ 1irht ln on,11d COO r,nhnHu. fh6fr hn do
serted a figure in a long coat parading
to and fro before the huts, but the bell
was silent, though still swaying from
the twisted arm of a gigantic gum
tree, when Tom ran up and inquired of
this man what it meant. He found
he was speaking to the night watch
man, who said his business was to ring
the bell first an hour before sunrise,
then half an hour later and lastly when
the sun appeared.
$50 you're to be groom?" added the
Waterman. 1T wouldn't swap my job
for yours"
"No" said Tom.
"Not me! Cause why? Pm on all
night, but off all day, so l see less of
the coves than any other blessed man
on the place. Now you'll see more of
'em, and Lord help you If you trot out
a lame nag or a piece of harness the
old cove can't see his ugly mug in! !
wouldn't be in your shirt for some
thing; it'll be stickin' to your back by
this day week."
Tom was returning to his roof when
a sash was softly raised in the main
building, and there was Peggy at on
outer window in an inky shower bath
Of pitch black hair. She beckoned him
with her finger, but transferred II
swiftly to her lips.
"You did WELT You did well!" she
whispered. II was in the holy terror
lest you answered Mr.. Nat. If you'd
done that
She shuddered and shut her lips.
"Well, what IL l had?" said Tom, be-
ginning to feel sorry he had not.
"Niver ask mel" she returned. "Only
bear in mind that what they'll call. 'in-
science is a crime out here. Give 'em
cheek, an it's twenty-five or fifty-an'
now I've told ye! IT'S we'll ye should
i l~.,o- F,l o.cS, ooo,o NoIlo- p-~,S