Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-10-31
A clearer case for quarter sessions

have eve heard
Perhaps not; but then should
have lost a most competent groom,
and now, thanks to you. l shall keep
him"
Are you sure he will be worth keep
ing after this| asked the Anglo-In-
dian, sucking at his cheroot, which
was but a shade darker than his with
cred face.
worth keeping? He will be better
worth it than before. 1t does them
good"
THAT is not my invariable expert
ence," said Mr.. S%trachan, shaking his
head again.
But 1T is mine," cried the doctor.
"Ihey are never any good until they
feel your power. They never feel your
power until they have first felt the
ASH" And he emphasized the senti-
ment by giving the table a cut with his
cane.
Il have not always found it So"
maintained the other. "In your place
l should have let that man go to quar-
ter sessions. There are the markings of
q desperate criminal in him or I'm
much mistaken"
DIR. Sullivan flushed and frightened
beneath his white hairs, like a man Oh
his mettle. desperate criminal?" he
repeated eagerly. Hes one already,
my dear sir, and all the better! Well
see what we car do to tame him.
wen see what we a do to break his
spirit! You know what my son says,
~Strachan? He never was bested by
a convict yet. 1t would never do for
him to remain bested by this one, and
that's another reason why he mustn't
slip through our fingers just yet. No;
we shall show him who are his mas
tiers. We shall bend or break his spirit
as l bend"-
He sprang up, with his bamboo cane,
and rushed to the door, as a sudden
cutlery arose in the yard. At the door,
aghast.
"Strachan! Strachan!' he cried.
"Good heavens! You were right!
Look here!"
What had happened will be the bet
ter understood when it is explained
that the courthouse was not a house at
all, but a mere ring of weather board
huts, Of which the justice room was
one, the lookup another, the ~constables'
quarters a third and a store and a sta
h1l n foI1pfh 0,I Gfth Th0 -o,,J 4I,,,,
formed a Furthermore inclosed by a
brushwood fence, broken only between
the stables and the justice room, where
there was a gate instead, and in the
very center Of this open space, blot
ting the edge of the deep sky and scor-
ing the dazzling earth with shadows
like scars, stood that worse than gal
lows, at which men were beaten into
brutes and brutes into devils week
after week throughout the year.
A sergeant and two constables form
ed the garrison of this lodge Of law
geant was an emancipist, and of the
trio only one had come to the country
on his own account. The third was
actually a convict at this very time
and a glaring ruf1ian into the bargain.
Originally a butcher boy, who had
robbed his master in the City road, he
still smacked of the slaughter house.
with his raw red face and cruel eve,
and OH this young felon deyolved the
congenial task of administering the
lash.
In such hands Tom was led to the
triangles, with a white face, but quick
ened eyes. The ticket of leave over
seer was also of the party, filling his
pipe and grinning to himself between
his flaming whiskers. like a man pre-
pared to enjoy the thing thoroughly.
The sergeant, however, made him
stand back a little, though with a wink
as he touched the culprit on the Shout
der.
"Come, my lad" said the sergeant
confdentially, cit needn't hurt you
when all's said and DONE"
Tom looked at him In faint astonish-
ment.
1--WE amt obliged to lay it on that
thick" pursued the sergeant in the
same confidential tone. Its all left
to us. 1t needn't hurt him. need it,
mates?"
"Not if he comes up to the mark.
But he won't, no fear!!" said the ok.
butcher. who had got the cat and was
practicing with it upon the woodwork
Of the whipping frame.
well ask him. said the sergeant.
"yVe'n give him the chance. Will you
come up to the mark, my son, or will
you take it hotY"
Tom looked at his inquisitors with a
sullen, puzzled expression and CHANGED
to see the overseer at a little distance
shaking his head and touching his
pockets.
"Not got any?" cried the sergeant.
"You ask him." returned Ginger.
"Got no money!" said the sergeant
THAT'S what we ean by coming up
to the mark, you know"
ga pound apiece" suggested the free
constable-"that'd soften the job"
He stared at them In logged def
ance.