Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-10-17

But the most interesting roadside
character was encountered at a con-
tractors store much farther on the
way, where Mr.. Sullivan nudged Tom
and made him take note of a portly
man In a magnificent waistcoat, who
sang a song in the most charming bari
tone while the travellers were having
their supper.
d you know who that was?" said
Toms master when they were once
more on their way. 'That was Hunt,
the accomplice Of Thurtell, who muir
dered a man called Weare. You re-
member it, do you? Well, that's the
man, and he just bears out what 1 say
we don't care a kick what a convict
has don in the old country so long as
he don't go doing it again out here.
But there, 1 keep forgetting you're one
yourself. Somehow or other you're not
like the rest, and you take my advice
and go on like you've begun AS he
paused the voice of Hunt was waited
to their ears in a new song that died
very sweetly on the soft night air.
The latter stages Of the journey We're
marked by looks Of recognition wher-
ever young Sullivan baited his horses,
but by never a single look of welcome,
and an ominous climax was reached
when b little cayalcade passed a
stockade and a chain gang within
twenty miles of their destination.
Here was a long line of heavily ironed
men, some eighty in all, strung togeth-
er like beads on a rosary and at work
with pick and shovel beneath the burn
ing sun and the eyes and muskets of
the military. AS the riders approach
ed word seemed to go along the line,
and face after face was raised with a
curse and a howl as the horses passed.
Such faces as they We're! Tom had
not seen the like in Newgate, nor
aboard the Seahorse, nor yet, in such
a number, in Sydney itself. Those, on
the whole, We're only on the lower
slopes Of degradation, but these had
reached Its lowest depths, and Tom
rode by them with an aching heart
and averted eyes.
His attention, indeed, became concen-
trated upon his companion, who had
checked his horse instead of urging it
forward and was walking instead of
galloping this horrible gauntlet. Tom
could see but one sunburnt cheek and
one cold blue eye, but the first kept it's
color, the second never f1inched, and
the gross lip that jutted out between
beard and mustache never quivered
once all the way. Nor until he was
we'll past the gang Gid Mr.. Nat put
spurs to his horse, but when he did it
was not to draw rein until they reach
ed the next roadside inn, and there he
vanished, to reappear next day with
running eyes and shaking hands.
Il wouldn't be assigned to him for
something's" said the barman, with
whom Tom made friends. You might
as we'll go to Norfolk island straight as
to Castle Sullivan. Tell you what,
mate, I'd give him the go-by tonight,
for you'll have a better chance.
And see here, I'll come with you, for
I'm dead sick of my job!r'
Tom shook his head.
"No, no. my friend; he may be all
you say, but he's treated me we'll
enough so far. and 1 mean to stick to
him"
"Oh, the young cove's not the worst.
It's the old cove 1 was thinking Of"
"What old cove?"
CDR. Sullivan, this ones father"
He had a father, then? Mr.. Nat had
never mentioned him. And the old
man was worse to do with than the
son? ....
Tom put these questions to himself
and then another to his friend the bar
man, after shortly te"ing the latter
about the behavior of the iron gang.
"Why was all that?" said Tom.
"Why? Because half them crawlers
have worked for the Sullivans in their
time. They get you fogged and fog
ged and logged till all the works fog
ged out Of you; then they get you six
months in the crawlers, and like as
not that's the end of YOU"
"Why doesn't somebody put a bullet
through them both?"
oCSuuSc lue CONGS uuNe SOl luO
pluck. That's their secret. They don't
know what fear is. So there's seventy
strong men up there and over a hun
dred in harvest time, and the whole
boiling afraid of them twon.'
Tom said no more; neither did he
have much to say to Mr.. Nat next day
in their saddles. Neither did Mr.. Nat
have anything at all to say to him
before nightfall, so severe had been
his latest 'touch of the SUM-" but to-
ward evening they left the road, and
as the moon was rising in a velvet sky
lights also broke upon them through
some trees. Dogs innumerable began
to bark, and as young Sullivan stopped
to open a gate he pointed across it to
the lights and said that there was
Castle Sullivan at last.
"And bark you here" he added saw
agely, selling Toms bride on the
other side, as though every redeeming
trait was now left behind upon the
neutral ground that they had traversed
together, "hark you to this and recol-
lect it we'll! You've been right eno1ph