Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-12-20
CHAPTER XIV.

~OM crawled into the vehicle as
though those heavy chains still
dangled about his legs. Moth
ing was so strange as the sud-
den cessation Of the horrid Jingle which
had marked and Knocked every move
ment OF his body for four whole
months. He felt quite lost without It,
and no clambered into the curricle
without a word. Daintree cracked his
whip. and that was the sole sound
from either Of them In the first half
hour OF keen and starlit freedom.
Feel cold. ErichsenY'
no"
"Because you can have my coat II
you do. My things are thicker. Only
say the word"
He said nothing. Such gratitude as
he felt In his degraded heart was not
yet SO poignant as to need expression.
It was a very vague. dull sense Mt pres
ent. But Daintree understood. He had
simply to sit next that silent, aged, CAL
lOus figure to understand all.
They drove on to Maitland, where
they supped handsomely and lay all
night In the morning Tom was well
and warmly clothed ut the best store
In the township. And that day the diff.
ference was that he kept turning to
look over his shoulder and this at
shorter intervals as the day wore on.
'Is anything following usT said
Daintrce once.
mot yet" said Tom
mot yet! Why. what do you ex-
pectY"
what I deserve" said Tom. And
Daintree had the wisdom not to press
him upon this or any other point. He
knew what was alleged against Erich
sen ut Castle Sullivan. He had heard
the story from the principal superin-
tendent. He began to think there
might he some truth in 1t, after all.
Next morning he was sure. They
had put UP at an unusually comforta-
BILE roadside inn. where Tom had very
excellent room. yet he came down with
wild. unrestcd eyes ana twitching I'm
gers.
ITS no use" he bitterly exclaimed.
Haven't you slept?"
mot q wink. I heard them coming
all night lOng-henrd them coming with
the chains. Oh. take me back! They
have made me the guilty man they
said I was when ! wasn't I deserve
everything now"
And a second day Of terror he spent
In the curr!cle. looking backward hour
after hour. but when that also passed
over and still nothing happened he be-
gan to think that either Butter was
mistaken or the major incredulous or
his enemies OF another mind now that
he was gone. At all events he took
heart Of grace and ut last thanked
Dsuntrce for what he was doing; Win.
out asking. however. why he was Do
ing 1t.
On the third forenoon the spires and
windmills Of Sydney frlnged the sky.
Then they mounted hill, and there
was the harbor sparkling above the
roofs OF the convict city.
I'VE had better drop the 'Erichsen'
now" said Daintrec as they drove I'D
to the turnpike gate. II suggest that
Thomas will suffice both Christian
name and surname. I think It would
be preferable for the present. What
say you" Tom consented with per-
feet readiness and Indifference, and no
looked behind him for the last time as
much as to say what was the only thing
on earth about which he was not as In.
different rs the dead.
They drove down Brickfeld hill over
the spot where Nat Sullivan had tum-
bled Off his horse and past the notOri.
GUS Inn where he had lain. 1t flourish
cd still. And still the doleful felon
music filed the air. striking more stac-
cato In this crisp weather than six
months since in the heavy heat, but Il
struck to Toms heart no more. On
the quay there was a crowd and Z
fresh shipload Of convicts disembark-
Ing. but Tom felt no. pity for them
either. And now. *hen his tndi9na.
ton was aroused, It was by the louns.
Ing laziness Of q road gang, whose
overseers were smoking and chatting
with the convicts. while the latter
moved neithe, hand nor foot and the
sentries yawned ct thsk posts. ...--.