The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-06-21
AN reminder Peggy,s words

an reminder Peggy's WORDS
'Tll go wien I'm ready. Peggy. not
until; and e,ai't sIpt Iowa that win
dow or you'll take off my fingers
Your hand again It's to you shall
owe my whole skin" +"
He gave her his hand. She took it be-
tween both of hers and pressed II with
fervor that should have given him
another warning on the spot. But her
kind voice only put him in mind OF
Claire so far away: nor did he hear I
again for some few days. Now and
then she would wave to him from the
Kitchen window. but 1t was always 20
wave him back. More often he waved
to her from the stable door but she
invariably shook her black head q. h.n!
with the greatest vigor. 4.y. T."
. Meanwhile her words came true.
Mr. Nat had conceived a palpabIe
spite against the new groom. and from
things the latter heard in the convicts'
hut. where he went for his meals, he
might have understood the reason.
these same things making him the less
eager to see very much more of Peggy
the cook Still. be gave her a wave
whenever he espied her in the distance.
for he owed the girl much already. He
was daily profiting by her good advice,
since no day passed without its meas
ure Of willful provocation from the
rufianly Nat But Tom was not to be
provoked by sheer or taunt or oath.
Moreover he made an excellent groom
and. being seen no more about the
house, gave no further occasion to the
enemy, who dropped his overt perse-
cutions. but detested Tom the more
for his unexceptionable conduct.
This feeling was intensified by the
Effect of that conduct in a certain
quarter Tom became quite favorite
With the despotic old army surgeon,
end Mr. Nat went in constant dread
II bis "sunstrokes" in Sydney and on
the road coming to his fathers ears.
1t was this dread that decided him to
let Tom alone and TO hide his own
time for revenge. for. besides being
privy to the sons Irregularities and
dangerously established in the fathers
favor. the new groom had indeed done
Mr.. Nat an injury of which he himself
was all unconscious. Days grew into
weeks meanwhile. the old year burnt
into the new. and one week day was
still much Ike another Oh this print.
tive Australian farm. When the third
bell rang at sunrise, every hut dis
gorged its surcharge Of convicts. and
Ginger called them over like so many
schoolboys in front Of the palisade.
Then the shepherds to the pastures.
the plowmen to the arabic land. the
bullock drivers to their teams. and
Tom to his stables for the llvelong
day. Such as could come were sum-
moned to breakfast at s and to dinner
at by the great bell changing In its
eucalyptian belfry. and all hands were
recalled by 1t between aud 0 at night.
Sunday was a nominal day of rest
which included two long compulsory
services in the courtyard beneath q
savage sun. DR.. Sullivan read the
/ prayers with the voice of an execu.
toner. his bamboo cane on the desk
in front of him for use as a baton
or as an instrument Of correction for
the man who dared to smile or to
whisper within his reach. The terrible
old man would also take this weekly
opportunity Of animadverting on the
lost souls and abandoned character OF
his convicts In general. with particular
illusions to those whose enormities had
earned them the lash during the pre-