Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-09-20
Chapter Mi Continued. ,

Chapter XIII Continued
AMI now mt last his gallant spirit
surrendered itself to the apathy Of
sheer despair. and the physical col
lapse which supervened was almost as
complete as that of the brave but bro
ken heart 4 sudden outbreak Of NOR
bid Appearances brought the surgeon
In hot haste to clean the foul tongue,
to regulate the irregular pulse. moisten
the parched skin and. In word, to
keep his man we'll enough to die on
the following Tuesday The good Mac
murdo would rs lief have given him
draft Of deadly poison. but such hu-
mainly would have sent himself To the
gallows instead. So the surgeon did
his best for the poor doomed body. and
the chaplain did his best for an I'M
mortal soul still filled with bitter re-
bellion and rage. But this physician
was less successful. though not less
kind-praying I'm his chamber for the
poor impenitent. but yet doing what
in him lay to further such efforts as
were still being made for a reprieve.
Even on the last Sunday. when the
stern divine furnished that Incredible
bGrharism. the condemned sermon. the
humane gentleman was upon the other
tack and in almost hourly communion
ton with Daintree himself
Tom could not guess at that. The
last to enter. the first to leave. the
crowded chapel. he did so with the
sense Of his indignity heavier upon
him than ut either Marylebone or the
Old Bailey. The very chapel had been
flT!ed with sightseers-and he the
sight! He had recognized the noble
earl who had come to spy upon him
before the trial. and with him ladies'.
And. to cap all. the ordinary had men-
toned him by name in the sermon,
taking the sixth commandment far his
text and directly addressing Tom from
the pulpit. The outrage was unforgiv-
able. When Mr.. Cotton came to his
cell soon after, the convict fatty re-
fused ever To listen to him again.
you have insulted me before men,"
he cried. You need plead for me no
more before God"
"But consider who you are, what
you WERE" protested the reverend gen.
tleman-"a clergyman's son, your poor
father
"NOt one word of him" said Tom.
"1e would never have spoken as you
spoke. There, sir, do not force me to
say more. You have been kind to me
In your own way. but the greatest
kindness now Is to leave me in peace
until the end
Next day lie asked for pens and pa
per and spent the entire afternoon
upon one letter. Turkeys, who came
continually to see how he was bearing
his last hours on earth, found him al
ways writing. writing, writing, with
the tears streaming down his face
and yet the happ:cst look that they had
seen In 1t yet. The turkeys were prac-
teal, experienced men. They never
doubted that what Erichsen was writ
Ing was his full confession Of the crime
Tor which he was to suffer in the morn
Ing. So one brought another to spy
upon him In the act Of historic cOmpo-
sitiOn. And still he wrote; and still he
wrote
He was done before dark and ate
bis supper as Ire had eaten nothing for
days. He seemed happier man-that
was only natural to the turnkey mind
And yet the sealed packet set In front
Of him Oh the table was not yet ad-
dressed. and when the governor, pay
Ing him visit in the evening, said
slyly. us this for me" Tom. answered.
with quite laugh. that 1t was not. 1t
was for friend, and the last act Of his
unpinioned hands should be to add the
address
Tom stepped back into the cell and
stood there with the full moon laugh
Ing In his white face and blazing eyes.
Very well. He would brain the next
turnkey who came near him and so Mt
least deserve his death even IL he
could not slip into the dead mans
clothes and thus away. So the hot fit
had followed the cool; SO madness .trod
upon the heels Of rational thought.
The murmur Of the crowd had done
It 1t had left him wounded lion,
and his maddened eyes were now row.
Ing round the cell in search OF that
with which to shed blood for blood.
They lit upon the metal washstand
fixed like the iron candlestick) to the
wall In an instant the washstand was
torn out by the roots and poised over
the cropped yellow head. while the
loose tin things rang like cymbals Oh
the floor. The clatter was slow to
cease. 1t was followed inevitably by
hurried footsteps In the corridor. So
much the better. The time was come.
Tom raised the washstand on high In
both hands and himself on tIptoes to
give the greater force to his blow as
the door was flung hurriedly open. He
was bringing it down upon gray hairs,
when he saw their color and, swerving.
swung the apparatus with a crash
against the wall
LUCKY for you 1t was youw he cried
as the chaplain threw up his hands.
"Cnlucky for me. Id have killed any
other man In the place. Now YOU see
what they've made Of Inc. Better send
Them to tie me up. It's no good YOUR