Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-09-27

against Tom with the authorities
They were In no hurry to assign him
again, and presently he found himself
the last man of his draft In the bar
racks. with his hammock the only one
a-Swing between the stanchions Of the
great dormitory upstairs. Then one
morning he heard n row in the yard,
and there was Il very OverdreSSed,
thicksct and thick spoken young man
abusing the officer; because there were
no Convicts left
II tell you we applied for three, and
I've come down expressly for Them"
he Spluttcred out. over a hundred
blessed miles I've come. from Castle
Sullivan, near the Hunter river, FOR
two farm laborcrs and a groom. all
properly applied for in lots Of time.
And just because yet Il touch Of the
sun and can't come on tho right day
Tn to 80 lack empty handed. am l?
Well see about that III complain to
the board"
THAT won't do no coed. We've only
fne man left, nnl tho board can't
split i'm into three"
"Oh. you have one, have you? Haul
hlm out and let's have n look at tho
lubber'
So Tom was produced to receive the
unsteady scrutiny OF swimming blue
eye that told n tale, and was Informed
with IN oath that he was special"
and they wanted none of that kidney
at Castle Sullivan.
Great was Toms relief, for n coarser
face he had seldom seen, but ut this
the officials remarked that 1t was a
Special or nothing, and the bleared
eyes We're on him once more.
Gone from the countryi"
"Yes."
SADDLE Il horsef"
"Yes"
"And ride him after?"
"Bettcr try me-"
"Well. 50 will. You be ready In an
hour, ana horse'll be ready for you.
III 50 back with q groom If with
nothing elsc."
WATT" said Tom.
whats UP nowf"
'Im supposed to have committed q
MURDER" said Tom through hi; teeth
I'm one family they wouldn't keep
me-
The other drowned his words with
believing laugh.
you won't be the only one at Castle
G.p1lf tod I4
what you've done, bless you, so long
as you don't try 1t OH again up there
II you dO"-and he jerked a great
close cropped head In the direction Of
the barrack triangles. while bloated
lower lip stuck out like u tongue be-
tween his short fair beard and mus
tache. There never yet was the lag
that bested Nat Sullivan" he added,
with another Of his oaths, "and you
don't look the fool to try It on. So be
ready In an hour sharp. or you look
outr'
as he Nat Sullivan?" said Tom to
the officers as the stout young man
staggered off.
"Ay. ay." said they; that's the cele-
brated Mr.. Nat"
"CelebratedT
They're all that, you'll find, are the
Sullivans Of Castle Sullivan. You wait
and see. l shan't say nothing to set
you agen 'em. but wish you Joy Of
each other. don't you. Billr
Bill laughed, and Tom troubled them
with no more questions.
Mr.. Nat did not come in IN hour. He
came in three. swaying In his saddle,
but still managing to lead pack horse
and a horse for Tom. His blue eyes
were now half closed, and Tom under
stood him to curse the sun and to NUT
ter something about q fresh touch that
morning. They rode off, however, and
were near the outskirts of Sydney
when Mr.. Nat rolled quietly out Of his
saddle and lay insensible In the mid
die Of Brickfeld hill.
Tom was at his side In an instant.
No bones were broken. He was sim
ply fast asleep. Tom shook him up
and managed to get him to the nearest
Inn. where he again fell asleep, anathe-
matizing the sun, and SO never stirred
for hours.
And the convict servant stood over
the granting carcass Of his free mas
ter. and now he marveled at the sys-
TEN which sought to accomplish the
amelioration Of the felon by trusting
him In such hands Us these. The thing
had not even the excuse Of an irregu-
larty. There was q brand new Qoy-
eminent document sticking out Of q
pocket Of the loud check coat within a
few inches Of the bloated face, and
Tom guessed rightly that it referred to
himself. Then there had been more
prellminaries than he had thought, but