Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-11-22


see what we can do to tame him.
Well see what we can do to break his
spirit! You know what my son says.
Strachan? He never was bested by
a convict yet. 1t would never do for
him to remain bested by this one, and
that's another reason why he mustn't
slip through our fingers just yet. No;
we shall show him who are his mas
tiers. We shall bend or break his spirit
as BEND
He sprang up. with his bamboo cane,
and rushed to the door. as a sudden
outcry arose in the yard. At the door,
however, even Dr. Sullivan paused
aghast.
"Strachan! Strachan" he cried.
"Good heavens. You were right!
Look here!'
What had happened will be the bet
ter understood when it Is explained
that the courthouse was not house at
ALL but q mere ring Of weather board
huts, of which the justice room was
one. the lookup another, the constables'
quarters a third and a store and sta
BILE fourth and fifth. The yard thus
formed was furthermore inclosed by
brushwood fence. broken only between
the stables and the justice room, where
there was gate instead. and In the
very center of this open space. blot
ting the edge of the deep sky and scor-
ing the dazzling earth with shadows
like scars, stood that worse than GAL
lows. at which men were beaten into
brutes and brutes into devils week
after week throughout the year.
A sergeant and two constables FORM
ed the garrison of this lodge or law
and order In the wilderness The SER
geant was an emancipist and Of the
trio only one had come to the country
on his own account. The third was
actually convict at this very time
and glaring ruffian into the bargain.
Originally butcher boy, who had
robbed his master in the City road, he
still smacked of the slaughter house,
with his raw red face and cruel eye,
and on this young felon devolved the
congenial task of administering the
lash.
In such hands Tom was led to the
triangles, with white face, but quick
sned eyes. The ticket Of leave over
seer was also of the party, filling his
pipe and grinning to himself between
his flaming whiskers, like a man pre-
pared to enjoy the thing thoroughly.
The sergeant, however, made him
stand back little, though with wink
as he touched the eulprit on the shout
der.
"Come, my lad" said the sergeant
confdentially, sit needn't hurt you
when alps said and DONE"
Tom looked at him in faint astonish-
ment.
"We amt obliged to lay it on that
thick" pursued the sergeant in the
same confidential tone. cts all left
to us. 1t needn't hurt him, need it,
mates"
"Not if he comes up to the mark.
But he won't, no fear" said the ex-
butcher, who had got the cat and was
with it upon the woodwork
OF the whipping frame.
''We'll ask him." said the sergeant.
"VNe'n give him the chance. Will you
come up to the mark, my son, or Will
you take it hot?"
Tom looked at his inquisitors with a
sullen, puzzled expression and CHANGED
to see the overseer at little distance
shaking his head and touching his
pockets.
s'Not got any?" cried the sergeant.
"You ask him." returned Ginger.
"Got no money! said the sergeant.
~rhat's what we mean by coming up
to the mark, you know"
"a pound apiece" suggested the free
onstable-"that'd soften the job"
He stared at them in logged def
ance.
81 told you So" said the butcher,
throwing down the cat. LETS truss
him up"
Gwen pound between u.s. the ser
geant had said, when the butcher be-
gan to grumbe and Toms lip to curl,
and this settled it.
"Up with himw cried the sergeant
''We'll teach you to sheer at US, my
Stop a bit, though. His
legs won't stretch in these here irons.
Who the blazes put them on?' And
the Jealous officer knelt himself to I'M
fasten q pair of anklets coupled by
short but massive chain and employed
Illegally by DR.. Sullivan on his farm.
A pair of figure 8 handouts had been
ocked upon Toms wrists at the same
time, but both his wrists and his hands
we're small. and during the night ne
had found that he could slip out or
-hese at any moment. He was out OF
hem now before soul dreamed of 1T,
30 slyly did he stand to have the
,hackles off his feet.
The heavy handled scourge lay on the
ground. It's raw faced wlelder was
halfway out Of his coat The other
was talking to Ginger in the
shade. The sergeant had undone the
second anklet and was just rising from
his knees with the pair.
Next moment he was on his back In
he dust and Tom was planted before
he trianges. with the scourge caught
~ by the thongs in his two hands and
he heavy handle whlrling round his
head.
The butcher rushed at him with one
sleeve still in his coat and received the
butt end of his pet instrument full
Upon the forehead, where great green
Mart shranp out as If by magic even