Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-12-20


what about that Italian fellowY
interrupted the major, and Tom held
his breath.
ale wasn't In 1t. 1 believe he's
dead, and they put this Erickson In bis
clothes His horse was found few
miles beyond where they found this
man, and now his coat has been dis
covered with Erichsen's knife in the
pocket. Yes, you may wincep cried
this good hater. you shall swing for
1t YETI
"Kindly confne your remarks to me-"
said the major sternly. you'll have
to prove the knife was his, and that
won't prove everything. Never heard
such a story in my life! You'll have to
strengthen it up bit If you mean to
make a case. What do you want me
to dor
"Nothlng at ALL" said Nat ungra-
clously.
'Then why the deuce do you come to
me?"
81 didn't. was on my way to your
superiors."
Major Honeybone turned to the SEN
try.
Sock your piece" said he, "and
shoot his horse If he attempts to go
till I'VE done with him. Now, you.
Sullivan" continued the major, per
haps you didn't know you were tres
passing when you came on these
works. But you were, and you'l stop
on 'cm now till I've done with you.
You came to gloat over the man you We
bounded here to tell him you'd MOUND
him to the gallows, did you? TO laugh
et him. eh? Gadzooks, sir, the boots
ON the other leg this time! The whole
chain gang is laughing at you, and you
may frown upon 'em as much as You
like. but If you touch one you'll be In
irons yourself in two minutes. ] know
YOU. sir. We know all about both or
YOU here. Half the men who come here
have been driven here by you and your
father. Silence In the gang! Go on to
SYDNEY and tell them anything you
like about the man you mean to hang
But. gadzooks, you don't get him out
of this! No, and the governor himself
sba'n't have him out of this until he
knows on whose word he's acting! Go
to nv superiors. They'll never listen
to your clumsy yarn. If they do I'll
send down to Sydney myself to tell
'em what know of you and yours. And
Castle Sullivan will be swept into the
sea, and you-you slave driver-you'll
be where these men are now! BE Off,
sir. I hate the sight of you! Sentry
| let him CO."
About the middle Of this TRADE Nat
had been ready with a retort as viru-
| lent. but the concluding sentences were
too much even for his hard nerves and
sturdy ruffianism. Muttering some
thing unintelligibIe about an outrage"
and reporting Major Honeybone, he
put spurs to his horse and galloped OH,
leaving nothing worse behind him than
a. look. 1t was such look as might be
seen any day, any moment even, In an
iron gang, yet Tom never forgot the
cruel eyes, the low lips, the murderous
scowl nor the peculiarly bestial Whole
which they made on that occasion.
The convicts cursed and cheered him
in -derisiOn and when he was gone
we're given to understand by the ma
ior that If they ever did 1t again he
should treat the lot of them as they
would be treated at Castle Sullivan
to fifty lashes all round.
"Only give you fair warning" salC
he, land you don't catch me break my
word either way"
The major was man who liked
little opposition for the sake OF putting
1t down. which he never failed to dt
with the highest hand, but lie had bis
chain gang in such an exemplary state
of broken spirited subsection that the
iron will within that fabby body wa!
growing rusty from disuse. The impu
dence of young Sullivan was conse
ouently a gOdsend to this born mart
net. 1t gave him an appetite, and
made him sleep. Furthermore, 1t fixe(
his eye on Erichsen and to some ex
tent his thoughts ALSO. The major wa
harsh by habit, but impartial to tn
core. He did not believe syllable o
Nat Sullivan's story. But why hat
Erickson so taken it to heart? III
alone had neither cursed nor cheered
watch.
"Fancy he's a gentleman" said Hon
eybone in day or two, and be made
inquiries.
The result Of the inquiries was thu
information that Erickson usually sulk
ed, but when he was in q. bad tempe
he was more blasphemous than an!
man in the gang; when in good ont
he was more foul.
"He is Observation-Disclosures,
said the cocksure major "Only it,
the old story-the farther they have Il
fall the lower they sink. Poor devil
poor devilw And old Honeybone sigh
ed, for he had sunk little. too, and i
nis conscience was clear Of crime l
was more or less saturated with sin
of which the perfume was not littl'
stale and sickly. Whether from tina
cause or another, the fat major fount
himself taking more human interes
in this prisoner than in most. "S'
that's the most profane tongue In thu
stockader' he would think wheneve
he looked at Tom. $50 that's the foul
est MOUTH
1t was not, but Tom was educated
and had an educated mans sense O