Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-10-15

the extraordinary scenes en-
acted at the Pulteney hotel on
the first Saturday Of the month Of Oc-
tober. They do not report the removal
of a magistrate of the colony to its
best and most private madhouse, some
from a sense of journalistic charity,
others for reasons which the late Mich.
oias Harding's bankers might even
now disclose. The curious, however,
may still look up the advertisement
which Lady Starkie read aloud from
the Herald within an hour of the
events described. 1t blew a trumpet
Tor the fine fast sailing ship Floren-
tia, for LOn,1pn direct" and the call
found q grateful echo in two young
hearts, now so light and now SO heavy
that 1t was an net of mercy to stir
them in this way. The Tlorentia was
described as even then loading at the
quay. 1t seemed as though they might
all sail from that beautiful and ac-
cursed land within 4 week. AS a mat
Ter OF history, however, the Florentia
lid not complete her cargo until the
new year. No other homeward bound
ship was ready before her. and much
happened on shore meanwhile.
Tom Erickson. having voluntarily
lronfessed the part he had horne in the
Castle Sullivan outrage. fell i'll as
man can be just as the road to 10y
md freedeni.lay smooth and clear be-
Tore him. He was IN raging de-
.irium when the free pardon arrived
from Governor Gipps, together with
IN order for the convict's absolute re-
ease. It seemed he was about to be
released indeed. Long weeks he lin
gered, battling indomitably, and what
hand 1I,aXed him back to light and life
and whose prayers awaited but tile low
Ing hand and the passionate prayers Of
the girl who only lived now to make
him forget the past? Meanwhile her
father was not idle. Nicholas Harding
was useless in sickroom, and his
money could not save Toms life. But
there We're other things that it could
do, combined with the natural energy
and the practical ability which were
also his. Turn again, to those old sgd
ney papers, They will not tell you who
instigated the inquiry, found the wit
uesses, paid their expenses and indeed
threw his: money right and left in the
good cause. But they do recount the
ruin of the most glaring and atrocious
slave drivers the colony contained.
They do report the several litigations
by which that most desirable end was
achieved, nor to their eternal credit
does a single sheet take the side of
the Sullivans Of Castle Sullivan. The
name still fingers in colonial annals.
1t is still strong in all humane and
honest nostrils, but of DIR. Sullivan and
bis ruffianly son all traces have been
lost. ~
Not the least telling witness against
them was one who certainly could not
be accused Of extravagant sympathy
with the felonrg. Major Honeybone
enjoyed himself, enormously in sgd.
ney, both at the courthouse and else.
where. He and Nicholas Harding be.
came perfect cronies during the weary
days of Toms convalescence.
"Gadzooks. sir, he gave me more
trouble than any three men in the
gang" the major would say, "but
knew him for gentleman at bottom
I'd like to shake his hsend and tell him
I'm Sorry for this and that"
But Major Honeybone was not pers.
mftted to see the invalid, and indeed he
quilted Sydney rather precipitately in
the end. The plucky veteran had ask
ed question Of Lady starkie, as her
ladyship long aftepWassl confdea to
Claire. with an obviously. Measurable
INDIGNATION, on the Flofentia's poop. a
Nor was 1t until the long and sooth-
ing homeward voyage was half over
that the convalescent WIS vouchsafcd
an answer to certain questions which
he had tired of asking in his illness.
What had brought Nicholas Harding
to New South Wales? He must have
sailed but few days hfter Claire.
What had he found out IN those few
days, since the discovery of Daintree's
crime still came as n surprise to him?
You never saw the woman who
tte,ook claire,s jeWelry?.. q. sai;l Nicholas
Harding; ut IS to her we e. oweiit that
my girl is not a madman's wife The
woman was naturally a spy. She had
spiel upon her mistress. but of: pain
tree also. and to Claire she had: ssuse
to be grateful, as Claire will tell You if