The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-05-07

the board
/ THAT won't do no good. We've only
| one man left, and the board can't
split i'm into three"
"Oh. you have one, have you? Haul
! him out and let's have a look at the
lubber''
So Tom was produced to receive the
unsteady scrutiny of swimming blue
| eye that told a tale, and was informed
with an oath that he was a special"
and they wanted none OF that kidney
4 at Castle Sullivan.
Great was Toms relief, for a coarser
! face he had seldom seen. but at this
the officials remarked that it was Il
special or nothing, and the bleared
/ eyes were on him once more.
"Come from the country?'
"Yes''
'.Saddle a horse?"
'Yes''
"And ride him after?"
'Better try me-
"Well, so l Will. You be ready IN an
I'll go back with a groom if with
nothing else.'
"Waitr' said Tom.
whats up now?"
"I'm supposed to have committed a
murder" said Tom through his teeth.
'Tn one family they wouldn't keep
me-
The other drowned his words with
q believing laugh.
'.You won't be the only one at Castle
Sullivan cried he. I'VE don't mind
what you've done, bless you, so long
as you don't try it on again up there.
If you do"-and he jerked a great
close cropped head in the direction Of
the barrack triangles, while a bloated
lower lip stuck out like a 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, land you
don't look the fool to try it on. So be
ready in an hour sharp, or you look
out,''
us 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"
Celebrated
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 I wish you joy of
each other, don't you, Bill?'
Bill laughed, and Tom troubled them !
with no more questions.
Mr.. Nat did not come in an 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 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 Brickfield 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 grunting carcass of his free mas
ter, and now he marveled at the sys-
tenn which sought to accomplish the
amelioration of the felon by trusting
him in such hands az these The thing
had not even the excuse of an irregu
iarity. There was a brand new gov
eminent document sticking out of
pocket of the loud check coat within
few inches of the bloated face, and
Tom guessed rightly that it referred to
himself. Then there had been more
preliminaries than he had thought. but
that only made matters worse. since
what was a scandal In itself was i'm
measurably more scandalous as part
and parcel Of a system.
Evening came. and Mr.. Nat still lay
snoring, with his swollen lips wide
apart. Tom had not left him yet, be-
ing partly occupied with his own
thoughts and partly taken up with the
various sounds of the inn. Some of
these sounds We're sinister. as when
stealthy steps came along the passage
door, which Tom had locked. He did (
ing what the other might have in his {
turning the key behind him and put l
ting il in his pocket. {
He went first to the stables, where he
vas surprised TO find the horses sad
lied and bridled in their stalls. He
lad unsaddled them himself after en-
,agins the room for Mr.. Nat. There Z
vas nobody about. however. to afford
IN explanation. and ii occurred 10 Tom a
hat the sooner they did get away the
)etter. So he left the horses as they :
we're. but looked into the taproom on {
lis way upstairs. when all he heard
md saw confirmed his impression not +
My OF that particular inn, but of the b
corruption of the convict
own. A cattle stealer was drinking
With constable and openly Boosting
'efore the latter Of his exploits. As /
rom listened. however he heard some ]
hing else that interested him more 1t n