Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-06-08

by making up to Creasey, who slept in
his hut and was already deeply impli-
Gated in that which the other thus for
swore.
All was in readiness. The excite
ment throughout the gang was intense.
though invisible, and Erickson. Mac
beth and Creasey were even reader
| than their fellows. as behoOved good
ringleaders, when the unforeseen hap
pened at the critical moment. The gen
| eral failed them on the field of battle.
! The First Fleeter fell III and was re-
moved.
1t had been coming on for weeks.
| The old man. who had made light Of
| the iron gang, was the first to succumb
! to its hourly hardships. He was older
than he had thought. He had it still
in him to blacken and corrode every
heart in the gang with his own album
dant poison, and that he did but that
was all. His irons became very silent
all night long. One morning he tum-
! bled at his work. The next he was
sent over to Maitland unfettered and
in a cart. The gang were at work at
the time, and the last Tom saw of the
First Fleeter as he waved his cap in
the cart was his bald head and his I'M
conQuerable smile. Tom wondered
whether the last had not in some de-
gree balanced the first and been doing
little good for q long time in land
that needed light hearts almost as
much AS pure ones. Still more he won
dered how they would manage without
him now.
Before nightfall, however. this de-
parture was succeeded by an arrival as
unforeseen. 1t was that of a curricle
containing a solitary individual, who
drove both up and down the line of
irOned men. with the sunset light first
on ono side Of his swarthy. black whisk
cred face and then on the other. He
was obviously and openly searching for
some one among the eighty prisoners.
and his failure TO find his man was an
nounced by frown that had in it more
of pain and apprehension than of mere
annoyance Meanwhile the major. who
was still a comparatively active man.
was bearing down upon the intruder
with the help of his furled umbrella.
very soon asked what the mischief he
wanted there
mischief, my good man?" replied a
rich deep voice, little Overladen with
superior scorn. Nothing more mis-
chievous. l take it, than a few words
with the superintendent of this gang.
Perhaps you will he so extremely con-
descending as TO give him my card"
81 am he" said the major. What
can do for yOu?"
THE honor of Glancing Mt my card /"
said the stranger with bow as elab-
crate as his scorn.
well sir?"
my name may be familiar to you"
"Never heard it IN my life" replied
the major bluntly. However" he add
ed as the other colored terribly, Il live
out of the world, Mr.. Daintree. as you
perceive"
Tom was at work quite near, and he
heard the name distinctly. He, too,
had never heard it before. and yet he
had some dim recollection of the face.
so that he was watching it intentIy
and saw the flush with which Daintree
. very fussily produced Il letter.
| THAT is your misfortune. sir" Tom
! heard him retort. and the rap put the
major in n good temper on the spot.
He sang out for a wardsman to come
/ and take charge of the Sentlemans
horses.
, Nevertheless" continued Daintree
81 take it that even you. sir. are ac-
! nH wifi no Of ri for
: of the missive In my hand l am the
/ bearer, Major Houeybone," with i'm
/ mense pomposity. "of Il letter from
: my friend his excellency Sir George
Gipps, the governor of this colony"
! Never met him. returned the ma
: for, with a twinkling eye. at is my
: first acquaintance even with his hand
! writing" Indeed, his eXcellency haG
been not many weeks installed but il
l was years since the major had heard
t tones so rich and periods so round as
l those of his eXcellency's friend, whom
2 he thereupon escorted with hospitality
;. to his house.
Now in this poor hut, opposite thai
3 stockade full of felons and in that DIES
e ert place, the major kept few dozen!
of admirable wine and some boxes Of
d excellent cigars. Two of these were
alight, and the gentlemen had clinke(
I glasses and taken n sip before Majo
> Honeybone would permit himself t.
e open his excellency's letter. Hardly
q had he done so when he regretted boil
wine and cigars. He looked up sud
denly and in wrath, which. however
: was somewhat disarmed by the cage
e light he thus surprised in the visitor
1 strong and dusky face.
"What on earth do you want hin
for? 1 call this most monstrous re
quest" said Major Honeybone, ant
L the last sentence was meant to hav
come first until Daintree's look invert
e ed them.
Il Request" said Daintree, raising hi
:, eyebrows slightly.
IL Yes. sir, requestv' cried the major
n asCommoud cir 10 n fbinD 7 dome 70 L