Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-01-23
t~coNT1NuED.l
CHAPTER XXXV.

LAO alSl SdluluuS VI llc lQOutu VI W.
tober. They do not report the removal
Of a magistrate of the colony to it's
best and most private madhouse, some
from a sense Of journalistic charity,
others for reasons which the late Mich
ola 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
for "the fine fast sailing ship Floren-
tia, for London direct" and the call
found a grateful echo in two young
hearts, nov so light and now so heavy
that it was an act Of mercy to stir
them in this way. The Florentia was
described as vel then loading at the
quay. 1t seemed as though they might
all sail from that beautiful and ac-
cursed land within a week. AS a mat
ter of history, however, the Florentia
did 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
confessed the part he had borne in the
Castle Sullivan outrage, fell i'll as a
man can be just as the road to Joy
and freedom lay smooth and clear be-
fore him. He was in a raging de-
ilrium when the free pardon arrived
from Governor Gipps, together with
an order for the %convict's absolute re.
lease. 1t seemed he was about to be
released indeed. Long weeks he lin
gered, battling indomitably, and what
hand coaXed him back to light and life
and whose prayers availed out the low
ing hand and the passionate prayers of
the girl who only lived now to make
hin forget the past? Meanwhile her
father was not idle. Nicholas Harding
was useless in a sickroom, and his
money could not save Toms life. But
there were other things that it could
do, combined with the natural energy
and tie 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
nesses, paid their expenses and indeed
threw his money right and left in the
SOOo SdooC. oul UlGS do lSSOull luC
ruin Of the most glazing 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 DR.. Sullivan and
his rufianly 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 felonry. 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 a gentleman at bottom
I'd like to shake his hand and tell hin
I'm sorry for this and that"
But Major Honeybone was not per
mitted to see the invalid, and indeed he
quilted Sydney rather precipitately in
b end. The plucky veteran had ask
ed a question of Lady Starkie, as hel
ladyship long afterward confided te
Claire, with an obviously pleasurable
Indignation, on the F%lorentia's poop.
Nor was it until the long and sooth
ing homeward voyage was half ove1
that the convalescent was %vouchsafe6
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 a few days after Claire
What had he found out in those few
days, since the discovery Of Daintree's
crime still came as a surprise to him
You saw the woman whc
took Claire's jewelry?' said Nicholas
Harding. ut is to her we owe it thai
my girl is not a madman's wife. The
woman was naturally a spy. She had
'spted upon her mistress, but on Dain
tree also, and to Claire she had cause
to be grateful, as Claire will tell you ii
you ask her. The very night after
pAS 0AA AZ LAC xkOSdAluuu ILLS WI
man came to my house. She had falle1
very low. Death seemed to me to. have
set its seal upon her, but she had in
formation which she would only sell
until I told her where Claire had gone
and whom she was to marry. Their
and there it all came out. 1 must say
there was no huckstering then. Tht
wretched woman seemed genuinely dis
tressed. She told me',-Harding wiped
his mouth, and his voice trembled-
"she told me my daughter was gone t.
be a murderer's wife"
"Ye& you did not know Of it?"
II did not know about Blaydes. Tha'
made the second"
"His second murder?" gasped Tom.
Cor manslaughter-call it what 70,
will. The first was the worst. 1t wa
fratriclde. There were two brothers
james was the younger. Ont shoot