The daily Alaskan., 1919-04-24
CHAPTER |.
Sent Into SerVitude.

1t will be difficult to convince readers that such times as are herein depicted could ever have been reality, l shall endeavor to narrate each. incident in the simplest manner possible. My only purpose is truth, and my only witness history. Yet, even now lately as this all happened, 1t is more like the recOllections of a dream, dimly re- membered at awakening, and, per chance, might remain so, but for the scars upon my body, and the constant memory of a woman's face. These alone combine to bring back in vivid ness those days that were-days of youth and daring, of desperate, law less war, of wide ocean peril, and the outstretched hands of love. So that here, where I am writing 1t all down, here amid quietness and peace, and forgetful of the past I wander again along a deserted shore, and sail among those isles of southern sea, the home for many Q century of crime and un- l speakable cruelty. l will recall the truth, and can do no more.
 It was still early morning when we were brought out rnder heavy guard and marched somberly forth through the opened gates of the jail. Ahead we could perceive a forest or mastS, and what seemed like vast crowd of waiting people. That We had been sentenced to exile, to prolonged serVi- tude in some foreign land, was all that l any of us Ene".
 The guards pcOddch the crowd Sav- agely with the butts of their mus | ketoonS, thus making Scant room for us to shuffie through, out upon the far l end of the wharf, where we were finally halted abreast of a Jumping brig, apparently nearly ready for sea. There were more than forty of us. l 1 gained glimpse of the hoOker's name Romping Betsy of Plymouth. A mo- ment later a sailor passed along the
 edge of the dock and instantly whis-
 per passed swiftly from man to man.
 "Its Virginia, mate; we're bound for
 Virginia"
 The eyes of a prisoner met mine. "Virginia, hey?" he grunted. We're a sailorman, ain't ye, mate? Well,
 then, whur is this yere Yirginia?"
 That's all right. mates" I returned cheerily. even fall into the hands of Englishmen out there. In America,
 where all the tobacco comes from. I've been there twice-and to land 1 beyond they call Maryland. Tis .
 country not so unlike England"
 Yer better stow that, my man." growled someone above me, and l 1 looked up into the stern eyes of the | captain of the guard, ''or It may be
 the eat for ye. So ye've been ter the Virginia plantations @hev ye? Then
 ye must be Master Carlyle, l take it. ] I heerd tell about ye at the trial, but i supposed ye ter be an older man."
 'T am twenty.six."
 "Ye don't look even thet. Ay. they're ready fer ye now. Fall in
 there-all of yer. Step along, yer l d-d rebel scum"
 stared aft at the poop deck. There
 were number of persons gathered
 along the low rail, probably all passen-
 gers. Then my eyes encountered a
 strange group foregathered beside the
 lee rail.
 There were four in the little party, one of them a negress. Another was
 clearly enough colonial proprietor, l a heavily built man of middle age,
 purple faced. I passed these by with | glance, my attention concentrating
 upon the other two-a middle-aged man and young woman stand
 ing side by side. The former was a ] dashing looking blade, of not more than forty, attired in blue slashed
 coat, ornamented with gilt buttons,
 and bedecked at collar and cuffs with | a profusion of lace. A saffron cOlored
 waistcoat failed to conceal his richly beruffled shirt, and the hilt of rapier
 was rather prominently displayed. Such dandies were frequently enough i seen, but it was this mans face which i made marked contrast with his gay I attire. He was dark and hook-nosed, I apparently of foreign birth, with black
 mustache tightly clipped, so as to re- I veal the thin firmness of his lips, and
 even at that distance I could perceive \ the lines of q scar across his chin. Al ;! together there was an audacity to his l face, q daring, convincing me he was
 no mere lady's knight but one to whom
 fighting was trade. He was pointing us out to his companion, apparently Joking over our appearance, in an en- I deavor to amuse Seemingly she gave
 small heed to bis words, for although her eyes followed where he pointed 2 they never once lighted with a smile nor did I see her answer his sallies' She was scarcely more than girl, dressed very simply In some clinging l al6 l6nlT