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OXFORD PUBLIC LEDGER, FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 1907. 3fe . ... . arc lb . Daintree pursed up "his eyes. As it was only by patient exercise of two characteristic qualities that he had got the letter at all, so he now saw that he must trust to those two qualities to overcome this other masterful man. He must be diplomatic, he must have patience, he must pick his way where he could not force it, and it was very clear that there would be no forcing this Major Honeybone. The letter authorized and begged the major to deliver and hand over Thomas Erichsen, Seahorse, then un dergoing sentence in the major's iron gang, to the bearer, who particularly wished to have him for his assigned bodyservant and undertook to make himself thenceforward responsible for the said convict's good behavior. It was an irregular letter. No reason was given for granting such a favor at all. It did say, however, that Mr. Daintree would give his reasons, and with the letter in both hands, as though on the point of tearing it up, the major leaned back in his chair and regarded the oth er with a. prolonged and curious stare. I-. "Wha.t are your reasons?" he asked at length. ' - "He is an innocent man," replied Daintree impressively. "A convicted murderer, I under stand." "Wrongly convicted. I followed his case. Did you?" "No, sir," said the major. "They give me quite enough work out here." "Well, I did follow it," the visitor went on. "Between ourselves, Major Honeybone, I did a great deal more than that. The case interested me from the first. I knew something about this . poor lad. That knowledge, together with the circumstances of the case, convinced me at the time that he was an innocent man." "He isn't one now," remarked Major HoDeybone. "I I am not a pauper, sir," proceed ed Daintree, with embarrassment. "I don't want this to go any farther; but, you see, I knew something about the boy, and, in short, I found the money for his defense." "The dickens you did!" exclaimed the major. "Then you were a friend of his?" ' "I am his friend, sir, though he has never seen me." "It was a noble thing to do 'pon my soul it was!" observed the major, very much impressed. "Quite quixotic, 'pon my soul!" This- open admiration hit Daintree In his weakest spot. He leaned forward and quoted the irresistible figures in a eudden blaze of self satisfaction. "Lor'!" said the major. "You don't say so? Gadzooks!" "When I do a thing at all," remark ed Daintree, with perfect truth. "I do it with all my heart. Either that or I leave it alone. So I need hardly tell you I didn't stop short at Sergeant Culliford. No, sir, I went to Lord John Russell himself. It would be an affectation were I to conceal my im pression that his lordship's final de cision was not uninfluenced by what I said." Major Honeybone was too used to lies not to know the truth when he chanced to hear it. He filled up both glasses and sucked thoughtfully at his cigar. Daintree watched him with an eager eye. "So he owes his life to you?" said the major at last. "Well, sir, then It is ww. -v-. Va atttao -vrrtll ujr uuiy w t i- -- ; Daintree sighed. ' "I know what vou mean." said he. "I have heard much from the principal superintendent of convicts. I am only , afraid I have more to hear from you." "Not a great deal," said the major, shrugging his shoulders. "He has had four floggings here and one before he came here, but that's always the way. I have known convicts who have never had the lash, but very few who've nly had It once. It has a bad effect. But what can you do? I may tell you, sir, now that I think we understand ach other, you are not the only man interested in Erichsen. I take an inter est in him lnjself, but there's no doing anything with him, and there would be no doing anything with any of 'em if I didn't come down on him as he will insist on deserving. I am sorry for him. I am sorry for you as hia friend, but he's the most dangerous man in my gang, and it would be a piece of madness to s$t him free. It would amount to that, you know, but GIpps can"'t possibly push the matter any further after what I shall tell him. and no more must you, Mr. Daintree you mustn't, indeed. Come, sir, I can't say more. I am almost as sorry as you are. He's a good sportsman!" cried old Honeybone, who was one himself. "I only wish he was hunting with the hounds instead of running with these confounded foxes of convicts!" Daintree took all this meekly. The major wris not a little softened; that was something, but he might be made softer yet.- It seemed to Daintree that a sufficiently affecting Interview be tween himself and Erichsen, with Ma jor Honeybone looking on, might have that effect. He pictured the convict in tears upon his knees, he heard his grateful broken utterances. He fore saw moisture even Inthe major's orbs, By E.W. HORNUNG, Author of "Raffles, the Amateur Cracks ma.n." "Stingaree." Etc. . Copyright. 1896. by CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS. and he was prepared if necessary to go upon his own knees to crave the interview. It was not necessary. Honeybone shrugged his shoulders and left the room, with Daintree sitting very still in his chair. He was not so still when the door shut, however. He sprang up and looked in a glass. He sat down again, .wiping his forehead and his lips and shrinking from what he court ed like a swain. He had taken deep note of Erichsen afc his trial. That honest, fearless, guiltless gaze, he could see it still, yet he had sought it in vain half an hour since in the iron gang. A soldier entered with a lighted lamp. Daintree pushed back his chair a little and was kept waiting no long er. Chains jingled outside, and in an other moment the convict was ushered in by a sentry under arms, followed by the major, who shut the door. "Was this necessary?" whispered Daintree, glancing at the fixed bayo net, with a shudder. "Quite," replied the major aloud. "You don't know your man." He did not indeed. The fearlessness remained, and that was all. Daintree was speaking nervously, forcibly, with none of his habitual af fectations, with little of his customary flow. He was saying he had taken an interest in the case at home in Eng land and had all along believed in the prisoner's Innocence. The prisoner stopped him at that word. "There's only one man living who thinks so," said he. "I know now where I've seen you before. It was at my trial. You are the man." "Whatman?" "The one that saved my life. My worst friend !" The hoarse and surly voice stabbed Daintree to the heart. He saw Honey bone look at him and recalled 'the ma jor's very similar words. He started up and offered Erichsen his hand. "Take it away," growled Tom. "Say what you want with me, for God's sake!" No; it was not Daintree's ideal in terview. As little did it resemble the ..Take it away growled Tom. meeting with his benefactor which Tom had once pictured and even vain- ly solicited, but all so long ago in that other life-that upon him the contrast was lost. Ail ne sun rememuereu was that he had once imagined himself In debted to this person for the blessed gift of life. All he now perceived was bis mistake and what a malignant curse that blessed gift had proved. Not that he resented it any more. He no longer resented anything in the world. Even this person's kind, well meant, emotional remarks moved him to no stronger feeling than one of Blight impatience, nor was he listening when a look, an intonation, a pause, informed him that he had been asked a question. "Say it again," said Tom. "I want you for my assigned serv ant," repeated Daintree, disregarding both the decision and the presence of Major Honeybone, who sat there quite enjoying the prospect of further oppo sition. "I want to be your friend to take you away from this ghastly place to sponge the very memory of it out of your mind. The governor agrees to it. I have his written leave. Will you come with me, Erichsen? Will you come? Will you come?" "You're very good," said Tom. "I prefer to stop where I am." "What?" cried both gentlemen at once. The major looked personally ag grieved. "I prefer the Iron gang." "To my house my protection my friendship?" Horror and mortification were In the rich, strong tones and in the flushed and swarthy face. "I prefer the iron gang," repeated Tom, but his voice was weaker he no ticed it himself and with the next breath was crying savagely that he would not go, that lie would stop where he was, and who was Daintree to come interfering there? A lot he minded ,what the governor or what fifty gov ernors said. There he was, and there he meant to stick. No power on earth should shift him out of that, "Oh!" said the major. "No power, eh?" "Short of a file of red coats, which you can't spare." "Sentry, remove that man!" The rest of the gang were at supper. Tom clanked in and sat down with a rattle. He nodded to one or two des perate kindred spirits, half proudly, as much as to say: "All right, my lads. I'm not the" man to desert his pals. I'm true game to those that are true game to me. I'm that if 'I'm nothing else." Those indeed were the words in his heart, but nobody answered his nod; only some Irons jingled where Creasey had reached out under the ta ble and given Macbeth a kick. As they were all shuffling out of the mess shed Butter took a pill of paper from his mouth and pressed it into Tom's hand. Tom unrolled it on his ledge and furtively read it while tfc sentry still stood with his lantern on the threshold. These eleven words: All up since fleater went. Mac 'andl Cresy mean to squeek. Hardly had he deciphered them when a wardsman thrust in his head and summoned Erichsen to the major's quarters. "They've been quick about it," thought Tom as another wardsman joined them on the way. The major looked very stern and strong. Daintree was drawing on his gloves. Tom thought he recognized the little heap of clothes upon the floor. The trousers were blood stained still. "Now, sir!" cried the major, with a glittering eye. "I think you said that no power on earth would shift you out of this? Off with those irons, men, and he shall see!" Through the black window glowed the curricle lamps. CHAPTER XXIV. fTTOM crawled into the vehicle as ! though those heavy chains still dangled about his legs. Noth- ing was so strange as the sud den cessation of the horrid jingle which had marked and mocked eyery move ment of his body for four whole months. He felt quite lost without it, and he clambered into the curricle without a word. Daintree cracked his whip, and that was the sole sound from either of them In the first half hour of keen and starlit freedom. "Feel cold, Erichsen?" "No." "Because you can have my coat if you do. My things are thicker. Only say the word." He said nothing. Such gratitude as he felt in his degraded heart was not yet so poignant as to need expression. It was a very vague, dull sense at pres ent. But Daintree understood. He had simply to sit next that silent, aged, cal lous figure to understand all. They drove on to Maitland, where they supped handsomely and lay all night. In the morning Tom was well and warmly clothed at the best store in the township. And that day the dif ference was that he kept turning to look over his shoulder and this at shorter intervals as the day wore on. "Is anything following us?" said Daintree once. "Not yet," said Tom. "Not yet! Why, what do you ex pect?" "What I deserve," said Tom. And Daintree had the wisdom not to press him upon this or any other point. He knew what was alleged against Erich sen at Castle Sullivan. He had heard the story from the principal superin tendent. He began to think there might be some truth in it. after all. Next morning he was sure. They had put up at an unusually comforta ble roadside inn, where Tom had a very excellent room, yet he came down with wild, unrested eyes and twitching fin gers. "It's no use!" he bitterly exclaimed. "Haven't you slept?" "Not a wink. I heard them coming all night long heard them coming with the chains. Oh, take me back! They have made me the guilty man they said I was when I wasn't. I deserve everything now." And a second day of terror he spent in the curricle, looking backward hour after hour, but when that also passed over and still nothing happened he be gan to think that either Butter was mistaken or the major incredulous or his enemies of another mind now that he was gone. At all events he took heart of srrace and at last thanked Daintree for what he was doing, with out asking, however, why he was do ing it. On the third forenoon the spires and windmills of Sydney fringed the sky. Then they mounted a hill, and thert was the harbor sparkling above th roofs of the convict city. . "We had better drop the 'Erichsen now," said Daintree as they drove up to the turnpike gate. "I suggest thai Thomas' will suffice both Christian name and surname. I think it would be preferable for the present. What ay you?" Tom consented with per feet readiness and indifference, and h looked behind him for the last time as much as to say what was the only thing on earth about which he was not as in different as the dead. They drove down Brickfield hill ovei the spot where Nat Sullivan had tum bled off his horse and past the notorl ous inn where he had lain. It flourish ed still. And still the' doleful felon music filled the air, striking more stac cato in this crisp weather than sis months since in the heavy heat, but il struck to Tom's heart no more. On the quay there was a crowd and a fresh shipload of convicts disembark lng, hut Tom felt no jity for them either. And uusv, wlien his indigna tion was aroused, it was by the loung ing laziness of a road gang, whose overseers were smoking and chatting with the convicts, while the latter moved neither hand nor foot, and the sentries yawned at their posts. "They want the major there," said Tom grimly. "He'd have that peck of stones about their ears if they stood looking at it much longer!" ' . Daintree turned and regarded him with a particularly pleased and kindly smile; then Tom knew that he had just volunteered his first remark since leav ing the stockade, and he thought he knew with what sympathetic patience his first voluntary remark had been waited for, though he only now sus pected this from Daintree's smile. Hi heart swelled a little. They put up at an inn, and he made himself more useful to his new master than he had been yet. f The bungalow was some few miles out upon the delightful woody shore of Rose bay. They drove on there in the afternoon, and the greenwood dipping beyond the post and rails of the Old Point Piper road, the lush meadows dipping beyond that and the azure arm of the harbor seen through the one and above the other were all a very wonderful change after that ter rible plateau of the past four months. Nor had they any feature in common with the detested region of Castle Sul livan. Tom had seen nothing like this up country. To crown all, the bunga low lay bathed in the richest sunset when they reached it and Rose bay deserved that name indeed, for Its sun lit waters appeared to be dimpled with wet rose leaves from strand to strand. It was as though nature herself were trying to soften that frozen heart and to welcome Tom Erichsen to this haven of peace. An old man came out to see to the horses. A somewhat younger woman stood in the mellow light upon a wide veranda. Daintree greeted them with an air almost the first he had permit ted himself in Tom's company. With another, however, he took Tom's hand and expressed characteristically the ,hope that the threshold of his house would prove to be also that of a new life for Tom. "You have left the past behind you. Thomas," said he, "and all your ene mies with it. Rest assured of that. If they follow you here,, they'll have me to deal with. I can promise them they have laid their last finger on you. No; there's a brighter future ahead of you, I trust, and always recollect I am your friend." , "I suppose you are," said poor Tom in reply. He could believe and feel but little even yet. "You suppose I am?" cried Daintree, looking rather queerly at Tom. "You shall dine at my table!" he then ex claimed. "You shall have all your meals with me! Mrs. Fawcett, lay a place for Thomas and show him his room.", It was a little room certainly) but an incredibly pleasant one. The window almost overhung the bay, and the bed was a white feast for bloodshot eyes. "Dinner's ready. Don't you spoil it. young man, by keeping master wait ing," said Mrs. Fawcett, and then over her shoulder as she went, "My word, but you're a lucky one!" Perhaps he required telling so. It was all so difficult to believe, so impos sible to understand. But bewilderment had not yet given place to curiosity. He was. however, beginning to real ize that he had fallen from the crudest into the kindest hands on earth when, returning to the veranda, he encoun tered the kind - man, with a gleaming eye and a set face quite inconsistent with that Impression. A fox terrier, indifferently bred, with one ear up and one down, but the most eager eyes, had wildly welcomed Daintree while Daintree was welcoming Tom. This little dog he was now dragging sav agely along by its collar. "Won't come into my study!" ex plained Daintree in a voice of amazing fury. "Once I thrashed him in there, so now he thinks he won't come in. But he shall he shall he shall!" Dr. Sullivan himself in dealing with a re calcitrant convict could have employed no more ferocious tone. The dog was dragged within a yard of the door it would not enter, then re leased, and It did not run away. Dain tree now went within and called and whistled to the dog, but there it stood, bristling all over, and yet wagging its tail with immense energy, as If to pro claim its anxiety to please in any other way, but enter that room it could not. Nor was it until Daintree rushed out In his rage that the little dog turned tail and ran away. And again hc caught it, and again and again the Eame thing happened, the man vowing the dog should give in, the dog still wagging his tail arid still disobeying, the dinner growing cold on the table and Tom viewing the whole petty, pitiable exhibition with the most irri tating pain and cjisenchantment. made his heart sick to see this man of all men in such a passion about so small a thing. In a little he was all but foaming at the mouth, and at last, when he caught up a heavy Ivory paper knife and belabored the dog with that, the spectacle hurt Tom more than any flogging he had witnessed in the iron gang. It was not only that his feeling for men was numbed, while his feeling for animals remained quick here 'was the one man living whom he wished to honor and to admire, and the honor and the admiration were sickening at their birth. The beating did no good whatever. Then Daintree turned on his heel with such a face that Tom took the dog in his arms. He heard a drawer unlocked in the room. When his master reap peared the paper knife was no longer in his hand. A pistol was there instead. "Where's the dog?" he cried. "Here," said Tom, showing him. Put it down. I'm .going; to shoot him. i ii no stuuijorn beasts here!" ' "Have you had this one long, sir?" "From a puppy," said Daintree, cock ing his pistol. "Come, put him down or we'll never get any dinner tonight." "No," said Tom firmly. "You'll be sorry for it afterward. You will be vexed with me for standing by and letting you do such a thing in your heat." The other gasped, but never said a word. "If the dog is no good to you, give him to me," continued Tom. "Don't "If the dog is no good to you, give Mm to me." shoot him, sir. Not that I believe you meant it." And to show his belief he dropped the terrier, whereupon Dain tree hesitated, but presently retreated to his room without a word. The dog was spared. They sat down at last to cool dishes that should have been hot, and their mutual ardor had suffered with the viands. Daintree was very solemn and very stiff, his hapless companion quite certain that he had given mortal and everlasting of fense. But the Incident was never re ferred to again, and Tom soon , forgot the solitary occasion upon which his champion displayed himself in so sin ister a light. Not that the other lights were all rose colored. The man had foibles in numerable and in their way as ex traordinary as his inexplicable kind ness to Tom. This continued and in creased, and yet there was a some thing ostentatious, vainglorious, ego tistical, even in his kindest acts. Tom hated himself for seeing it, but there it was. It became tne more noticeaDie as Tom himself grew more regenerate and so made fewer demands upon the other's consideration. And then the gloomy vanity of the man! His lit erary pretensions! His solemn belief in himself and all he didl "Heaven knows he has done enough for me!" sighed Tom, quite ashamed. "I must try to see nothing else, but what I can't help seeing shall never, never, never make any difference to my regard for him." Tom wanted to get to work at once, in the house, in the garden, anywhere and at anything, but the other would not hear of it for days. He was to rest and forget and to enjoy his life. They made excursions together in the curricle or in Daintree's boat. Tom would have been almost happy if he only could have given his kind compan ion the heart whole admiration which the latter took for granted. And his Inability in that respect was so real a grief to him he could have wept at it and at the other's kindness put togeth er, but there was still not a tear in his heart. He often wondered was there any heart left In his body. What he deemed his ingratitude seemed some times to prove that there was not. There were qualities be could honest ly admire !n Daintree. but they were not those qualities upon whose posses sion Daintree most prided himself. He was a man of Iron nerve and will. That was undoubted. One day in a squall near the Heads he handled the boat with magnificent coolness and skill when Tom thought they must both have gone to the sharks. When they landed safe and sound, he inflict ed so many of his poems upon Tom, whom the salt breezes had overcome with drowsiness, that the pantry and the knives to clean seemed preferable to such nightly ordeals. Tom asked to be put into livery and to work at once. He insisted upon it and gained his point through the accidental touch of "livery." They drove into Sydney next day with specimens of the family crest, which Tom was to bear on every but ton. Daintree being a magistrate, a cockade was duly Included in the or der, and for a time the master was in high feather at the prospective dis play. But it recalled family troubles are long, and all the way home he talked dismally of himself as an "exile like Byron my literary second self' Somebody had once called him "own brother to Byron." He never tired of quoting the phrase. He was destitute of humor and made Tom blush for him where he would have shaken with laughter at another. His contrariety was unique. Not only was he a good magistrate spoilt through neglecting the bench for his desk, but an old athlete who bragged about the poetry he could not write instead of about the races he had real ly won. On the top of his bookshelf stood the row of tarnished silver cups, and his proud eye climbed no higher (Continued on page 6) G. A. COGGESHALL, M. D. Office in the new Dr. White Building, directly over the Post Office. Office Hours: 1 1 a. m. to 1 p m., 4 p. m. to 5 p. m. Phone No. may 3 '07 College of Agriculture And Mechanic Arts. Practical education in Ag riculture; in Givil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering; in Gotton Manufacturing, Dye ing and Industrial Ghemistry. Tuition $45 a year;Board $10 a month. 1 20 scholarships Address nnrcinmiT iiriATCTnnT West Raleigh, N. G. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE - RST- MEDICINE DENTISTRY PHARMACY. First-Class STANDARD, J METHODS, N EQUIPMENT ( CLINICS. Vnr lOS-nntrn Pf nine-Tip. afIreN The Prof for. Administrator's Notice. 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