for The Term ofjlis Natural Life
By MARCUS CLARKE
3
CHAPTER XIII. (Continued.)
Sylvia flashed burning red at thin in
dignity. "Frightened! If there had been
anybody else here but women, you never
would have taken the brig. Frightened!
Let me pass, prisoner!"
Aa Mrs. Vickera descended the hatch
way, the boat with Frere and the aol
diers came within musket-range, and
Lesly, according fo orders, ' fired his
musket over their heads, shouting to
them to lay to. But Frere, boiling with
rage at the manner In which the tables
had been turned on him, had determined
not to resign his lost authority without
a struggle. Disregarding the summons,
he came straight on, with his eyes fixed
An the vessel. It was now nearly dark,
and the figures on the deck were Indis
tinguishable. The Indignant lieutenant
could but guess at the condition of af
fairs. Suddenly, from out of the dark
ness, a voice hailed him.
"Hold water! back water!" It cried,
and was then seemingly choked In Its
owner's throat.
The voice was the property of Mr.
Bates. Standing near the side, he had
observed Rex and Fair bring up a great
pig of Iron, erst used as part of the
ballast of the brig, and poise It on the
rail. Their Intention was but too evi
dent: nnd honest Bates, like a faithful
watchdog, barked to warn his master.
Bloodthirsty Cheshire caught him by the
throat, and Frere, unheeding, ran the
boat alongside, under the very nose of
the revengeful Rex. The mass of iron
fell half in-board upon the now stayed
boat, and gave her stcrnway, with a
splintered plank.
"Villains!" cried Frere, "would you
swamp us? What do they mean to do
next?" .
The answer came pat to the question.
From the dark hull of the brig broke a
flash and a report, and a musket ball cut
the water beside them with a chirping
noise. Between the black Indistinct mass
which represented the brig and the glim
mering water was visible a white speck,
which gradunlly neared them.
"Conio alongside with ye," hailed a
voice, "or it will be worse for ye!"
"They want to murder us," says Frere.
"Give way, men!"
But the two soldiers, exchanging
glances one with the other, pulled the
boat's head round and made for the ves
sel. "It's no use, Mr. Frere," said the
man nearest him. "We can do no good
now, and they won't hurt us, I dare
ay."
"You are In league with them!" bursts
out Frere, purple with Indignation. "Do
you mutiny?"
"Come, come, sir," returned the sol
dier, sulkily; "this ain't the time to bully;
and as for mutiny, why, one man's
about as good as another just now."
When they reached the brig they
found that the jolly boat had been low
ered and laid alongside. In her were
eleven persons Bates, with forehead
gashed and hands bound; the stunned
Grimes, Russen and Fair pulling; Lyon,
Riley, Cheshire and Lesly with muskets,
and John Rex In the stern sheets, with
Bates' pistols In his trousers' belt and
a loaded musket across his knees. The
white object which had been seen by
the men in the whaleboat was a large
white shawl which wrapped Mrs. Vick
ers and Sylvia.
By the direction of Rex, the whale
boat was brought alongside the jolly
boat, and Cheshire nnd Leslj boarded
uer. Lesly then gave his musket to
Rex, and bound Frere's hands behind
him in the same manner as had. been
done for Bates. Frere attempted to re
sist this indignity; but Cheshire, clap-
plug his musket to his ear, swore he
would blow out his brains It he uttered
another syllable; and Frere, catching
the malignant eye of John Rex, reinem
bercd how easily a twitch of the finger
would, pay off old scores, and was silent.
"Step in here, sir, if you please," said
Rex, with polite Irony. "I am sorry to
be compelled to tie you, but I must
consult my own safety as well as your
convenience. Frere scowled, and, Btep
ping awkwardly Into the jolly boat, fell.
Pinioned as he was, he could not rise
without assistance, and Russen pulled
lilm roughly to his feet, with a coarse
laugh. In his present frame of mind,
that laugh galled him worse than his
bonds.
Poor Mrs. Vlckers, with a womnn's
quick Instinct, saw this, and even amid
her own trouble found leisure to console.
"The wretches!" she said, under her
breath, as Frere waa flung down beside
her, "to subject you to such Indignity!"
Sylvia said nothing and seemed to shrink
from the lieutenant r
"Now, my lads," says Rex, who seem'
ed to have endued the cast-off author
ity of Frere. "we give you your choice.
Stay at Hell's Gates or come with us!
I can't watt here all night. The wind
la freshening, and we must make the
bar. Which Is It to be?"
"We'll go with you!" says the man
who had pulled stroke In the whaleboat.
Upon which utterance the convicts burst
Into joyous cries, and the pair were re'
celvwl with much hand shaking.
Then Rex, with Lyon and Riley as a
guard, got into the whaleboat, and hav
ing loosed the two prisoners froin their
bonds, ordered them to take the places
of Russen and Fair. The whaleboat
was maimed by the seven mutineers.
Rex steering, Fair, Russen and the two
recruits pulling, the other four standing
up, with their muskets leveled at the
jolly boat. Their long slavery had be
gotten auch a dread of authority In these
men that they feared it even when It
waa bound and menaced by four mus
kets. "Kmd your distance I" shouted
Cheshire, aa Frere and Bates, In obe
dience to orders, began to pull the Jolly
boat toward the ahore; and In this fash
ion was the dismal little party conveyed
to the mainland.
It waa night when they reached It.
but the clear sky began to thrill with
a late moon as yet unarisen, and the
waves, breaking gently upon the beach,
glimmered with a radiance born of their
own motion. Frere and Bates Jumping
ashore, helped out Mrs. Vlckers, Syl
via and the wounded Grimes. Thia be
ing done under the muzzles of the mus
kets, Rex commanded that Batea and
Krere should push the Jolly boat as far
aa they could from the ahore, and Riley
catching her by a boat hook as she came
toward them, she was taken In tow.
Now, boys," says Cheshire, with a
savage delight, "three cheera for old
England and liberty!"
Upon which a great ahout went no.
echoed by the grim hills which had wit
nessed so many miseries.
CHAPTER XIV.
There is no need to dwell upon the
mental agonies of that miserable night.
Frere had a tinder box in his pocket,
and made a fire with some dry leaves
and sticks. Grimes fell asleep, and the
two men sitting at their fire, discussed
the chances of escape.
A discussion had arisen among the
mutineers as to the propriety of at once
making sail; but Barker, who had" been
one of the pilot boat crew, and knew the
dangers of the bar, vowed that he would
not undertake to steer the brig through
the Gates until morning; and so the
boats being secured astern, a strict
watch was set, lest the helpless Bates
should attempt to rescue the vessel.
During the evening a feeling of pity for
the unfortunate party on the mainland
took possession of them. It was quite
possible that the Osprey might be. .re
captured, in which case five useless mur
ders would have been committed. John
Rex, seeing how matters were going,
made haste to take to himself the credit
of mercy. He ruled, and had always
ruled, his ruffians.
'I propose," said he, "that we divide
the provisions. There are five of them
and ten of ua. Then nobody can blame
ua."
This reasoning was admitted and act
ed upon. There were In the harness cask
about fifty pounds of salt meat, and' a
third of this quantity, together with
hall a email sack of flour, some tea and
sugar mixed together In a bag, and an
Iron kettle and pannikin, were placed
in the whaleboat. Cheshire, stumbling
over a goat that had been taken on
board from Philip Island, caught the
creature by the leg and threw it Into the
sea, bidding Rex take that with him
also. Rex dragged the poor beast Into
the boat, and with this miscellaneous
cargo pushed oil to the shore. The poor
goat, shivering, began to bleat plteously,
and the men laughed. To a stranger It
would have appeared that the boat con
tained a happy party of fishermen, ' ot
coast settlers, returning with the pro
ceeds of a day's marketing.
Laying off as the water shallowed,
Rex called to Bates to come for the
cargo, and three men with muskets
standing up as before, ready to resist
any attempt at capture, the provis
ions, goat and nil, were carried ashore.
"There!" says Rex, "you can't say we've
used you badly, for we've divided the
provisions." The sight of this almost
unexpected succor revived the courage
of the five, and they felt grateful. Af
ter the horrible anxiety they had endur
ed all that night, they were prepared to
look with kludly eyes upon the men who
bad come to their assistance.
"Men," aaid Bates, with something
like a sob In his voice, "I didn't expect
this. You are good fellows, for there
alii t much tucker aboard, I know."
"Yea," affirmed Frere, "you're good
fellows."
Rex burst Into a savage laugh. "Shut
your mouth, you tyrant," said he, forget
ting his dandyism In the recollection of
his former suffering. "It ain't for your
benefit. You may thank the lady and
child for it."
Julia Vickers hastened to propitiate
the arbiter of her daughter's fate. "We
are obliged to you,' she said, with a
touch of quiet dignity resembling her
husband's; "and If I ever get back safe
ly I will take enre that your kindness
shall be known."
So, with cheers and waving of hand
kerchiefs, the boat departed.
A council of war was held, with Mr,
Frere at the head of It, and the posses
sions of the little party were thrown
Into eommon stock.
It was found, upon a review of their
possessions that they had among them
three pocket-knives, a ball of string,
three pipes and a fig of tobacco, a por
tion of fishing line, with hooks, and
big Jackknlfe. But they saw with dis'
may that there was nothing which could
be used axwlse among the party. Mrs.
Vlckers had hefc shawl, and Bates
pea jacket, but Frere and Grimes were
without extra clothing.
Having made these arrangements, the
kettle, filled with water from the spring,
waa alung from three green sticks over
the fire, and a pannikin of weak tea
together with a biscuit, served out to
each of the party, save Grimes, who
declared himself unable to eat Break
fast over, Bates made a damper, which
was cooked In the ashes, and then an
other council waa held as to future habi
tation.
It was clearly evident that they could
not sleep In the open air. It was the
middle of summer, and though no annoy-
oce from rain was apprehended, the i
heat la the middle of the day was moat !
oppressive. At a little distance from the
beach waa a sandy riae, that led up to
the face of the cliff, and on the eastern
aide of this rise grew a forest of young
trees. Frere proposed to cut down these
trees and make a aort of hut with them.
It
was aoon discovered, however, that
the pocket knives were insufficient for
this purpose, but by dint of notching the
young saplings, and then breaking them
down, they succeeded, In a couple of
nours, in collecting wood enough to
roof over a space between the hollow
reck which contained the provisions and
another rock, in shape like a hammer,
l hl,.ZJ"t
this hut as a sleeping place, and Frere ' th? ""P yok' restlng on the neck
and Batea, lying at the mouth of the and Moulders ot a man. During a "big
larder, would at once act aa a guard to It run" " waB kePl filled and boiling all
and them. Grimes was- to make for him- day and night In spite of smarting
self another hut where the fire had bees, eyes from the wood smoke and scorch
lighted on the previous night lag heat, the Are must be tended every
u.KeB.l1!ey 0t, bt?Ck 1 d'Tr' JQ8pIr" few mlnute the scum, pieces of
Itd by thia resolution, they found poor u . i .. .... .
Mrs. Vlckers In great alarm. Grimes, b"k' leaTe8' clnders 8Dd twl
who, by reason of the dent in his skull,
VkmA K..n kAkin - li.i i .
uwu icii ucuuu, nan wmjLlug HUUUI .
the sea beach, talking mysteriously, and
ahaking his fist at an Imaginary foe. On '
going up to him they discovered that the
mow naa anectea nis Drain, lor ne was ;
delirious. Frere endeavored to soothe
him, without effect, and at last, by
Bates advice, the poor fellow was rolled
In the sea. The cold bath quelled his
violence, and being laid ' beneath the
ahade of a rock hard by, he fell into a
condition of great muscular exhaustion,
and slept :
Grimes soon gave cause Ur the greatest
uneasiness. From maundering foolishly.
lid had tukcu tu ul.au! u to violence, and
had to be watched by Frere. After
much muttering and groaning, the poor
fellow at last dropped off to sleep, and
Frere, having assisted Bates to his sleep
ing place in front of the rock, and laid
him down on a heap of green brushwood,
prepared to snatch a few hours' slumber.
Wearied by excitement and the labors
of the day, he slept heavily, but toward
morning was awakened by a strange
noise.
Grimes, whose delirium had apparent
ly Increased, had succeeded in forcing
his way through the rude fence of brush
wood, and had thrown himBelf upon
Bates with the ferocity of insanity.
Growling to himself, he had seized the
unfortunate pilot by the throat, and the
pair were struggling together. Bates,
weakened by the sickness that had fol
lowed upon his wound In the head, was
quite unable to cope with his desperate
assailant, but, calling feebly upon Frere
for help, he made shift to lay hold upon
the jackknlfe of which we have before
spoken. Frere, Btartlng to his feet,
rushed to the assistance of the pilot, but
was too late. Grimes, enraged by the
sight of the knife, tore it from Bates'
grasp, and, before Frere could catch his
arm, plunged it twice Into the unfortu
nate man s breast
"I'm a dead man!" cried Bates, faint
ly.
The sight of the blood, together with
the exclamation of his victim, recalled
Grimes to consciousness. He looked In
bewilderment at the bloody weapon, and
then flinging it from him, rushed away
toward the sea, into which he plunged
headlong.
Frere hurried to the side of Bates,
and, lifting him up, strove to stanch the
blood that flowed from his chest It
would seem that he had been resting
himself on his left elbow, and that
Grimes, snatching the knife from his
right hand, had stabbed him twice In the
right breast. He was pale and senseless,
and Frere feared that the wound was
mortal. Tearing off his neck handker -
chief, he endeavored to bandage the
wound, but found that the strip of silk
was insufficient for the purpose. The
noise had roused Mrs. Vickers who,
stifling her terror, made haste to tear
off a portion of her dress, and with this
a bandage of sufficient width was made.
Sylvia brought some water from the
spring, and Mrs. Vickers bathing Bates'
head with this, he revived a little.
"Don't die, Mr. Bates oh, don't die!"
said Sylvia, standing, piteously, near,
Don't leave
but afraid to touch him.
mamma and me alone In this dreadful
place!" '
Poor Bates, of course, ald nothing,
but Frere frowned heavily, and Mrs.
Vickers said reprovingly, "Sylvia!" Just
as if they had been in the old house on
distant Sarah Island.
In tne afternoon Frere went away to
drag together some wood for the fire, and
when he returned he found the pilot
near his end. As the sun sank Bates
rallied, but the two watchers knew that
it was but the final flicker of the expir
ing candle. "He's going!" eaid Frere,
at length, under his breath, as though
fearful of awaking his half-slumbering
soul. Mrs. Vlckers, her eyes streaming
with silent tears, lifted the honest head
and moistened the parched lips with her
soaked handkerchief. - A tremor shook
the once stalwart limbs, and the dying
man opened his eyes. For an Instant
he seemed bewildered, and then, looking
from one to the other, intelligence re
turned to his glance, and It was evident
that he remembered all. His gaze rested
upon the pale face of the affrighted Syl
via, and then turned to Frere. There
could be no mistaking the mute appeal
of those eloquent eyes.
"Yes, I'll take care of her," said Frere.
Bates smiled, and then observing that
the blood from his wound had stained
the white shawl of Mrs. Vlckers, he
made an effort. to move his head. It
was not fitting that a lady's shawl
should be stained with the blood of a
poor fellow like himself. The fashion
able fribble, with quick Instinct, under
stood the gesture, and gently drew tht
head back upon her bosom. In the pret
ence of death the woman was womanly.
For a moment all was silent, and they
thought he had gone; but all at once he
opened his eyes, and looked round to
th self (To be contluaadj
I
THE OLD-TIME SUGAR CAMP.
la the Good Old Dri When Every
thing; Waa Doao by Hand.
Most everybody knows about the
modern method of maple sugar aid king,
writes E. A. Bushnell In the Cincinnati
Post The storv I wonld tii! dnnia
witn the good old days -when every-
th,n iam Ann . . .
Mg W" dn V band. The H-ason
b,Rini nbout Marcn 1 and lasU from
lour m Blx weeKS.
When I tended camp, In the old days,
a big black kettle was swung to the
"hanging pole" out in the open. The
sap was brought from the trees to the
kttl. in palls hung one on each end
""-- ui uie uou-
lnff Ri in.
- "
I can ee the blue smoke curling from
the tops of the brown leafless trees In
the old camp, and smell the sweet odor
of toe Bteam from boig mp through
, j . ... ' ,. ?
iua uyeu uuur vi we sugar nouse. ine
air Is frosty and Invigorating. Down
In the hollows on the north side of the
hill, little patches of cold white snow
are hiding beneath matted dead leaves,
behind tree trunks and old moss-covered
logs.
I ice clings to the banks of the slug
gish brook, and I hear the trill of wood
IN THE OLD SUQAB CAMP,
birds, and the monotonous throbbing of
a partridge's wings ud where the hem-
locks stand thick and gloomy. On the
southern slopes the first warm breath
of spring has melted the snow. It
stands In clear crystal pools where the
grass Is green, and reflects back the
sky and tall trees as you look down
In It
The sweet, cold, sparkling sap from
the maple trees on the hillside tinkles
drop by drop Into the buckets, and red
breasted robins call to their mates
among the branches.
A frightened woodchuck scurries Into
bis hole at the sound of merry song and
laughter, and barking of dogs from the
camp In the valley. A flock of-hungry
"cawing" crows "flap" lazily over a
frozen and honeycombed wheat field on
their way to the rookery In the old
mysterious tamarack swamp,
1 The air grows chilly as the sun goes
down and dark shadows creep through
the woods. The little barnlike-looking
BUgar houge wh(:h to the superstitious
WM rendezvou9 for gUost8 turough.
. ., , "","
out he " bleak wlnter' now "
Bunia with cheery voices, and is aglow
, witn ugnt ana welcome.
There Is a "big run" on and the ten
ders are "boiling down" all night And
supper Is ready, and such a supper!
Smoked ham' es cooked" In boiling
uy, yuiuiues ruuaieu iu asues, ana COI
fee sweetened with pure maple syrup.
Puhnnnu Honor on Suicides.
When the Japanese protectorate over
Korea was declared recently many
Koreans grumbled and some even went
the length of committing suicide In
order to mark their displeasure. Ac
cording to the Korea Dnlly News, the
emperor has conferred, posthumous
honors upon several of these suicides.
One of the misguided men, who poi
soned himself with opium, was a minor
official of the educational department,
but the emperor raised him to the rank
of vice minister of education, and an
official of that department was dis
patched by the emperor to Inscribe the
title upon his coffin. Another man, a
private In the army, who committed
suicide at the same time and for the
same reasons, has also had posthumous
promotion conferred upon him.
Dntr First.
Her Ladyship (who is giving a ser
vants' ball, to butler) We shall begin
with a square dance, and I shall' want
you, Wllkins, to be my partner.
Wllklns Certainly, m'lady; and af
terwards I presoom we may dnnce
with 'oom we like? Punch.
Peanut Plok-Me-Up.
When you come In tired from a
shopping trip, try a glass of milk, hot
or cold, thickened with chopped pea
nuts. ' Of course any worklnginan would
rather work than be worked.
The Next Step.
"I don't want any government at
ill," said the anarchist
"Suppose you succeeded In abolish
ing the government?" '
"Then I could step In and start one
of my own." Washington Star.
Hotter will And Window's Soothing
Syrup the beat remedy louae lor their children
during the teething period.
Ill a Cnrloaltr Excited.
The subject under diicussino at the cor
ner grocery was the Panama canal.
"I've heard a good deal," remarked Mr.
Wlpedunks, "about this Culebra cut.
Why in thunder don't some of the news
papors print It?"
Too Cnrloua.
One well-known New York womaa
has discovered, like some ethers of her
ex, that It does not pay to be too curi
ous. One of the old family retainers
Is a Scotchman, named William, who
does not believe In glossing over the
truth for the sake of sparing his lis
tener's feelings. The woman la ques
tion, although possessed of consider
able charm of manner. Is not a beauty
and knows It Her husband, recently
deceased, was a remarkably handsome
man, and bis wife was one of his sln
cerest admirers. One day when she
was looking at her husband's picture
on the mantel In the sitting room, Wil
liam was fussing around the grate, and
in a moment of Impulse she asked:
"William, what do you think made such
a handsome man as Colonel 8. marry
such a plain woman as me?" William
looked from the portrait to the speak
er, meditated a secoud, and answered:
"Must have been heaven's will, ma'am."
Reconciled Science and Rellarton.
A clergyman Is quoted In Every
body's Magazine as confounding an ad
vanced young woman who was demon
strating to him that science had dis
proved religion with this little parable.
"Madam," be said, "I once knew a
member of your sex who perfectly
reconciled science and religion. She
Is a prominent member of the Young
Women's Christian Association and she
was making an address to a large
gnthering of women, which was Inter
rupted by a terrific thunder shower.
She shared with many the awful fear
of thunder and lightning, and, with
the others, she trembled In silence for
a few moments. When a blinding flash
was swiftly followed by a frightful
clap of thunder she struggled to her
feet, and began to pray, 'Ob, Lord, take
ns under thy protecting wings, for thou
knowest that feathers are non-conductors.'
"
Pat's Effort to Kee Lent.
In an ordinary restaurant a waiter
was surprised at being asked with Ire
land's inimitable smile for "dlvlled
whale." "Is It filleted shark thatyebare,
thin?" pursued the .Irishman on being
refused this delicacy. Again receiving
a reply In the negative he tried once
more. 'Thin ye can bring me soma
roasted porpoise," he said. The waiter
showed signs of becoming restive, and
Paddy sank back In his seat and heaved
a sigh of contentment "I'll take some
roast beef and vegetables," he said,
cheerfully, "and sure ye'll not be for
saying that I didn't ask ye for fish."
London Chronicle.
The Simple Truth.
"This." said the manufacturer proud
ly, "Is our latest novelty."
"Very fair," remarked the visitor,
"but you can't bold a candle to our
goods."
"Indeed? Are you In this line of
business?"
"No, I make gunpowder." Philadel
phia Press.
Tlmelr.
"I see Bilking Is right up-to-date."
"In what waj ?"
"He's wearing a Longworth necktie
and smoking an Ance Roosevelt cigar."
Milwaukee SertlneL
SEVEN YEARS OF SUFFERING.
Ended at Last Through Using Doan's
Kidney Pills.
Mrs. Belina Jones of 200 Main St.,
Ansonia. Conn., says: "If it had not
been for Doan's Kid
ney Pills I would not
be alive today. Sev
en years ago I waa so
bad with pain in the
back, and so weak
that I had to keep to
my room, and was in
bed sometimes sTx
weeks at a spoil.
Bavin ii no n i th
uou a Kianey mis, the kidney weak-
dwu uurreuiea, ana insiue a
week all the pain waa gone. I was al
so relieved of all headaches, dizzy
spells, soreness and feelings of languor.
I strongly recommend Doan's Kidney
Pills.
Sold by all dealers. 60 cents a box.
Foster-Millbnrn Co., Buffalo, N. Y.
Leadvllle, C'olnriulu. Specimen prloeai Gold.
Silver, L-ad, 1 ; (lold, silver, 76c; Oofd, soc Zlnoor
( Miper,l Cyanide tout. Mailing envelope and
fi ll price Hat sent on application. Control and Urn
fionJl a! Kofer.no. i Carbonaui Na-
P. N. U.
No. 18-06
IWH?-TTriUr f. " Plea..
" aaonMoathls pap.r.