for the term of his natural life-第71章

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nd　a　hidden　message　to　his　friends　beneath　the　eyes　of　his　gaolers。　What　if　the　whole　island　was　but　one　smouldering　volcano　of　revolt　and　murderthe　whole　convict　population　but　one　incarnated　conspiracy；　bound　together　by　crime　and　suffering！　　Terrible　to　think　of　yet　not　impossible。

Oh；　how　strangely　must　the　world　have　been　civilized；　that　this　most　lovely　corner　of　it　must　needs　be　set　apart　as　a　place　of　banishment　for　the　monsters　that　civilization　had　brought　forth　and　bred！　She　cast　her　eyes　around；　and　all　beauty　seemed　blotted　out　from　the　scene　before　her。　　The　graceful　foliage　melting　into　indistinctness　in　the　gathering　twilight；　appeared　to　her　horrible　and　treacherous。　The　river　seemed　to　flow　sluggishly；　as　though　thickened　with　blood　and　tears。　The　shadow　of　the　trees　seemed　to　hold　lurking　shapes　of　cruelty　and　danger。　Even　the　whispering　breeze　bore　with　it　sighs；　and　threats；　and　mutterings　of　revenge。　　Oppressed　by　a　terror　of　loneliness；　she　hastily　caught　up　the　manuscript；　and　turned　to　seek　the　house；　when；　as　if　summoned　from　the　earth　by　the　power　of　her　own　fears；　a　ragged　figure　barred　her　passage。

To　the　excited　girl　this　apparition　seemed　the　embodiment　of　the　unknown　evil　she　had　dreaded。　　She　recognized　the　yellow　clothing；　and　marked　the　eager　hands　outstretched　to　seize　her。　　Instantly　upon　her　flashed　the　story　that　three　days　since　had　set　the　prison…town　agog。　The　desperado　of　Port　Arthur；　the　escaped　mutineer　and　murderer；　was　before　her；　with　unchained　arms；　free　to　wreak　his　will　of　her。

〃Sylvia！　　It　is　you！　　Oh；　at　last！　　I　have　escaped；　and　come　to　askWhat？　Do　you　not　know　me？〃

Pressing　both　hands　to　her　bosom；　she　stepped　back　a　pace；　speechless　with　terror。

〃I　am　Rufus　Dawes；〃　he　said；　looking　in　her　face　for　the　grateful　smile　of　recognition　that　did　not　come〃Rufus　Dawes。〃

The　party　at　the　house　had　finished　their　wine；　and；　sitting　on　the　broad　verandah；　were　listening　to　some　gentle　dullness　of　the　clergyman；　when　there　broke　upon　their　ears　a　cry。

〃What's　that？〃　said　Vickers。

Frere　sprang　up；　and　looked　down　the　garden。　　He　saw　two　figures　that　seemed　to　struggle　together。　　One　glance　was　enough；　and；　with　a　shout；　he　leapt　the　flower…beds；　and　made　straight　at　the　escaped　prisoner。

Rufus　Dawes　saw　him　coming；　but；　secure　in　the　protection　of　the　girl　who　owed　to　him　so　much；　he　advanced　a　step　nearer；　and　loosing　his　respectful　clasp　of　her　hand；　caught　her　dress。

〃Oh；　help；　Maurice；　help！〃　cried　Sylvia　again。

Into　the　face　of　Rufus　Dawes　came　an　expression　of　horror…stricken　bewilderment。　　For　three　days　the　unhappy　man　had　contrived　to　keep　life　and　freedom；　in　order　to　get　speech　with　the　one　being　who；　he　thought；　cherished　for　him　some　affection。　　Having　made　an　unparalleled　escape　from　the　midst　of　his　warders；　he　had　crept　to　the　place　where　lived　the　idol　of　his　dreams；　braving　recapture；　that　he　might　hear　from　her　two　words　of　justice　and　gratitude。　Not　only　did　she　refuse　to　listen　to　him；　and　shrink　from　him　as　from　one　accursed；　but；　at　the　sound　of　his　name；　she　summoned　his　deadliest　foe　to　capture　him。　　Such　monstrous　ingratitude　was　almost　beyond　belief。　　She；　too；the　child　he　had　nursed　and　fed；　the　child　for　whom　he　had　given　up　his　hard…earned　chance　of　freedom　and　fortune；　the　child　of　whom　he　had　dreamed；　the　child　whose　image　he　had　worshippedshe；　too；　against　him！　　Then　there　was　no　justice；　no　Heaven；　no　God！　　He　loosed　his　hold　of　her　dress；　and；　regardless　of　the　approaching　footsteps；　stood　speechless；　shaking　from　head　to　foot。　　In　another　instant　Frere　and　McNab　flung　themselves　upon　him；　and　he　was　borne　to　the　ground。　Though　weakened　by　starvation；　he　shook　them　off　with　scarce　an　effort；　and；　despite　the　servants　who　came　hurrying　from　the　alarmed　house；　might　even　then　have　turned　and　made　good　his　escape。　But　he　seemed　unable　to　fly。　　His　chest　heaved　convulsively；　great　drops　of　sweat　beaded　his　white　face；　and　from　his　eyes　tears　seemed　about　to　break。　　For　an　instant　his　features　worked　convulsively；　as　if　he　would　fain　invoke　upon　the　girl；　weeping　on　her　father's　shoulder；　some　hideous　curse。　　But　no　words　cameonly　thrusting　his　hand　into　his　breast；　with　a　supreme　gesture　of　horror　and　aversion；　he　flung　something　from　him。　　Then　a　profound　sigh　escaped　him；　and　he　held　out　his　hands　to　be　bound。

There　was　something　so　pitiable　about　this　silent　grief　that；　as　they　led　him　away；　the　little　group　instinctively　averted　their　faces；　lest　they　should　seem　to　triumph　over　him。




CHAPTER　XI。

A　RELIC　OF　MACQUARIE　HARBOUR。



〃You　must　try　and　save　him　from　further　punishment；〃　said　Sylvia　next　day　to　Frere。　　〃I　did　not　mean　to　betray　the　poor　creature；　but　I　had　made　myself　nervous　by　reading　that　convict's　story。〃

〃You　shouldn't　read　such　rubbish；〃　said　Frere。　　〃What's　the　use？　I　don't　suppose　a　word　of　it's　true。〃

〃It　must　be　true。　　I　am　sure　it's　true。　　Oh；　Maurice；　these　are　dreadful　men。　I　thought　I　knew　all　about　convicts；　but　I　had　no　idea　that　such　men　as　these　were　among　them。〃

〃Thank　God；　you　know　very　little；〃　said　Maurice。　　〃The　servants　you　have　here　are　very　different　sort　of　fellows　from　Rex　and　Company。〃

〃Oh；　Maurice；　I　am　so　tired　of　this　place。　　It's　wrong；　perhaps；　with　poor　papa　and　all；　but　I　do　wish　I　was　somewhere　out　of　the　sight　of　chains。　　I　don't　know　what　has　made　me　feel　as　I　do。〃

〃Come　to　Sydney；〃　said　Frere。　　〃There　are　not　so　many　convicts　there。　It　was　arranged　that　we　should　go　to　Sydney；　you　know。〃

〃For　our　honeymoon？　Yes；〃　said　Sylvia；　simply。　　〃I　know　it　was。　But　we　are　not　married　yet。〃

〃That's　easily　done；〃　said　Maurice。

〃Oh；　nonsense；　sir！　　But　I　want　to　speak　to　you　about　this　poor　Dawes。　I　don't　think　he　meant　any　harm。　　It　seems　to　me　now　that　he　was　rather　going　to　ask　for　food　or　something；　only　I　was　so　nervous。　　They　won't　hang　him；　Maurice；　will　they？〃

〃No；〃　said　Maurice。　　〃I　spoke　to　your　father　this　morning。　If　the　fellow　is　tried　for　his　life；　you　may　have　to　give　evidence；　and　so　we　came　to　the　conclusion　that　Port　Arthur　again；　and　heavy　irons；　will　meet　the　case。　　We　gave　him　another　life　sentence　this　morning。　That　will　make　the　third　he　has　had。〃

〃What　did　he　say？〃

〃Nothing。　　I　sent　him　down　aboard　the　schooner　at　once。　　He　ought　to　be　out　of　the　river　by　this　time。〃　〃Maurice；　I　have　a　strange　feeling　about　that　man。〃

〃Eh？〃　said　Maurice。

〃I　seem　to　fear　him；　as　if　I　knew　some　story　about　him；　and　yet　didn't　know　it。〃

〃That's　not　very　clear；〃　said　Maurice；　forcing　a　laugh；　〃but　don't　let's　talk　about　him　any　more。　　We'll　soon　be　far　from　Port　Arthur　and　everybody　in　it。〃

〃Maurice；〃　said　she；　caressingly；　〃I　love　you；　dear。　　You'll　always　protect　me　against　these　men；　won't　you？〃

Maurice　kissed　her。　　〃You　have　not　got　over　your　fright；　Sylvia；〃　he　said。　　〃I　see　I　shall　have　to　take　a　great　deal　of　care　of　my　wife。〃

〃Of　course；〃　replied　Sylvia。

And　then　the　pair　began　to　make　love；　or；　rather；　Maurice　made　it；　and　Sylvia　suffered　him。

Suddenly　her　eye　caught　something。　　〃What's　thatthere；　on　the　ground　by　the　fountain？〃　　They　were　near　the　spot　where　Dawes　had　been　seized　the　night　before。　　A　little　stream　ran　through　the　garden；　and　a　Tritonof　convict　manufactureblew　his　horn　in　the　middle　of　aconvict　builtrockery。　　Under　the　lip　of　the　fountain　lay　a　small　packet。　　Frere　picked　it　up。　　It　was　made　of　soiled　yellow　cloth；　and　stitched　evidently　by　a　man's　fingers。　　〃It　looks　like　a　needle…case；〃　said　he。

〃Let　me　see。　　What　a　strange…looking　thing！　　Yellow　cloth；　too。　Why；　it　must　belong　to　a　prisoner。　　Oh；　Maurice；　the　man　who　was　here　last　night！〃

〃Ay；〃　says　Maurice；　turning　over　the　packet；　〃it　might　have　been　his；　sure　enough。〃

〃He　seemed　to　fling　something　from　him；　I　thought。　　Perhaps　this　is　it！〃　said　she；　peering　over　his　arm；　in　delicate　curiosity。　　Frere；　with　something　of　a　scowl　on　his　brow；　tore　off　the　outer　covering　of　the　mysterious　packet；　and　displayed　a　second　envelope；　of　grey　cloththe　〃good…conduct〃　uniform。　Beneath　this　was　a　piece；　some　three　inches　square；　of　stained　and　discoloured　merino；　that　had　once　been　blue。

〃Hullo！〃　says　Frere。　　〃Why；　what's　this？〃