for the term of his natural life-第72章

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ed　and　discoloured　merino；　that　had　once　been　blue。

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

〃It　is　a　piece　of　a　dress；〃　says　Sylvia。

It　was　Rufus　Dawes's　talismana　portion　of　the　frock　she　had　worn　at　Macquarie　Harbour；　and　which　the　unhappy　convict　had　cherished　as　a　sacred　relic　for　five　weary　years。

Frere　flung　it　into　the　water。　　The　running　stream　whirled　it　away。　〃Why　did　you　do　that？〃　cried　the　girl；　with　a　sudden　pang　of　remorse　for　which　she　could　not　account。　　The　shred　of　cloth；　caught　by　a　weed；　lingered　for　an　instant　on　the　surface　of　the　water。　　Almost　at　the　same　moment；　the　pair；　raising　their　eyes；　saw　the　schooner　which　bore　Rufus　Dawes　back　to　bondage　glide　past　the　opening　of　the　trees　and　disappear。　　When　they　looked　again　for　the　strange　relic　of　the　desperado　of　Port　Arthur；　it　also　had　vanished。




CHAPTER　XII。

AT　PORT　ARTHUR。



The　usual　clanking　and　hammering　was　prevalent　upon　the　stone　jetty　of　Port　Arthur　when　the　schooner　bearing　the　returned　convict；　Rufus　Dawes；　ran　alongside。　　On　the　heights　above　the　esplanade　rose　the　grim　front　of　the　soldiers'　barracks；　beneath　the　soldiers'　barracks　was　the　long　range　of　prison　buildings　with　their　workshops　and　tan…pits；　to　the　left　lay　the　Commandant's　house；　authoritative　by　reason　of　its　embrasured　terrace　and　guardian　sentry；　while　the　jetty；　that　faced　the　purple　length　of　the　〃Island　of　the　Dead；〃　swarmed　with　parti…coloured　figures；　clanking　about　their　enforced　business；　under　the　muskets　of　their　gaolers。

Rufus　Dawes　had　seen　this　prospect　before；　had　learnt　by　heart　each　beauty　of　rising　sun；　sparkling　water；　and　wooded　hill。　　From　the　hideously　clean　jetty　at　his　feet；　to　the　distant　signal　station；　that；　embowered　in　bloom；　reared　its　slender　arms　upwards　into　the　cloudless　sky；　he　knew　it　all。　There　was　no　charm　for　him　in　the　exquisite　blue　of　the　sea；　the　soft　shadows　of　the　hills；　or　the　soothing　ripple　of　the　waves　that　crept　voluptuously　to　the　white　breast　of　the　shining　shore。　He　sat　with　his　head　bowed　down；　and　his　hands　clasped　about　his　knees；　disdaining　to　look　until　they　roused　him。

〃Hallo；　Dawes！〃　says　Warder　Troke；　halting　his　train　of　ironed　yellow…jackets。　〃So　you've　come　back　again！　　Glad　to　see　yer；　Dawes！　　It　seems　an　age　since　we　had　the　pleasure　of　your　company；　Dawes！〃　At　this　pleasantry　the　train　laughed；　so　that　their　irons　clanked　more　than　ever。　They　found　it　often　inconvenient　not　to　laugh　at　Mr。　Troke's　humour。　〃Step　down　here；　Dawes；　and　let　me　introduce　you　to　your　h'old　friends。　They'll　be　glad　to　see　yer；　won't　yer；　boys？　Why；　bless　me；　Dawes；　we　thort　we'd　lost　yer！　　We　thort　yer'd　given　us　the　slip　altogether；　Dawes。　They　didn't　take　care　of　yer　in　Hobart　Town；　I　expect；　eh；　boys？　We'll　look　after　yer　here；　Dawes；　though。　　You　won't　bolt　any　more。〃

〃Take　care；　Mr。　Troke；〃　said　a　warning　voice；　〃you're　at　it　again！　Let　the　man　alone！〃

By　virtue　of　an　order　transmitted　from　Hobart　Town；　they　had　begun　to　attach　the　dangerous　prisoner　to　the　last　man　of　the　gang；　riveting　the　leg…irons　of　the　pair　by　means　of　an　extra　link；　which　could　be　removed　when　necessary；　but　Dawes　had　given　no　sign　of　consciousness。　　At　the　sound　of　the　friendly　tones；　however；　he　looked　up；　and　saw　a　tall；　gaunt　man；　dressed　in　a　shabby　pepper…and…salt　raiment；　and　wearing　a　black　handkerchief　knotted　round　his　throat。　　He　was　a　stranger　to　him。

〃I　beg　yer　pardon；　Mr。　North；〃　said　Troke；　sinking　at　once　the　bully　in　the　sneak。　　〃I　didn't　see　yer　reverence。〃

〃A　parson！〃　thought　Dawes　with　disappointment；　and　dropped　his　eyes。

〃I　know　that；〃　returned　Mr。　North；　coolly。　　〃If　you　had；　you　would　have　been　all　butter　and　honey。　　Don't　trouble　yourself　to　tell　a　lie；　it's　quite　unnecessary。〃

Dawes　looked　up　again。　　This　was　a　strange　parson。

〃What's　your　name；　my　man？〃　said　Mr。　North；　suddenly；　catching　his　eye。

Rufus　Dawes　had　intended　to　scowl；　but　the　tone；　sharply　authoritative；　roused　his　automatic　convict　second　nature；　and　he　answered；　almost　despite　himself；　〃Rufus　Dawes。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Mr。　North；　eyeing　him　with　a　curious　air　of　expectation　that　had　something　pitying　in　it。　　〃This　is　the　man；　is　it？　I　thought　he　was　to　go　to　the　Coal　Mines。〃

〃So　he　is；〃　said　Troke；　〃but　we　hain't　a　goin'　to　send　there　for　a　fortnit；　and　in　the　meantime　I'm　to　work　him　on　the　chain。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Mr。　North　again。　　〃Lend　me　your　knife；　Troke。〃

And　then；　before　them　all；　this　curious　parson　took　a　piece　of　tobacco　out　of　his　ragged　pocket；　and　cut　off　a　〃chaw〃　with　Mr。　Troke's　knife。　Rufus　Dawes　felt　what　he　had　not　felt　for　three　daysan　interest　in　something。　He　stared　at　the　parson　in　unaffected　astonishment。　　Mr。　North　perhaps　mistook　the　meaning　of　his　fixed　stare；　for　he　held　out　the　remnant　of　tobacco　to　him。

The　chain　line　vibrated　at　this；　and　bent　forward　to　enjoy　the　vicarious　delight　of　seeing　another　man　chew　tobacco。　Troke　grinned　with　a　silent　mirth　that　betokened　retribution　for　the　favoured　convict。　　〃Here；〃　said　Mr。　North；　holding　out　the　dainty　morsel　upon　which　so　many　eyes　were　fixed。　　Rufus　Dawes　took　the　tobacco；　looked　at　it　hungrily　for　an　instant；　and　then　to　the　astonishment　of　everybodyflung　it　away　with　a　curse。

〃I　don't　want　your　tobacco；〃　he　said；　〃keep　it。〃

From　convict　mouths　went　out　a　respectful　roar　of　amazement；　and　Mr。　Troke's　eyes　snapped　with　pride　of　outraged　janitorship。　〃You　ungrateful　dog！〃　he　cried；　raising　his　stick。

Mr。　North　put　up　a　hand。　　〃That　will　do；　Troke；〃　he　said；　〃I　know　your　respect　for　the　cloth。　　Move　the　men　on　again。〃

〃Get　on！〃　said　Troke；　rumbling　oaths　beneath　his　breath；　and　Dawes　felt　his　newly…riveted　chain　tug。　　It　was　some　time　since　he　had　been　in　a　chain…gang；　and　the　sudden　jerk　nearly　overbalanced　him。　He　caught　at　his　neighbour；　and　looking　up；　met　a　pair　of　black　eyes　which　gleamed　recognition。　　His　neighbour　was　John　Rex。　　Mr。　North；　watching　them；　was　struck　by　the　resemblance　the　two　men　bore　to　each　other。　Their　height；　eyes；　hair；　and　complexion　were　similar。　　Despite　the　difference　in　name　they　might　be　related。　　〃They　might　be　brothers；〃　thought　he。　〃Poor　devils！　　I　never　knew　a　prisoner　refuse　tobacco　before。〃　And　he　looked　on　the　ground　for　the　despised　portion。　　But　in　vain。　John　Rex；　oppressed　by　no　foolish　sentiment；　had　picked　it　up　and　put　it　in　his　mouth。

So　Rufus　Dawes　was　relegated　to　his　old　life　again；　and　came　back　to　his　prison　with　the　hatred　of　his　kind；　that　his　prison　had　bred　in　him；　increased　a　hundred…fold。　　It　seemed　to　him　that　the　sudden　awakening　had　dazed　him；　that　the　flood　of　light　so　suddenly　let　in　upon　his　slumbering　soul　had　blinded　his　eyes；　used　so　long　to　the　sweetly…cheating　twilight。　　He　was　at　first　unable　to　apprehend　the　details　of　his　misery。　He　knew　only　that　his　dream…child　was　alive　and　shuddered　at　him；　that　the　only　thing　he　loved　and　trusted　had　betrayed　him；　that　all　hope　of　justice　and　mercy　had　gone　from　him　for　ever；　that　the　beauty　had　gone　from　earth；　the　brightness　from　Heaven；　and　that　he　was　doomed　still　to　live。　　He　went　about　his　work；　unheedful　of　the　jests　of　Troke；　ungalled　by　his　irons；　unmindful　of　the　groans　and　laughter　about　him。　　His　magnificent　muscles　saved　him　from　the　lash；　for　the　amiable　Troke　tried　to　break　him　down　in　vain。　　He　did　not　complain；　he　did　not　laugh；　he　did　not　weep。　　His　〃mate〃　Rex　tried　to　converse　with　him；　but　did　not　succeed。　　In　the　midst　of　one　of　Rex's　excellent　tales　of　London　dissipation；　Rufus　Dawes　would　sigh　wearily。　　〃There's　something　on　that　fellow's　mind；〃　thought　Rex；　prone　to　watch　the　signs　by　which　the　soul　is　read。　　〃He　has　some　secret　which　weighs　upon　him。〃

It　was　in　vain　that　Rex　attempted　to　discover　what　this　secret　might　be。　To　all　questions　concerning　his　past　lifehowever　artfully　putRufus　Dawes　was　dumb。　　In　vain　Rex　practised　all　his　arts；　called　up　all　his　graces　of　manner　and　speechand　these　were　not　fewto　fascinate　the　silent　man　and　win　his　confidence。　　Rufus　Dawes　met　his　advances　with　a　cynical　carelessness　that　revealed　nothing；　and；　when　not　addressed；　held　a　gloomy　silence。　　Galled　by　this　indifference；　John　Rex　had　attempted　to　practise　those　ingenious　arts　of　torment　b