For the Term of His Natural Life

to enter the wards at night, armed with cutlasses, tramping about, and making a great noise. Mindful of the report of Pounce, they pulled the men roughly from the

oing to prayers, searched coming out, and this in the roughest manner. Their sleep broken, and what little self-respect they might y

ld give token that the fish had bitten. The experienced "old hand" was too acute for him. Filled with disgust and ambition, he determined upon an ingenious little trick. He was certain that Dawes possessed tobacco; the thing was to find it upon him. Now, Rufus Dawes, holding aloof, as was his custom, from the majority of his companions, had made one friend-if so mindless and battered an old wreck could be called a fr

vitude, had worked as a bondsman, had married, and been "up country", had been again sentenced, and was a sort of dismal patriarch of Norfolk Island, having been there at its former settlement. He had no fr

bacco". Rufus Dawes was but half awake, and on repeating his request, Troke felt something put into his hand. He grasped Dawes's arm, and struck a light. He had got his man this time. Dawes had conveyed to his fancied friend a piece of tobacco almost as big as the top joint of his little finger. One can understand the feelings of a man entrapped by such base means. Rufus Dawes no sooner saw the hated face of Warder Troke p

ebel was the Commandant usher

nt. "Here you are again, you see. H

ring, make

e how you feel then!" The fifty were duly administered, and

, Mr. Troke. We'll s

l remaining obdurate, was flogged again, and got fourteen days more. Had the chaplain then visited him, he might have found him open to consolation, but the chaplain-so it was stated-was sick. When brought out at the conclusion of his third confinement, he was found to be in so exhausted a condition that the doctor ordered him to hospital.

ks seemed to think," grinned Fre

him the next day to grind cayenne pepper. This was a punishment more dreaded by the convicts than any other. The pungent dust filled their eyes and lungs, causing

ptain Frere, kill m

oof of his power. "You've given in; that's all

hospital, Nor

u before," said the clergyma

haggard, wasted man had passed through some agony almost as great as his own. The next day Frere visited him, complimented him on

of the Commandant," said North, the

quiet scorn. "And betray my ma

laughed. "Who's to redeem me?" he said, expressing his thoughts in phraseology that to ord

er life," said he. "Do not risk your chance of hap

e "system". "I want to rest-to rest

lution enough to refuse Frere's repeated offers. "I'll never

thout effect. His own wayward heart gave him the key to read the cipher of this man's

te on the cause of his monitor's sunken cheeks, fiery eyes, and pre-occupied manner, to wonder what grief inspired those agonized prayers, those eloquen

bud?" North paused irresolutely, and finally, as if after a struggle with himself, took it carefully from his button-hole, and placed it in the prisoner's brown, scarred hand. In another instant Dawes, believing himself alone, pressed the gif