For the Term of His Natural Life

hreat of vengeance, but groaned only. "I am not so strong as I was," said he, as if in apology for his l

ly. "I've spoken to Bland, and he's of my mind.

own. The fingers of his hand, thrust into his bosom, felt a token w

"You're not going to shirk?" The other avoided the touch, and shrank away, still staring. "Yo

ound, as if to seek some method of escape

They flogged him

o-morrow," said

d the old man, with a strange

which lay the house of the Commandant. "Leave it till to

u dog?" The hand of the convict, thus suddenly plucked from his bosom, opened involuntarily, and a withered rose fell to the earth. Frere at once, indignant and astonished, picked it up. "Hallo! Wh

te it. One would have thought that there was some charm about this rose so strangely cherished, for he stood gazing at it, as it twirled between Captain Frere's strong fingers, as though it fascinated him. "You're a pretty man to want a rose for your buttonhole! Are you going

ut of your coat one day." Frere smiled with an inward satisfaction at the result of his spirit-breaking. The explanation was probably the correct one. He was in the habit of wearing flowers in his coat and it was impossible that the convict should have obtained one by any other means. Had it been a fig of tobacco n

eam. The gang curled their lips. One fellow, more charitable than the rest, tapped his forehead and winked. "He's going cranky," said this good-natured man, who could not u

ispered he to Mooney, and

-and-bridle, lamented his hard case, Bland proposed that the three should put in practice a scheme in which two at least must succeed. The scheme was a desperate one, and attempted only in the last extremity.

l great ideas-was

ight be counted upon for an hour at least, Bland produced a straw, and held it out to his co

d the blind man. "Come on, bo

other. The prize had been left in the bag. Mooney-fortunate old fellow-retained the longest straw. Bland's hand shook as he compared notes with his companion

said Dawes to Bland. "'

of that,"

agments with an oath, and sat gnawing his knuckles in excess of abject terror. Mooney stretched himself out up

e nerve than

r own proposal." The coward who, confident in his own luck, would seem to have fallen into t

it," he whispered, li

r?" said fortunate Moone

ght like to-to-pray

senses of the old man, exalted

ht-unseen by his comrades, moved his lips silently. The silence was at last broken by the footsteps of the warder in the corridor. Blan

ly of the position of the approaching gaoler, rose from his knees

mewhat-so the three thoug

ly, and Mooney added, "G

an so cheerful," thought Gimblett,

as tearing a strip from his blanket. "I think this will do," said he, pulling it between his hands to test its strength. "I am an old man." It was possible that he debated con

comrade's hand, and withdrew to the farthest corner. Bland and Mooney were for a few moments occupied with the rope-doubtless preparing for escape by means of it. T

you think ther

ll," said Dawes, with

e. You will, old chap, for you've been good to

had occurred at a glance, and hastened to

, who crouched in the corner farthest from his vict

you for all th

," said Ru

drawer of the longest straw was the "lucky" man. He was killed. The drawer of the next longest straw was the murderer. He was hanged. The unlucky one was