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warders had just enoth pride to max affection I had begun to feel for this man . was wholly gone. I had nothing to hope for I from him now. \Vithont some such senti- ment, gratitude is impossible, even to a philosopher. Nothing to hope for, nothing to cherish. _ “'hat had I ever received that I wished to the stream before me. 1‘8 hmken While“ retain? All that I had might be taken Shimmvgv under the 3m“ ; I tamed 10 the from me and leave me none the poorer. My 1'9“. £8 1‘“? had dU'eCted- The“? “’33 “0 very life was a useless burden, to be giveb u the new pfle grew the rubbish spread Sign ofdawn m the east yet awhile: that up thankfully- “we; and the weight on my body more“. was g°°d- _ 7 There is but one step from indifference to ,d org-enema m on me fires}, But, 1 Th" 00"“ of ‘he “maul W35 dlm- hatred; that step I had already trodden. 00")“ use m 18m“): no? without fe'ar of dis_ cult to follow. At one time I mal‘5h in Could I but hate the society that prolonged cove, wriy “n m w" mmrds .he ed & “'hlch I “3h “P to my knees» °hh8°d me ‘0 lmy existence only to add to my sum of New {Ed “1398" limfd we worker; Wigs wade through the stream. In recrossingit misery, the power that had given me life once I thou ht Idisfin “inked the memo; I allPPed 0" a 5’1le Mhlder. 3nd Wes C3!" and endowsd my beinn with senses to feel Mn (“"35th . bug I w“ mos doc I ried down by the current ahundred yards; who had inspired me Sm, hone w mnure Emo‘gered {or their words to be made 01:13: at another time I lost the stream in making me ~with despair ‘2 I At len th a“ “mud. cemd the earth cg“. a detour abouta mass of scattered rocks too sensible of my degradation, conscious ed to {in and I concluded them we be“ great toscramble over. These obstructions ! that no man living was more injured 0,. for was whofi dis [wed and search in “mi; I Should have “Oide had I {Ollowed lhe llorn than myself, I regarded with rancorous rt ab“, on dp I dd.“ not venture out rough pal-h. llifitiflc‘ enough to my sight .envy all who had escaped my fate. As I £39m“, . fared,” h it snemed that 1 bad When my eyeShad grown accustomed to the looked under my lowered brows at the been “mfg, round 5mm 1,3,," I con” not Obscurity i but I dared 110‘ 30 from the l chaplain, broad-shouldered, robust, with be sure thug the sun hag eb 88’” 0,. ml“ the Stream. for fear 0f missing the bridge I had i the breezy freshness of moorland freedom mphem “s ecu“ mg; I “3’s hidden in to find- As time went on. and 8 little , in his open face, I asked myself what he the yard, twining“ were not ke - greyness marked ‘he horizon to the 835*. lhad done to enjoy all the blessings of life, t." . h h b. n’ d. “Hug a dun forboding GNP” into my "find that I i What I had done to be denied the lot of a gildiggglazeoo Jeet'o ea mg me to gun” my had not kept a starlight line in descend- dog, ' - ii“! the WHEY» 3“ by 80mg too I” “St “ Iknew I should find on here ” said erghcffgfiiff ?::td:gr:?§leg°:géct: r32}: hhd “well the “mu-m thV’e the bridge l the chaplain unbuttoning ills ulstcii; “ no hummion. and got strength. Yet, I was when I turned to the left instead of below man could hope m escape except, by a, mir. - - - ' v. This fear increased as the sky grew. 1 u not idle; inch b inch I ushedm self out~ ht - ‘ . ‘ac 8‘ . . - v n way], until. “Ilength’ Feeling nozhing but lghter I “"3” hhve “’80 b‘ICh 383m » hut l “I thought you believed in miracles, -Pnblishcd by special arrangement from advance sheets of Chambers” Journal. CHAPTER XXI. an. or wrrn us ! The men continued to work upon the heap; - - where should I turnâ€"at which point give , said 1‘ sullen] . Eggtcriiizuzlerfifiéfidg leg-“t 0:; my at?! “P advance 99’ h0P‘?le95? I” “Ohm take i “What hasythat' to do with it?” he cried, haulm To 3’] intense cling, I [gag - 3 hours to “trace my steps; Wt my onlY'pausing with his finger on a button, and a, star .smhdingyont bri ht “gm Clea {eagle Chance OI escape my “1 reaching the cottage casting a sharp glance at me as I sank down durk sky. ' q r m ‘9 begoi'e daylight. lgvpen the 35m i'ogehttie 'ion a“, plank but - W 0 ° moor W0“ 0 50mm" ’ 3-" 0W “A ood deal,” I re lied; “ ‘ou led me to buIt liililiheguldliyifldg cauddy:t:afl;:tfrlgvfgfif::g coald I chen escapeti, I sad t21m39°¥ than believe2 in them; that’spwhy lit-ried to es- . . as soon as a cer m s r, in area y.“ e.” if)?tlizgoufitizflamlgiflsig "380‘le earé twmkled feebll’ m the 335‘: Should be ex‘ P‘Your failure need not shake your faith ground is”, .hgli M in the rigor bee ad tinct, I would turn about. The fear that r in mimeles__if by miracle you mean Divme the fire’. and 50mg breakiup th’; I. yonf I might do this at the moment when the interposition in your , behalf. \vould the low htone wall thgat boundegd the 'lno t: mange might be but “Stone’s throw beyond l Your escape have "Ede You happier 01‘ het' tion on the other side, it stood out egrgilghf. 31,8113?” 0f Sigh.” urged me on With m. I"? Idoubt If“ IV“ hm" Yougcapture “hie ' ' 0h 9 ehel‘SY- ver ' inter ositiou on re. ed orâ€" rovi - iggth?IACk “games the lighter sky to the filer hoqrihl htzd heard no soupd but the i inegour escape fro’in salinefhing worst; than - m5 mg 0 e 3 ream; “0W 3 5 range cry ‘ im risonment? I believe it. Who are on toiling; If? $32233, Iazfidtfggghfgfn bro“ hh “13 Shhdehllfl to 3' Stand amongst thrift you should set yourself up as a juldge single street was south Because no atrol the “Idem m Whmh I was stumbling " °f the rightel’l‘mess Of the Almighty ‘3" was in sight there wits renter reason to “I”? _ He spoke with unusual sternness, but his suppose that, one waste fie encountered in “ “Wit 1’3 It “’53 “0‘7 hh° cry °I any 1’11"! , voice sank to its customary tenderness, as, the direction I must. take He mi ht b 9" animal I knew; “01‘ “’33 It human ; yet sitting beside me on the bed and laying his stationed on the other side-of the hang front It might be made by 8‘ "3am I ica‘nned the . hand on my arm. he said, “Believe me, the which I was emerging There was $0 bet Wit-Y hem“? "18 With terrlhle aux“9W- Some' day will come when you will thank Heaven for spot for" obsorvatibn than in the deer; thing atOOd out again“ the Pale green hori' 0“ You” knees hh“ hhe end was 11°" 35 YO“ Shadow of this mound Suddenl ashore zon, Which mighti we“ be the head_ and ,willed it. I am no prophet. A fool could dry cough convinced Hie that a min was 0,; body 0f 3 mhh- It m°Ved5 Whether ‘5 3!" Eprognosticate as much, knowing what I guard in the very place I had sus ected I prosched or receded I could not tell at that kno‘w. I have had time to 18am Wth waited five minutes not stirrin Pa. mus-cle dutunce' - has taken Pk"ce Since I we“ awn-Y- The man cleared His throat, again that "Pf’ewml " Again that Strange cry- 'Renshaw offered to send a cheque fora cer- heard‘ his steps and the ngxt ,morhent Iva-s It“ Sign 8'1 from a man before to one thin 31"“ wahyom y?“ named- You Prom' caught sight; of’his ii are a, rifle in the behlnd me? I Slancea 0"" my Shoulder- eised to furnish him with an address. You hollow of his arm gin 'black 'Suhouette A block of stone, the same color asmy drab did not, know where your wife was. You againt the grey smog, that had driven him mouse» r039 higher than my he'd-d. It was received a communication from Beeton that from his former position He strolled three l-mpr-°ba'ble that I had been seen' The 01" l threw V0“ into 3' terrible 5mm 0f dull-lt- or four paces out and “fun. Bland“, there J90” 1“ frontlhoved “Ball‘- A Streak 0f P319 , You sent for a friend who. confirmel your a minute as if 180mg about, he rgtum'ed yellow crossed the green sky 3 the at“ was suspicion ; that suspicion concerned your ’ g ’ gone» Shmlld I go hh-Ck? If this thing “’35 wife, for you did not send her address to to the hen and came round towards the - - ~ - fire, pasgigé so close to me that I could, a man 15/ mg m WM“ for me: Ill Was thhble Renshawâ€"forgot that he existed, I darcsay. b ' stretchin out - that the brldge by thh one might escape Upon the evidence of two witnessesâ€"one a hbld . of big anklla’.1y hgnd'wlillflve iron} tthe 30"}‘bwuhos f2“ OE-thszlltlhwfitwd 7 notorious rascalâ€"you condemn your wife, of tr'PPlng him up and 1.01.... f... it egg)! w yv; {’31: a . egg? and make despsmie .attempfi to passed through my mind, but I thought firi 21:5 {viz 3:111 dc Sufi 3035:1158. it: wrth theobjectofgipflictmgpunishmentupou boner Of It and let him pass' He went as it gorild a year in the well-known \éardle ’s lher. Is It? net-so I ~ far as the fire, kicked asmouldering ember, c T, Pp e .1 I t-o H h d r E9 wa‘te‘l for m! rePIY: I "hid? “,0 513"- and returned, again passing within a foot of ‘ Ian an. x5011“ In: 7 as :e gpoln me If "9"“ be 80’ he SMd' y mlwould the litter in which I was bid ; then a little . um? 18,“? P°“°_h " I‘hmwé deny It If you hada spark of affection for further on he seated himself on the bean, Egg 1-6" mg '3 got?“ “ -en gag]: he“; and What could ha"? eXImgWShefl his head and the barrel of his rifle just crop- :1 aggm’ 5?“: e eff 1?: 0y}: Ills-1&8: .1 e 1 your love for her but’.t’he belief that" She ‘5 ping up above the outline of the rubbish. an“ no de mXiZt Imds‘iféhey t; fez“; 12mg l no longer worthy °I “7? come: ‘Vyhdham: C early he was posted there for thcuight. n eficape (ram t k 1 d .-d :1 .rolin tel-hm your. trouble' Let me know “that do“; was I to pass him? figgfzggaas éfioivl‘jgw “it “2‘; :2: lift: t: the charge is that has been brought against Hooked me- To the norm and gob... . midnemosm smarts” ?§.fӴ.£“leޤ3.2°’f°he’ii we“ the” was not 9' “huge 0f 3m0ke; it Crouching downIcrept out into the moor £0, mnounce' 'ud mam, i311 I 1 f8 8'd hm“ be toning {may to the South-east- If intending to make a detour and get back ti) out, she who“, tiluthg” ‘ lave Gun I “um 89" "ft/0 It I might f(110W its course the stream at a safe distance above the boy. H I had enough. of the -m1 me t f "1 QOWPMN’W" SMOW- N0 guard would With something like despair I noticed that others N I said fierce! J g n 0 be hk‘hy t0 “and I“ the COOhihf-‘l fumes. and the yellow bar in the sky was flushed above n Y; h; 7 ’ - 1 {Y} 1 - f they would help to conceal me. But I had with pink. Just then I struck a Path run. } -ud up "‘8 I}: [rig 1’1 01mm? m“ 0 that if) drgw myself out of the heap on which the “in? at, right angles with my course. This imigcglsg, In #21:). “fr fianii’gy'ht tologfgbagg 31:13; :grfig, Egalénfg: zlfigsllwfigloogz mu t surely lead to the bridge." thought I- f of the judgment that made me, an innocent mam”, & sound to u t h_ t I, I‘Vithout admoment’s liqsiltlation Il turned ' man, a slave g" 2 v . a run is a tcntion . (owntowar sthestream o owin tie ‘ath, “ ” ' The ‘crackhng and spluttering of earth in bending as low as I could to be sligeltergd by my 13:1; rigihtelli’s figlifisslsyoflinzetdgg- the ("'8' View, SPmCIent‘ I bellevedl to InaSk the scrubby growth Oll 8&0h side. Present- “ you have no right, to calufilajn of tho “0159 I ""Esht mhke- If' “’33 my 1‘13” 1y I “Sui” heard the running Water- Theh l judgment - for upon slighter evidence than Chhhcev and the attempt mu“ he "hide. I Stopped. and. Taming my head cautious”: 5 that which cou’victedyou in the mind of an bllcnce was not the only necessxty. The looked all round me ; there was no sign of l impartial judge you biassed by assion thing must be _ done quickly, for a casual living creature. I crept on more stealthin ' condemn the woman ’whose defencep is un: £32??? toIthe riightdwqplld tievleallmfe t0 the than before, and in a few minutes made out heard." g l ’ 9“ Mg" 0 1° '3 'e 0'8 me a mu h brid 6 before me. On in bands n i - . - through which I had to cree , at the same and kgnees I crgept on to the bridge, ad’d again l my ohgllielfslés.‘egfecilglicfielghh thistlequ “m0 W°rklhg "‘3’ ho“? am 1985 to give paused tolook around. Once moreIfancied ‘ when the time comes.” I I heard the Strange cry " Peewu' '-" “ When the time comes ; and, meanwhile All was perfectly still save the monoton- what are you going to do 1," one rippling of the stream. Just beyond u Nothing,” I replied doggedly, the bridge 550°“ the COWIEG Bought-Th He argued with me for a long while, little two~roomed house. No light was vm- trying every means that, n, keen and noble lhl? i hut the grey hghb OI momma was enf‘ mind could conceivo to make me hear rea- fiCiehuy 9tr°h8 how {0" “Ch 3' ghld" to he , son, to incline me to merciful action. I \lnhecessm‘Y- I§t°le PP P0 the do”, and j made no reply, but sat there in obstinate after a moments hemmtlon F‘fPPed sf’fl'ly : silence. At length he rose with a sigh, With my knuckles. After waitingamiuute and after taking 9, mm up the can came for FeSPWSe I '“PPCd “Sam louder' back, and standing before me, put his hands “ Nail him, Dick 3” cricdu votce from the . on my shoulders, and saidâ€" . . other side of the road, and before I could move a step from the door a man burst from the bush beyond the house, and another leaped over the opposite hedge. I recogniz- cd them both at a glance ; they were gang warders! wards and downwards at the we time. I struggled to free myself from the vigor- Under the chaplain's influence it might one hands that grasped me by the arms and ‘ have been otherwise, but it was my misfor- throat; but I was thrown down, my arms . tune never to see him again. The day before twistedfibchind me, apld in a moment the l he was to have returned to Darmioor he . . handcu 9. were snappe upon my wrists. was thrown from his horse and killed. The 33:33} 51,, “ingresfiyig‘g‘l k "bu": While I still lay gasping 0n the ground, , governor himsolf, with tears in his eyes, me for 3‘ 5m“ “‘5‘ p T ' 0° “ho” and the men quietly linked a chain on to i told me the new 5. ‘_ . ‘ 0" wo' “0°” 1 reel the handcuffs, a woman’s shriek rose fromi u - ' ‘ ‘ t ' Stationd lights to the right marked the i the bridge I 319 if"? a ales!) fmtemittlln {my , gins . .. . . - . _ _ i an ion l 0 on a If) as .. e houses in the who u. I could see nothing! “01" Jack, Jack y She cried, rushing : p23,. Wyndhang’: he Jud, . that I meant ,0 else but the wall had lea ed the starry . . . . ' ~ - sky, and thescrubby moorlath Thegrcaf- ‘10“nww‘udb “8' “ don t' let them take bring him back into the right road again. ., I _ est ditlieulty was overcome. If Icould find ' Y°}‘.‘ . , _ . , , ‘ He must find hrs way alone or through the the stream and follow it up to the cottage It. amlt ’0‘". Jack MW' Tmy' , 831d: guidance “fume” now" And how» my mah- ‘ " v' ‘ - v - the ward“ mmding before me; “you” i ouhavc an'lovc for that kindest and Eggifisi'iglg“: :f'fsaxfi‘rld Elle me refuge, I husband’s safe enough in Dartmoor. If_ it ' 1:03;“ friends? any respect for his memory, “ On I shall cams“ '3! said I to m .58” hhd Dee“ ‘laCk' hes“ a lake“ “mt “lammg 3 you will endeavor to fulfil his last \vish. He with ev’ultation as scrambled u froln this Of you“: “Want, would- have 8pc!“ us", aeSh‘ed You Should have this bOOk {0" 1" ditch 'into the, heather “No power on The!“ mom}? I percewcd Who ‘t’ was i keepsake," he added, laying down 3 earth can make mcprisohcra ainI’,’ um" had “mam “1° pf‘t'" and Why that volume on my shelf; and then he i An intoxicating sense of trigumph was all warmng "th bIen given" we“ 0‘” qhim overcome by the mem' I fen in this assurance of wave. The It was nearly mid-day when my captors I my of the friend and fellow worker - led me into the prison yard. As the teat â€" fierce passion ofa brute was not softened by - , . g v be had lost for 0‘: er. a single humanisiug hope. The sole object "on “mes [m “n8 m bchmd me' I felt that before mo was to kill my wife and put an my hm lwpc 0‘ pe WM gone‘ end to my own life as soon as possible. ‘ _ ' ' I singled out a star in the directicl I had CHAPTER RAIL Chaplain “5 unfit for me w "ML ,0 who. and. keeping my “(,3 on 1." made an runs ox rm: l‘lTSlsllMBNT LIST. 1 was shocked by this sudden loss, and my way forward in as straight :. fine as I The chaplain came into the punishment lO'JChc‘l by “‘9 “leasnge ‘9 "‘9: “mile tho could keep: fearing my way through the cell where l was waiting to be taken before l if“?resaion lasted' I wavered m the “"9" heather and scrub, leaping from block to the governor. I had not seen him for a “SOIUHOD “‘3‘! take“ to “mac” myself block of granite, reckless alike of pain and fortnight. His last visit \ras made before . ‘0 lhe 00”” OI 0mm" hndlhe Prom “08 of and danger. In this way I got- down into I heard of my wife’s infidelity from liecton. l my" senses- I “’w commend how might the valley, uvvcr stopping till 1 found He came then to bid me “good-bye,“ and = begin I new (If-THING: h“? When I hml myself on soft ground. There I stop. .I, told me he was going to Norfolk for a l “filmed ‘0 me cold and me‘u‘mglc” Phrm ed to listen, standing ankle tier-pi month‘s shooting. His Wife telegraphed to i Of U19th (Eh-“Plain. and the h°0h W88 “lien in the 00:9. I heard the rushing of water, l him when she heard of my escape, knowing I 011" Of my “Shh I l°°h°d “POD ‘he loss GI and confident that l was new near thcithat he was deeply interested in me. imy friend as another blow of that power dream i strode on again. Presently I saw I rose instinctively as he entered; but the Wthh had downed “‘43 ‘0 deflmdmn- tlzcm freer passage. When these prepara- tions were made, and I felt that the mo- ment was come for the attempt. I glanced to the left. The head and the rifle barrel were no longer in sight. Stretching forward I perceived the guard's head leaning back, the peak of his cap tilted upwards. The possibility that he had fallen asleep en- :ouraged mo“ Putting out my hands and digging my fingers in the earth, I drew my- self out free of the lifter ; then on my knees I crawled away. keeping close beside the heap till I had the fire full on my left hand, the diameter of the heap between me and the guard, and the column of smoke rolling steadily over the ground before me. 1 got on my feet, made astcp forward, tooka hurried glance to the right, drew a deep breath of air, and noiselessly plunged intul the smoke. 0n 1 went as fast as 1 could ' run on the loose earth till I came to a stone wall. I’uttin my hands on top I vaulted over, preparet fora full in the doc ditch “ No man can do nothing, \Vyndham. \Ve must keep moving until the endâ€"on- wards or backwards, upwards or downwards -â€"r.herc's no standing still.” He was right, I went from that day back- I took up the book. It was Darwin's “ Origin of Species." I never read a page of it, and it was removed by the next There was nothing in my life that tended to raise me from the moral lassitude into which I had sunkâ€"much to turn what energy that "remained into bad channels. Lentently asthe governor was disposed to deal with me for the attempted escape, ho was compelled to inflict punishment upon me in order to maintain prison discipline, and discourage others from a similar offence. I was degraded to the third class. My blue- atid~drab dress was changed for yellow and grey ; gruel was given me in place of tea ; I no longer took exercise with the good-conduct men, but marched in single file with the worst. In ad~ dition to this I was put to work in the quarries, where, with four other \vretzhes harnessed like beasts to the stone ti uck, I dragged the blocks from the cutting to the depot. The work was brutaliziug and ex- haustivetoone not yet up to the regular 'hsnd's dodge of doing little and feigning much. \VheuI got into my cell in the evening 1 was done up. I began to nod as soon as I had devoured my gruel. I was unfit for any intellectual exercise, and I certainly had no inclination that way. I never asked for a book; never touched my slate. “ What’s the good ‘3" I asked myself. When I woke with a shiver from my doze I would turn into bed and sleep like a log. Relatively this condition was good. After a time I grew more cunning, and did no more work than my fellows. You have only to hold your breath, and lay your body against the harness when the wardcr is looking, to make him believe you are straining every muscle. Then going back from the quarries no more fatigued than if 1 had done a day's work in the fields, my mind was active enough to need occupation in the evening. My inventive faculty turned now to elaborating schemes of escape and devising means for the pur. pose. Night after night, week after week, month after month, I toiled at this pursuit, and at length, having hit upon a design that promised success, I put it in execution at the end of a year. It failed, and I again wore yellow and grey for three months. Not discouraged by this reverse, I once more attempted to get away fifteen months laterâ€"that being the third attempt in three years. But this time I knocked down a warder, and was only captured after a des- perate struggle with two others; and so I got a dress of black and drab, with the addition of fetters and chains, which I wore night and day for three months. But before the rivets were filed off, I was again at work upon a plan of escape. ‘ “Oh, I shall get away sooner or later,” saidI to myself, as I nursed my chains: “there are certain things a man can foresee as clearly as death. The luck must turn. It’s a game of chance after allâ€"if it’s noth- ing more. Say that one in a hundred at- tempts is successful, the mau who passes the limit succeeds. But there’s skill in the game, and - that counts for something. I won’t be in a hurry about this next one. There's plenty of time. Three months or three years makes no dif- ference to me. I’m getting patient. Nine years of it, grinding every day like a mill horse, makes a fellow pretty callous about to-morrow or the day after. I won’t be satisfied with the first plan that looks all right. I’ll lay by half a dozen to choose from. Lots of time. That was a fool’s game I played last turnâ€"shamming reform and getting back' into the Agricultural Gang. I won't do it again. Stick to my quarry pals. line : kick up a. row, break the rules, keep out with watching me, lead them along one false scent after the other, fill at last the real attempt shall seem nothing but a fcint, and they let me slip under their very noses. I shall get it pretty hot, that’s cer- tain. The warders have almost forgotten that they liked me once ; they'll turn spite- ful before long. No more teaâ€"well, gruel’s as good when you’re used to it. All privi- leges knocked offâ€"a precious difference that’ll make to me! Do I want to have a visit from her and her husband? Curse them both! Do I want to write to them, or hear from them? Do I want to know whether shelgis alive or dead? No, not before I am free ! Thenâ€"I can’t think of that and my schemes clearly at the same time. Where was I? I know what I may expect. Punishment cell and plank bed, crank and ironsâ€"ah! they’re the worst tobear. Never mind, there’s not a hour’s pain, not a lingering torture, no privation, no indignity that I have suffered all these years that shall not be repaid. \Vhat I have received through her, she shall have back from me. All that I have endured she shall endure. The stone she has thrown shall fall back upon herself. I have a good memory. Ihave kept an account of all I owe. I have it here in my head. Nota single item shall be forgotten when the time comes to settle up between us. If she haveasparkof feeling, I will trample on it: if she retain hcr biglt'splrit, I will break it down. I see things clearer now than I did. Killing is too good for her; it is not enough for me. She shall live and ’ suffer for herself the remorse she could not feel for me. I will keep her alive as I have been kept alive. I will de- base lzer as she has dcbased me. She shall lose her womanhood as I have lost my manhood, and become the savage brute I am. We will never part again. “'0 are fcttercd for life, the one to the other, and when we do it shall be in a fiendish strug- gle, and found together our ruined souls shall be delivered to everlasting fury E” It was thus my plans of escape mingled ever with a project of revenge that became every day more diabolical as 1 yielded to the brutalising influences about me. To gloat upon a new form of vengeance was the sole indulgence odered to my passions : means of accomplishing it the only employ- mentfor my intellectual faculties. As my pas- sion grew, my mental power contracted. It was with difficulty I fixed my mind upon the practical purpose before me. My thoughts wandered away to the contemplation of my victim writhing under punishment. More and more often the slate on which I drew diagrams of the prison, the quarry, and their surroundings, with the signs by which l marked the methods of evasion, would slip unnoticed from my knees, and I lost myself in brooding on the shame and suffer- ing in store for my wife. Andyctf had sulfi- ' cieut reason left to see the fatal tendency of this self-indulgence. I was conscious that in time I should become the slave of my passions, incapable of any mental effortâ€"a raving maniac, and nothing more. But I stuck obstinawa to my idea of firing the warders out; and with some sort of success. 1 feigned evasion so frequently ‘ that they grew careless and negligent. The \Ve’re all villains alike. I’ll stick to this - on thepunishment list, tire the whole lot' them fear ridicule. To be misled by a prisoner, and then laughed at by their com- rades, was intolerable. They retaliated by attributing offences to me of which I was innocent. For, five years I was continually on the punishment list. “I won’t run after “ you next time," said a wardcr, sav ly, one day, giving my wrist a screw \vi a’ steel cuff called a “persuader”: "next time I’ll fetch you down Wlbll a bullet.” The governor himself began to lose patience. ‘ “I don‘t know what to do with you,” said be, when I was taken before him for for the second time in a week. “For five years you were the best man in the place, and for nearly six you have been the worst. I have treated you with the utmost leniency your misconduct permitted. That has fail. ed. You force me to try the effect of severity, and I warn you that I shall bring you before the Visiting Committee for the next offence, and advise flogging. That night I went to sleep in tho ferocious contemplation of flogging my wife to death. Before the end of the week I was again re- ported. To my astonishment I was sent out to the quarries the next morning with- out being taken before the govcrnor. The only explanation I could think of was that my case had been reserved for tho Visiting Committee. I foresaw that the flogging I had so long escaped was in store for me. But on Sunday there was matter for fresh surprise. After takin my turn in the ex- ercise yard, instead 0 going back to the punishment cell, I was led into block No. 4, and lodged with the first class men. The first thing I did was to unroll the hammock and lie down. It was an ago since I had had stretched myself out on anything softer than a plank bed. Then I lay wondering what had happened. I found that out in the afternoon. . My innocence had been proved! (T0 in: coarisuun.) THE KOOLAK A RUSSIAN VAMPIRE. Ile Plunders the l'easanls Of Their Last Kopcck by Usury. I have frequently called attention to the deplorable condition of the Russian peas- antry under the tyranny of the village usurers says a St. Petersburg Correspondent to the London Telegra h. The Societe Iconomique has now pu lished a calcula- tion that the rural population is paying 200,000,000 per annum interest to the koo- laks. This is about equivalent to the inter- est annually paid on the national debt. In fact, the usurcrs have discounted the state revenues and gradually sucked the peasants ry so dry that they are now refusing to have anything more to do with them. ' Hitherto when u. commune could not pay his taxes the koolak paid and took the crops of the population for several years in advance as repayment. Now, however, by along process of this exhaustive drain u on them, the peasantry have been reduce to such utter ruin that even the koolaks will no longer lend. The result, of course, will be that none of the enormous arrears will be paid, nor will it be possible to collect taxes untilthe peasants have recovered somewhat. And, unless a check is put on the koolaks, this recovery can never take place, for as soon as it begins the koolak will recom- mcnce his operations. A few examples will show what has been and still is going on. I take them from a small local paper, the I’riazovski Krau. Two years ago a peasant in the district of Rostofi‘ borrowed 100 rubles at 5 per cent. per month, giving a bill for 200. Not being able to pay his 160 at the end of the first year be renewed, giving this time n. bill for 320. He then had 96 interest, making a total of 256 rubles ; at the end of the second year he had a good are , which broughthim 200, all of which he hat to pay, and remain- ed still a debtor for 56 rubles. In 1891 the peasants of the village of Kar- lovna borrowed from the koolak Antoinshefl' 3,000 poods of rye against 500 dcsiatiucs of their best land for nine years. This year they are buying back their land at 17 rubles a desiatiuc. In another village the peasants sold their barley crop in advance to a koolak for 35 kopccks a pond, and are now deliver- ing it tohim, though the market price to- day is from 85 to 90 kopccks. Comment on these examples is quite superfluous. Didn‘t Mean to be Imposed Upon. She was an independent sort of a girl, re- cently in possession of quite a fortune, and she concluded a horse was a necessity in her new establishment, so she sent for a dealer and had a talk with him. “What she didn't know about horses would fill a livery stable, but she tried to make the dealer believe she was a judge and told him to bring her some- thing to look at. The dealer came, and she went out to pass judgement. She walked all around the animal critically, as profus- siouafs do. ‘ “ Is he well-trained '3” she inquired with the air of a jockey. "' Certainly, miss," replied the dealer. “ She is well gaited and fine in harness.” “ Umn-um,” said the girl; “is she all right in the botis‘:" “Yes, miss," gasped the dealer, “but you see I’ve only got shoes on her fore-feet." He said that because, really, hcdidn't know what else to say. The girl laughed merrily. “I noticed that, but you couldn't Very well have them on her five fccf, could you '1" she gurglcd. “ I mean, miss,” utummcrctl the dealer, “that she is shod only on the fore-feet.” “ I understand,” she said, seriously, “but that can be cured without any diffi- culty, can't it 1'” f‘ Very easily, indeed, miss," assented the dealer, with a great sense of relief. “She seems to be all right in the fore shoulders, but her hind shoulders don't seem to be quite right,” suggested the girl. “There's nothing the matter with her there,” asserted the dealer. “She is per. fectly sound.” “There's no den or of her withers being spavined, is there she enquired wrefully. “I’ve seen horses like that, and they al- ways made me nervous. “ No danger in the world, miss," the dealer assured her. “ How old is she '5" enquired the girl. By this time the dealer knew his man, and was confidcm. “Being a lady, miss,” he smiled, “I'd rather not tell her age." “How considerate of you,’ she said earnestly, " I'll take her," and the dealer sent in a bill for 8250. representing a net profit to him of $100. 1 ‘ .~...._.._._.. -. “a ___.._.A .. r..u.\.‘....,,__..” .. ' H: ~ ~ u.‘.....nâ€" .w . as-.. .. was...” ,u... . .... . w...» s at: 5:4,: «as : “can ’ .-:;'..-‘...s.e::. mwFflz‘