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？〃
〃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。