Page 399 - for-the-term-of-his-natural-life

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 ser-
vants 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, per-
haps, 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 con-
victs 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.

For the Term of His Natural Life