Page 412 - for-the-term-of-his-natural-life

About dawn the next morning, Mr. North—who,
amongst other vagaries not approved of by his bishop, had a
habit of prowling about the prison at unofficial hours—was
attracted by a dispute at the door of the dormitory.
‘What’s the matter here?’ he asked.
‘A prisoner refractory, your reverence,’ said the watch-
man. ‘Wants to come out.’
‘Mr. North! Mr. North!’ cried a voice, ‘for the love of God,
let me out of this place!’
Kirkland, ghastly pale, bleeding, with his woollen shirt
torn, and his blue eyes wide open with terror, was clinging
to the bars.
‘Oh, Mr. North! Mr. North! Oh, Mr. North! Oh, for God’s
sake, Mr. North!’
‘What, Kirkland!’ cried North, who was ignorant of the
vengeance of the Commandant. ‘What do you do here?’
But Kirkland could do nothing but cry,—‘Oh, Mr. North!
For God’s sake, Mr. North!’ and beat on the bars with white
and sweating hands.
‘Let him out, watchman!’ said North.
‘Can’t sir, without an order from the Commandant.’
‘I order you, sir!’ North cried, indignant.
‘Very sorry, your reverence; but your reverence knows
that I daren’t do such a thing.’ ‘Mr. North!’ screamed Kirk-
land. ‘Would you see me perish, body and soul, in this place?
Mr. North! Oh, you ministers of Christ— wolves in sheep’s
clothing—you shall be judged for this!’
‘Let him out!’ cried North again, stamping his foot.
‘It’s no good,’ returned the gaoler. ‘I can’t. If he was dy-

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