Page 443 - for-the-term-of-his-natural-life

Poor North took the papers and read them slowly. They
were apparently straightforward enough. Aneurism of the
ascending aorta was given as the cause of death; and the doc-
tor frankly admitted that had he known the deceased to be
suffering from that complaint he would not have permitted
him to receive more than twenty-five lashes. ‘I think Mack-
lewain is an honest man,’ said North, doubtfully. ‘He would
not dare to return a false certificate. Yet the circumstances
of the case—the horrible condition of the prisoners—the
frightful story of that boy—‘
‘I cannot enter into these questions, Mr. North. My posi-
tion here is to administer the law to the best of my ability,
not to question it.’
North bowed his head to the reproof. In some sort of
justly unjust way, he felt that he deserved it. ‘I can say no
more, sir. I am afraid I am helpless in this matter—as I have
been in others. I see that the evidence is against me; but it
is my duty to carry my efforts as far as I can, and I will do
so.’ Vickers bowed stiffly and wished him good morning.
Authority, however well-meaning in private life, has in its
official capacity a natural dislike to those dissatisfied per-
sons who persist in pushing inquiries to extremities.
North, going out with saddened spirits, met in the pas-
sage a beautiful young girl. It was Sylvia, coming to visit her
father. He lifted his hat and looked after her. He guessed
that she was the daughter of the man he had left—the wife
of the Captain Frere concerning whom he had heard so
much. North was a man whose morbidly excited brain was
prone to strange fancies; and it seemed to him that beneath

For the Term of His Natural Life