In　the　midst　of　thiswhen　the　cat　was　hissing　its　loudest　Burgess　laughing　his　hardest；　and　the　wretch　on　the　triangles　filling　the　air　with　his　cries；　North　saw　Kirkland　look　at　him　with　what　he　thought　a　smile。　Was　it　a　smile？　　He　leapt　forward；　and　uttered　a　cry　of　dismay　so　loud　that　all　turned。
  〃Hullo！〃　says　Troke；　running　to　the　heap　of　clothes；　〃the　young　'un's　slipped　his　wind！〃
  Kirkland　was　dead。
  〃Throw　him　off！〃　says　Burgess；　aghast　at　the　unfortunate　accident；　and　Gabbett　reluctantly　untied　the　thongs　that　bound　Rufus　Dawes。　Two　constables　were　alongside　him　in　an　instant；　for　sometimes　newly　tortured　men　grew　desperate。　　This　one；　however；　was　silent　with　the　last　lash；　only　in　taking　his　shirt　from　under　the　body　of　the　boy；　he　muttered；　〃Dead！〃　and　in　his　tone　there　seemed　to　be　a　touch　of　envy。　　Then；　flinging　his　shirt　over　his　bleeding　shoulders；　he　walked　outdefiant　to　the　last。
  〃Game；　ain't　he？〃　said　one　constable　to　the　other；　as　they　pushed　him；　not　ungently；　into　an　empty　cell；　there　to　wait　for　the　hospital　guard。　The　body　of　Kirkland　was　taken　away　in　silence；　and　Burgess　turned　rather　pale　when　he　saw　North's　threatening　face。
  〃It　isn't　my　fault；　Mr。　North；〃　he　said。　　〃I　didn't　know　that　the　lad　was　chicken…hearted。〃　But　North　turned　away　in　disgust；　and　Macklewain　and　Burgess　pursued　their　homeward　route　together。
  〃Strange　that　he　should　drop　like　that；〃　said　the　Commandant。
  〃Yes；　unless　he　had　any　internal　disease；〃　said　the　surgeon。
  〃Disease　of　the　heart；　for　instance；〃　said　Burgess。
  〃I'll　post…mortem　him　and　see。〃
  〃Come　in　and　have　a　nip；　Macklewain。　　I　feel　quite　qualmish；〃　said　Burgess。　　And　the　two　went　into　the　house　amid　respectful　salutes　from　either　side。　　Mr。　North；　in　agony　of　mind　at　what　he　considered　the　consequence　of　his　neglect；　slowly；　and　with　head　bowed　down；　as　one　bent　on　a　painful　errand；　went　to　see　the　prisoner　who　had　survived。　He　found　him　kneeling　on　the　ground；　prostrated。　　〃Rufus　Dawes。〃
  At　the　low　tone　Rufus　Dawes　looked　up；　and；　seeing　who　it　was；　waved　him　off。
  〃Don't　speak　to　me；〃　he　said；　with　an　imprecation　that　made　North's　flesh　creep。　　〃I've　told　you　what　I　think　of　youa　hypocrite；　who　stands　by　while　a　man　is　cut　to　pieces；　and　then　comes　and　whines　religion　to　him。〃
  North　stood　in　the　centre　of　the　cell；　with　his　arms　hanging　down；　and　his　head　bent。
  〃You　are　right；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　tone。　　〃I　must　seem　to　you　a　hypocrite。　I　a　servant　of　Christ？　　A　besotted　beast　rather！　　I　am　not　come　to　whine　religion　to　you。　　I　am　come　toto　ask　your　pardon。　I　might　have　saved　you　from　punishmentsaved　that　poor　boy　from　death。　I　wanted　to　save　him；　God　knows！　　But　I　have　a　vice；　I　am　a　drunkard。　I　yielded　to　my　temptation；　andI　was　too　late。　　I　come　to　you　as　one　sinful　man　to　another；　to　ask　you　to　forgive　me。〃　And　North　suddenly　flung　himself　down　beside　the　convict；　and；　catching　his　blood…bespotted　hands　in　his　own；　cried；　〃Forgive　me；　brother！〃
  Rufus　Dawes；　too　much　astonished　to　speak；　bent　his　black　eyes　upon　the　man　who　crouched　at　his　feet；　and　a　ray　of　divine　pity　penetrated　his　gloomy　soul。　　He　seemed　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　misery　more　profound　than　his　own；　and　his　stubborn　heart　felt　human　sympathy　with　this　erring　brother。　　〃Then　in　this　hell　there　is　yet　a　man；〃　said　he；　and　a　hand…grasp　passed　between　these　two　unhappy　beings。　North　arose；　and；　with　averted　face；　passed　quickly　from　the　cell。　Rufus　Dawes　looked　at　his　hand　which　his　strange　visitor　had　taken；　and　something　glittered　there。　　It　was　a　tear。　　He　broke　down　at　the　sight　of　it；　and　when　the　guard　came　to　fetch　the　tameless　convict；　they　found　him　on　his　knees　in　a　corner；　sobbing　like　a　child。
  CHAPTER　XVI。
  KICKING　AGAINST　THE　PRICKS。
  The　morning　after　this；　the　Rev。　Mr。　North　departed　in　the　schooner　for　Hobart　Town。　　Between　the　officious　chaplain　and　the　Commandant　the　events　of　the　previous　day　had　fixed　a　great　gulf。　　Burgess　knew　that　North　meant　to　report　the　death　of　Kirkland；　and　guessed　that　he　would　not　be　backward　in　relating　the　story　to　such　persons　in　Hobart　Town　as　would　most　readily　repeat　it。　　〃Blank　awkward　the　fellow's　dying；〃　he　confessed　to　himself。　　〃If　he　hadn't　died；　nobody　would　have　bothered　about　him。〃　A　sinister　truth。　North；　on　the　other　hand；　comforted　himself　with　the　belief　that　the　fact　of　the　convict's　death　under　the　lash　would　cause　indignation　and　subsequent　inquiry。　　〃The　truth　must　come　out　if　they　only　ask；〃　thought　he。　　Self…deceiving　North！　　Four　years　a　Government　chaplain；　and　not　yet　attained　to　a　knowledge　of　a　Government's　method　of　〃asking〃　about　such　matters！　　Kirkland's　mangled　flesh　would　have　fed　the　worms　before　the　ink　on　the　last　〃minute〃　from　deliberating　Authority　was　dry。
  Burgess；　however；　touched　with　selfish　regrets；　determined　to　baulk　the　parson　at　the　outset。　　He　would　send　down　an　official　〃return〃　of　the　unfortunate　occurrence　by　the　same　vessel　that　carried　his　enemy；　and　thus　get　the　ear　of　the　Office。　　Meekin；　walking　on　the　evening　of　the　flogging　past　the　wooden　shed　where　the　body　lay；　saw　Troke　bearing　buckets　filled　with　dark…coloured　water；　and　heard　a　great　splashing　and　sluicing　going　on　inside　the　hut。　〃What　is　the　matter？〃　he　asked。
  〃Doctor's　bin　post…morticing　the　prisoner　what　was　flogged　this　morning；　sir；〃　said　Troke；　〃and　we're　cleanin'　up。〃
  Meekin　sickened；　and　walked　on。　　He　had　heard　that　unhappy　Kirkland　possessed　unknown　disease　of　the　heart；　and　had　unhappily　died　before　receiving　his　allotted　punishment。　　His　duty　was　to　comfort　Kirkland's　soul；　he　had　nothing　to　do　with　Kirkland's　slovenly　unhandsome　body；　and　so　he　went　for　a　walk　on　the　pier；　that　the　breeze　might　blow　his　momentary　sickness　away　from　him。　On　the　pier　he　saw　North　talking　to　Father　Flaherty；　the　Roman　Catholic　chaplain。　　Meekin　had　been　taught　to　look　upon　a　priest　as　a　shepherd　might　look　upon　a　wolf；　and　passed　with　a　distant　bow。　The　pair　were　apparently　talking　on　the　occurrence　of　the　morning；　for　he　heard　Father　Flaherty　say；　with　a　shrug　of　his　round　shoulders；　〃He　woas　not　one　of　moi　people；　Mr。　North；　and　the　Govermint　would　not　suffer　me　to　interfere　with　matters　relating　to　Prhotestint　prisoners。〃　〃The　wretched　creature　was　a　Protestant；〃　thought　Meekin。　〃At　least　then　his　immortal　soul　was　not　endangered　by　belief　in　the　damnable　heresies　of　the　Church　of　Rome。〃　So　he　passed　on；　giving　good…humoured　Denis　Flaherty；　the　son　of　the　butter…merchant　of　Kildrum；　a　wide　berth　and　sea…room；　lest　he　should　pounce　down　upon　him　unawares；　and　with　Jesuitical　argument　and　silken　softness　of　speech；　convert　him　by　force　to　his　own　state　of　erroras　was　the　well…known　custom　of　those　intellectual　gladiators；　the　Priests　of　the　Catholic　Faith。　North；　on　his　side；　left　Flaherty　with　regret。　　He　had　spent　many　a　pleasant　hour　with　him；　and　knew　him　for　a　narrow…minded；　conscientious；　yet　laughter…loving　creature；　whose　God　was　neither　his　belly　nor　his　breviary；　but　sometimes　in　one　place　and　sometimes　in　the　other；　according　to　the　hour　of　the　day；　and　the　fasts　appointed　for　due　mortification　of　the　flesh。　　〃A　man　who　would　do　Christian　work　in　a　jog…trot　parish；　or　where　men　lived　too　easily　to　sin　harshly；　but　utterly　unfit　to　cope　with　Satan；　as　the　British　Government　had　transported　him；〃　was　North's　sadly　satirical　reflection　upon　Father　Flaherty；　as　Port　Arthur　faded　into　indistinct　beauty　behind　the　swift…sailing　schooner。　　〃God　help　those　poor　villains；　for　neither　parson　nor　priest　can。〃
  He　was　right。　　North；　the　drunkard　and　self…tormented；　had　a　power　for　good；　of　which　Meekin　and　the　other　knew　nothing。　　Not　merely　were　the　men　incompetent　and　self…indulgent；　but　they　understood　nothing　of　that　frightful　capacity　for　agony　which　is　deep　in　the　soul　of　every　evil…doer。　　They　might　strike　the　rock　as　they　chose　with　sharpest…pointed　machine…made　pick　of　warranted　Gospel　manufacture；　stamped　with　the　approval　of　eminent　divines　of　all　ages；　but　the　water　of　repentance　and　remorse　would　not　gush　for　them。　They　possessed　not　the　frail　rod　which　alone　was　powerful　to　charm。　They　had　no　sympathy；　no　knowledge；　no　experience。　　He　who　would　touch　the　hearts　of　men　must　have　had　his　own　heart　seared。　　The　missionaries　of　mankind　have　ever　been　great　sinners　before　they　earned　the　divine　right　to　heal　and　bless。　　Their　weakness　was　made　their　strength；　and　out　of　their　own　agony　of　repentance　came　the　knowledge　which　made　them　masters　and　saviours　of　their　kind。　　It　was　the　agony　of　the　Garden　and　the　Cross　that　gave　to　the　world's　Preacher　His　kingdom　in　the　hearts　of　men。　　The　crown　of　divinity　is　a　crown　of　thorns。
  North；　on　his　arrival；　went　straight　to　the　house　of　Major　Vickers。　〃I　have　a　complaint　to　make；　sir；〃　he　said。　　〃I　wish　to　lodge　it　formally　with　you。　　A　prisoner　has　been　flogged　to　death　at　Port　Arthur。　I　saw　it　done。〃
  Vickers　bent　his　brow。　　〃A　serious　accusation；　Mr。　North。　　I　must；　of　course；　receive　it　with　respect；　coming　from　you；　but　I　trust　that　you　have　fully　considered　the　circumstances　of　the　case。　　I　always　understood　Captain　Burgess　was　a　most　humane　man。〃
  North　shook　his　head。　　He　would　not　accuse　Burgess。　　He　would　let　the　events　speak　f