re　him　a　new　danger；　a　new　mouth　to　share　the　scanty　provision；　and　snatching　a　brand　from　the　fire　he　kept　the　convict　at　bay。　But　Rufus　Dawes；　glaring　round　with　wolfish　eyes；　caught　sight　of　the　damper　resting　against　the　iron　kettle；　and　made　a　clutch　at　it。　　Frere　dashed　the　brand　in　his　face。　　〃Stand　back！〃　he　cried。　　〃We　have　no　food　to　spare！〃
  The　convict　uttered　a　savage　cry；　and　raising　the　iron　gad；　plunged　forward　desperately　to　attack　this　new　enemy；　but；　quick　as　thought；　the　child　glided　past　Frere；　and；　snatching　the　loaf；　placed　it　in　the　hands　of　the　starving　man；　with　〃Here；　poor　prisoner；　eat！〃　and　then；　turning　to　Frere；　she　cast　upon　him　a　glance　so　full　of　horror；　indignation；　and　surprise；　that　the　man　blushed　and　threw　down　the　brand。
  As　for　Rufus　Dawes；　the　sudden　apparition　of　this　golden…haired　girl　seemed　to　have　transformed　him。　　Allowing　the　loaf　to　slip　through　his　fingers；　he　gazed　with　haggard　eyes　at　the　retreating　figure　of　the　child；　and　as　it　vanished　into　the　darkness　outside　the　circle　of　firelight；　the　unhappy　man　sank　his　face　upon　his　blackened；　horny　hands；　and　burst　into　tears。
  CHAPTER　XII。
  〃MR。〃　DAWES。
  The　coarse　tones　of　Maurice　Frere　roused　him。　　〃What　do　you　want？〃　he　asked。　Rufus　Dawes；　raising　his　head；　contemplated　the　figure　before　him；　and　recognized　it。　　〃Is　it　you？〃　he　said　slowly。
  〃What　do　you　mean？　　Do　you　know　me？〃　asked　Frere；　drawing　back。　But　the　convict　did　not　reply。　　His　momentary　emotion　passed　away；　the　pangs　of　hunger　returned；　and　greedily　seizing　upon　the　piece　of　damper；　he　began　to　eat　in　silence。
  〃Do　you　hear；　man？〃　repeated　Frere；　at　length。　　〃What　are　you？〃
  〃An　escaped　prisoner。　　You　can　give　me　up　in　the　morning。　　I've　done　my　best；　and　I'm　beat。〃
  The　sentence　struck　Frere　with　dismay。　　The　man　did　not　know　that　the　settlement　had　been　abandoned！
  〃I　cannot　give　you　up。　　There　is　no　one　but　myself　and　a　woman　and　child　on　the　settlement。〃　　Rufus　Dawes；　pausing　in　his　eating；　stared　at　him　in　amazement。　　〃The　prisoners　have　gone　away　in　the　schooner。　If　you　choose　to　remain　free；　you　can　do　so　as　far　as　I　am　concerned。　I　am　as　helpless　as　you　are。〃
  〃But　how　do　you　come　here？〃
  Frere　laughed　bitterly。　　To　give　explanations　to　convicts　was　foreign　to　his　experience；　and　he　did　not　relish　the　task。　　In　this　case；　however；　there　was　no　help　for　it。　　〃The　prisoners　mutinied　and　seized　the　brig。〃
  〃What　brig？〃
  〃The　Osprey。〃
  A　terrible　light　broke　upon　Rufus　Dawes；　and　he　began　to　understand　how　he　had　again　missed　his　chance。　　〃Who　took　her？〃
  〃That　double…dyed　villain；　John　Rex；〃　says　Frere；　giving　vent　to　his　passion。　〃May　she　sink；　and　burn；　and〃
  〃Have　they　gone；　then？〃　cried　the　miserable　man；　clutching　at　his　hair　with　a　gesture　of　hopeless　rage。
  〃Yes；　two　days　ago；　and　left　us　here　to　starve。〃　Rufus　Dawes　burst　into　a　laugh　so　discordant　that　it　made　the　other　shudder。　〃We'll　starve　together；　Maurice　Frere；〃　said　he；　〃for　while　you've　a　crust；　I'll　share　it。　　If　I　don't　get　liberty；　at　least　I'll　have　revenge！〃
  The　sinister　aspect　of　this　famished　savage；　sitting　with　his　chin　on　his　ragged　knees；　rocking　himself　to　and　fro　in　the　light　of　the　fire；　gave　Mr。　Maurice　Frere　a　new　sensation。　　He　felt　as　might　have　felt　that　African　hunter　who；　returning　to　his　camp　fire；　found　a　lion　there。　〃Wretch！〃　said　he；　shrinking　from　him；　〃why　should　you　wish　to　be　revenged　on　me？〃
  The　convict　turned　upon　him　with　a　snarl。　　〃Take　care　what　you　say！　I'll　have　no　hard　words。　　Wretch！　　If　I　am　a　wretch；　who　made　me　one？　If　I　hate　you　and　myself　and　the　world；　who　made　me　hate　it？　I　was　born　freeas　free　as　you　are。　　Why　should　I　be　sent　to　herd　with　beasts；　and　condemned　to　this　slavery；　worse　than　death？　　Tell　me　that；　Maurice　Freretell　me　that！〃　〃I　didn't　make　the　laws；〃　says　Frere；　〃why　do　you　attack　me？〃
  〃Because　you　are　what　I　was。　　You　are　FREE！　　You　can　do　as　you　please。　You　can　love；　you　can　work；　you　can　think。　　I　can　only　hate！〃　He　paused　as　if　astonished　at　himself；　and　then　continued；　with　a　low　laugh。　〃Fine　words　for　a　convict；　eh！　　But；　never　mind；　it's　all　right；　Mr。　Frere；　we're　equal　now；　and　I　sha'n't　die　an　hour　sooner　than　you；　though　you　are　a　'free　man'！〃
  Frere　began　to　think　that　he　was　dealing　with　another　madman。
  〃Die！　　There's　no　need　to　talk　of　dying；〃　he　said；　as　soothingly　as　it　was　possible　for　him　to　say　it。　　〃Time　enough　for　that　by…and…by。〃
  〃There　spoke　the　free　man。　　We　convicts　have　an　advantage　over　you　gentlemen。　You　are　afraid　of　death；　we　pray　for　it。　　It　is　the　best　thing　that　can　happen　to　us。　　Die！　　They　were　going　to　hang　me　once。　I　wish　they　had。　　My　God；　I　wish　they　had！〃
  There　was　such　a　depth　of　agony　in　this　terrible　utterance　that　Maurice　Frere　was　appalled　at　it。　　〃There；　go　and　sleep；　my　man；〃　he　said。　〃You　are　knocked　up。　　We'll　talk　in　the　morning。〃
  〃Hold　on　a　bit！〃　cried　Rufus　Dawes；　with　a　coarseness　of　manner　altogether　foreign　to　that　he　had　just　assumed。　　〃Who's　with　ye？〃
  〃The　wife　and　daughter　of　the　Commandant；〃　replied　Frere；　half　afraid　to　refuse　an　answer　to　a　question　so　fiercely　put。
  〃No　one　else？〃
  〃No。〃　〃Poor　souls！〃　said　the　convict；　〃I　pity　them。〃　And　then　he　stretched　himself；　like　a　dog；　before　the　blaze；　and　went　to　sleep　instantly。　　Maurice　Frere；　looking　at　the　gaunt　figure　of　this　addition　to　the　party；　was　completely　puzzled　how　to　act。　　Such　a　character　had　never　before　come　within　the　range　of　his　experience。　　He　knew　not　what　to　make　of　this　fierce；　ragged；　desperate　man；　who　wept　and　threatened　by　turnswho　was　now　snarling　in　the　most　repulsive　bass　of　the　convict　gamut；　and　now　calling　upon　Heaven　in　tones　which　were　little　less　than　eloquent。　At　first　he　thought　of　precipitating　himself　upon　the　sleeping　wretch　and　pinioning　him；　but　a　second　glance　at　the　sinewy；　though　wasted；　limbs　forbade　him　to　follow　out　the　rash　suggestion　of　his　own　fears。　Then　a　horrible　promptingarising　out　of　his　former　cowardice　made　him　feel　for　the　jack…knife　with　which　one　murder　had　already　been　committed。　　Their　stock　of　provisions　was　so　scanty；　and　after　all；　the　lives　of　the　woman　and　child　were　worth　more　than　that　of　this　unknown　desperado！　　But；　to　do　him　justice；　the　thought　no　sooner　shaped　itself　than　he　crushed　it　out。　　〃We'll　wait　till　morning；　and　see　how　he　shapes；〃　said　Frere　to　himself；　and　pausing　at　the　brushwood　barricade；　behind　which　the　mother　and　daughter　were　clinging　to　each　other；　he　whispered　that　he　was　on　guard　outside；　and　that　the　absconder　slept。　But　when　morning　dawned；　he　found　that　there　was　no　need　for　alarm。　The　convict　was　lying　in　almost　the　same　position　as　that　in　which　he　had　left　him；　and　his　eyes　were　closed。　　His　threatening　outbreak　of　the　previous　night　had　been　produced　by　the　excitement　of　his　sudden　rescue；　and　he　was　now　incapable　of　violence。　　Frere　advanced；　and　shook　him　by　the　shoulder。
  〃Not　alive！〃　cried　the　poor　wretch；　waking　with　a　start；　and　raising　his　arm　to　strike。　　〃Keep　off！〃
  〃It's　all　right；〃　said　Frere。　　〃No　one　is　going　to　harm　you。　　Wake　up。〃
  Rufus　Dawes　glanced　around　him　stupidly；　and　then　remembering　what　had　happened；　with　a　great　effort；　he　staggered　to　his　feet。　〃I　thought　they'd　got　me！〃　he　said；　〃but　it's　the　other　way；　I　see。　Come；　let's　have　breakfast；　Mr。　Frere。　　I'm　hungry。〃
  〃You　must　wait；〃　said　Frere。　　〃Do　you　think　there　is　no　one　here　but　yourself？〃
  Rufus　Dawes；　swaying　to　and　fro　from　weakness；　passed　his　shred　of　a　cuff　over　his　eyes。　　〃I　don't　know　anything　about　it。　　I　only　know　I'm　hungry。〃
  Frere　stopped　short。　　Now　or　never　was　the　time　to　settle　future　relations。　Lying　awake　in　the　night；　with　the　jack…knife　ready　to　his　hand；　he　had　decided　on　the　course　of　action　that　must　be　adopted。　The　convict　should　share　with　the　rest；　but　no　more。　　If　he　rebelled　at　that；　there　must　be　a　trial　of　strength　between　them。　　〃Look　you　here；〃　he　said。　〃We　have　but　barely　enough　food　to　serve　us　until　help　comesif　it　does　come。　I　have　the　care　of　that　poor　woman　and　child；　and　I　will　see　fair　play　for　their　sakes。　　You　shall　share　with　us　to　our　last　bit　and　drop；　but；　by　Heaven；　you　shall　get　no　more。〃
  The　convict；　stretching　out　his　wasted　arms；　looked　down　upon　them　with　the　uncertain　gaze　of　a　drunken　man。　　〃I　am　weak　now；〃　he　said。　〃You　have　the　best　of　me〃；　and　then　he　sank　suddenly　down　upon　the　ground；　exhausted。　　〃Give　me　a　drink；〃　he　moaned；　feebly　motioning　with　his　hand。　Frere　got　him　water　in　the　pannikin；　and　having　drunk　it；　he　smiled　and　lay　down　to　sleep　again。　　Mrs。　Vickers　and　Sylvia；　coming　out　while　he　still　slept；　recognized　him　as　the　desperado　of　the　settlement。
  〃He　was　the　most　desperate　man　we　had；〃　said　Mrs。　Vickers；　identifying　herself　with　her　husband。　　〃Oh；　what　shall　we　do？〃
  〃He　won't　do　much　harm；〃　returned　Frere；　looking　down　at　the　notorious　ruffian　with　curiosity。　　〃He's　as　near　dead　as　can　be。〃
  Sylvia　looked　up　at　him　with　her　clear　child's　glance。　　〃We　mustn't　let　him　die；〃　said　she。　　〃That　would　be　murder。〃　　〃No；　no；〃　returned　Frere；　hastily；　〃no　one　wants　him　to　die。　　But　what　can　we　do？〃
  〃I'll　nurse　him！〃　cried　Sylvia。
  Frere　broke　into　one　of　his　coarse　laughs；　the　first　one　that