Chapter 12 92Chapter 12DAN'S CHRISTMASWhere was Dan? In prison. Alas for Mrs Jo! how her heart would have ached if she had known that while oldPlum shone with Christmas cheer her boy sat alone in his cell, trying to read the little book she gave him, witheyes dimmed now and then by the hot tears no physical suffering had ever wrung from him, and longing witha homesick heart for all that he had lost.Yes, Dan was in prison; but no cry for help from him as he faced the terrible strait he was in with the dumbdespair of an Indian at the stake; for his own bosom sin had <strong>br</strong>ought him there, and this was to be the bitterlesson that tamed the lawless spirit and taught him self-control.The story of his downfall is soon told; for it came, as so often happens, just when he felt unusually full of highhopes, good resolutions, and dreams of a better life. On his journey he met a pleasant young fellow, andnaturally felt an interest in him, as Blair was on his way to join his elder <strong>br</strong>others on a ranch in Kansas.Card-playing was going on in the smoking-car, and the lad--for he was barely twenty--tired with the longjourney, beguiled the way with such partners as appeared, being full of spirits, and a little intoxicated with thefreedom of the West. Dan, true to his promise, would not join, but watched with intense interest the gamesthat went on, and soon made up his mind that two of the men were sharpers anxious to fleece the boy, whohad imprudently displayed a well-filled pocket-book. Dan always had a soft spot in his heart for any younger,weaker creature whom he met, and something about the lad reminded him of Teddy; so he kept an eye onBlair, and warned him against his new friends.Vainly, of course; for when all stopped overnight in one of the great cities, Dan missed the boy from the hotelwhither he had taken him for safe-keeping; and learning who had come for him, went to find him, callinghimself a fool for his pains, yet unable to leave the confiding boy to the dangers that surrounded him.He found him gambling in a low place with the men, who were bound to have his money; and by the look ofrelief on Blair's anxious face when he saw him Dan knew without words that things were going badly withhim, and he saw the peril too late.'I can't come yet--I've lost; it's not my money; I must get it back, or I dare not face my <strong>br</strong>others,' whispered thepoor lad, when Dan begged him to get away without further loss. Shame and fear made him desperate; and heplayed on, sure that he could recover the money confided to his care. Seeing Dan's resolute face, keen eye,and travelled air, the sharpers were wary, played fair, and let the boy win a little; but they had no mind to giveup their prey, and finding that Dan stood sentinel at the boy's back, an ominous glance was exchangedbetween them, which meant:'We must get this fellow out of the way.'Dan saw it, and was on his guard; for he and Blair were strangers, evil deeds are easily done in such places,and no tales told. But he would not desert the boy, and still kept watch of every card till he plainly detectedfalse play, and boldly said so. High words passed, Dan's indignation overcame his prudence; and when thecheat refused to restore his plunder with insulting words and drawn pistol, Dan's hot temper flashed out, andhe knocked the man down with a blow that sent him crashing head first against a stove, to roll senseless andbleeding to the floor. A wild scene followed, but in the midst of it Dan whispered to the boy: 'Get away, andhold your tongue. Don't mind me.'Frightened and bewildered, Blair quitted the city at once, leaving Dan to pass the night in the lock-up, and afew days later to stand in court charged with manslaughter; for the man was dead. Dan had no friends, andhaving once <strong>br</strong>iefly told the story, held his peace, anxious to keep all knowledge of this sad affair from those
Chapter 12 93at home. He even concealed his name--giving that of David Kent, as he had done several times before inemergencies. It was all over very soon; but as there were extenuating circumstances his sentence was a year inprison, with hard labour.Dazed by the rapidity with which this horrible change in his life came upon him, Dan did not fully realize ittill the iron door clanged behind him and he sat alone in a cell as narrow, cold, and silent as a tomb. He knewthat a word would <strong>br</strong>ing Mr Laurie to help and comfort him; but he could not bear to tell of this disgrace, orsee the sorrow and the shame it would cause the friends who hoped so much for him.'No,' he said, clenching his fist, 'I'll let them think me dead first. I shall be if I am kept here long'; and hesprang up to pace the stone floor like a caged lion, with a turmoil of wrath and grief, rebellion and remorse,seething in heart and <strong>br</strong>ain, till he felt as if he should go mad and beat upon the walls that shut him away fromthe liberty which was his life. For days he suffered terribly, then worn out, sank into a black melancholysadder to see than his excitement.The warden of this prison was a rough man who had won the ill will of all by unnecessary harshness, but thechaplain was full of sympathy, and did his hard duty faithfully and tenderly. He laboured with poor Dan, butseemed to make no impression, and was forced to wait till work had soothed the excited nerves and captivitytamed the proud spirit that would suffer but not complain.Dan was put in the <strong>br</strong>ush-shop, and feeling that activity was his only salvation, worked with a feverish energythat soon won the approval of the master and the envy of less skilful mates. Day after day he sat in his place,watched by an armed overseer, forbidden any but necessary words, no intercourse with the men beside him,no change but from cell to shop, no exercise but the dreary marches to and fro, each man's hand on the other'sshoulder keeping step with the dreary tramp so different from the ringing tread of soldiers. Silent, gaunt, andgrim, Dan did his daily task, ate his bitter <strong>br</strong>ead, and obeyed commands with a rebellious flash of the eye, thatmade the warden say:'That's a dangerous man. Watch him. He'll <strong>br</strong>eak out some day.'There were others more dangerous than he, because older in crime and ready for any desperate out<strong>br</strong>eak tochange the monotony of long sentences. These men soon divined Dan's mood, and in the mysterious wayconvicts invent, managed to convey to him before a month was over that plans were being made for a mutinyat the first opportunity. Thanksgiving Day was one of the few chances for them to speak together as theyenjoyed an hour of freedom in the prison yard. Then all would be settled and the rash attempt made ifpossible, probably to end in bloodshed and defeat for most, but liberty for a few. Dan had already planned hisown escape and bided his time, growing more and more moody, fierce, and rebellious, as loss of liberty woreupon soul and body; for this sudden change from his free, healthy life to such a narrow, gloomy, andmiserable one, could not but have a terrible effect upon one of Dan's temperament and age.He <strong>br</strong>ooded over his ruined life, gave up all his happy hopes and plans, felt that he could never face dear oldPlumfield again, or touch those friendly hands, with the stain of blood upon his own. He did not care for thewretched man whom he had killed, for such a life was better ended, he thought; but the disgrace of prisonwould never be wiped out of his memory, though the cropped hair would grow again, the grey suit easily bereplaced, and the bolts and bars left far behind.'It's all over with me; I've spoilt my life, now let it go. I'll give up the fight and get what pleasure I cananywhere, anyhow. They shall think me dead and so still care for me, but never know what I am. Poor MotherBhaer! she tried to help me, but it's no use; the fire<strong>br</strong>and can't be saved.'And dropping his head in his hands as he sat on his low bed, Dan would mourn over all he had lost in tearlessmisery, till merciful sleep would comfort him with dreams of the happy days when the boys played together,
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Chapter 4 36Arbaces in The Last Day
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- Page 76 and 77: Chapter 9 76Josie wrote reams to he
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