the official continued: “as the man left to do my bidding i said to myself: ‘he has gone to bring in my brother for me to sentence to hard labor. what shall i do? i do not feel as if i could utter the words.’
“i was completely upset. i experienced a most peculiar feeling. i thought: ‘here he comes. i must do my duty.’
“i said to the prisoner: ‘come in, sir. and how do your feel this morning?’
“now, the devil take the mon who is two-faced! i brought the prisoner here to be put to work. instead of that, he is having a nice visit with him. inquiring about his health!’ pat was heard mumbling to himself.
“‘well, sir, i am going to see if you can do the work i will give you to do. i am going to have you take care of the prisoners in seeing that they have water to drink. now, i will give you instructions. you understand the rules[81] of the prison, and i hope that you will abide by them. do not speak to any of your fellow-prisoners. you will be passing back and forth around each working booth. they understand how to ask for water, if they wish any.’
“‘pat, you may show him the way. and see that you do not burden him with a heavy load. now you may go.’
“‘well, come along here, pet. i will give you a quart bucket which is light to carry, and if i happen to be going your way, i will help you carry it.’
“i hoped that at last we had found a place which the prisoner could fill. i felt somewhat at ease. i felt that i had done my duty to my brother as well as i could under the circumstances. i hoped that my arrangements would please him and also please the superior officer when he returned. and, by the way, it was time for him to return. i wondered if he had enjoyed his vacation.
“‘well, your honor.’
“‘what is it, pat?’
“‘your pet has refused to carry a full bucket of water, and stands there and looks at it as if he never saw water before. he will not speak a word. i do believe he is petrified—turned to[82] one of those things which looks like a man and is a dead one.’
“‘pat, i can hardly believe you. i shall have to see for myself. close the door behind us. we can not leave it unlocked to tempt our prisoners.
“‘you are falsifying, pat. is not that the fellow, going there with that bucket of water?’
“‘to be sure it is.’
“‘then why did you come to me with such reports?’
“‘i came with the truth, your honor, and if the man can be dead one minute and alive the next, then i want to deal with the live ones all the toime.’
“‘you perhaps do not understand how to handle him.’
“‘and faith, i think the majority of them is in the same fix. they have had the same experience themselves.’
“‘well, as long as everything is all right, we will try and rest easy.’
“‘you are resting easy now. but when the superintendent comes back and finds that when he has left orders to punish a convict you favor him, i think you will have to find yourself another job.’
[83]
“when the superintendent entered, i experienced a feeling of relief. i exclaimed: ‘well, well! back, and looking fine. i was thinking of you this morning, hoping that you were having a good rest.’
“‘i did not rest much, for reasons that i will explain. i have here a letter, which i received before i left. it purports to have been written by the murderer for whom no. 78 is serving time.’
“‘you have such a letter? but why do you look so excited?’
“‘have you had any trouble with the prisoner?’
“‘well, yes and no.’
“‘what is the trouble? you answer me both ways.’
“‘i have placed him to work, and after i had done so i was informed that he refused to work. i was anxious to see for myself, and when i went to investigate, i found him doing his duty. therefore that is why i answered you as i did.’
“‘to hard labor, as i instructed you to do?’
“‘well, yes, hard labor for him, as he explained that he had never done any hard labor.[84] i hope that you will be pleased with the work i have given him to do.’
“‘and what work has he been instructed to do?’
“‘i have given—well, i thought he could be very useful in doing such work as that, and i asked pat to start him at once.’
“‘yes, yes; i think that is a good job. call pat. push button no. 9. pat is an irishman who will tell the truth.’
“‘you are very nervous. i have noticed your peculiar actions ever since we began to talk of this affair.’
“‘good mornin’, your honor. i am very glad to see that you have returned.’
“‘i am glad to be here. pat, what has become of no. 78? is he working? i hope to have some knowledge of him when you have finished talking. i have not been able to find out much through mr. pearson, here.’
“well, sir, i am only here to do as directed, and i follow instructions to the letter, and if i am told to go out and bate a fellow to death, i would do it, so in this case i did as i was instructed to do.’
“‘you are a noble officer, sir. i think you have been requested to tell me what has become[85] of no. 78. as yet you have not followed your instructions.’
“‘i will bring the rascal in here and let him tell you what he is doing.’
“‘is he running at large, doing nothing?’
“‘yes, sir, and has the privilege of carrying some water along to take a drink when he gets thirsty.’
“‘bring him here. i will try to find out from him what orders have been given him.
“‘i am going to see if i can solve this mystery. mr. pearson, are you ill? you are looking very pale. do you feel ill? what is the matter? are you faint?
“‘come along, pat, step lively. bring your prisoner in, and call doctor gray. mr. pearson is very ill.’
“the prisoner entered, saying: ‘i am so glad to see you here and see you looking so refreshed.’
“‘yes, i think i shall hold my fresh looks a long time here and have a myth, like you, to deal with.’
“‘i beg your pardon, sir, i have not caused you any trouble. i am not disobeying the rules. i never have.’
[86]
“‘you are doing what now?’
“‘i am carrying water for my fellow-prisoners to have a drink, as they need water so often.’
“‘come in, doctor. i have a patient here for you. mr. pearson is very ill.’
“at that moment i lost consciousness.”
