piness and freedom and content, while I am here in
misery and bondage and these ropes. But there will be a reckoning
between us yet. I know there will. I swear there will. As sure as
there is a God in Heaven, that man and I will one day stand together
face to face."

Then Michael Sunlocks took both Jason's hands.

"My brother," he cried fervently. "Brother now more than ever;
brother in suffering, brother in weakness, brother in strength."

"Silence there!" shouted the warders, and the two men were separated
for the night.

The wound in the hand of Michael Sunlocks grew yet more painful, and
he slept even less than before. Next day the power of life was low in
him, and seeing this, Jason said, when the warders stepped up to lash
them together, "He is ill, and not fit to go out. Let me work alone
to-day. I'll do enough for both of us."

But no heed was paid to Jason's warning, and Michael Sunlocks was
driven out by his side. All that day, the third of their life
together, they worked with difficulty, for the wound in the hand of
Sunlocks was not only a trouble to himself but an impediment to Jason
also. Yet Jason gave no hint of that, but kept the good spade going
constantly, with a smile on his face through the sweat that stood on
it, and little stolen words of comfort and cheer. And when the heat
was strongest, and Sunlocks would have stumbled and fallen, Jason
contrived a means to use both their spades together, only requiring
that Sunlocks should stoop when he stooped, that the warders might
think he was still working. But their artifice was discovered, and
all that came of it was that they were watched the closer and driven
the harder during the hours that remained of that day.

Next day, the fourth of their direful punishment, Sunlocks rose weak
and trembling, and scarce able to stand erect. And with what spirit
he could summon up he called upon the warders to look upon him and
see how feeble he was, and say if it was fair to his yoke-fellow that
they should compel him to do the work of two men and drag a human
body after him. But the warders only laughed at his protest, and once
again he was driven out by Jason's side.

Long and heavy were the hours that followed, but Sunlocks, being once
started on his way, bore up under it very bravely, murmuring as
little as he might, out of thought for Jason. And Jason helped along
his stumbling footsteps as well as he could for the arm that was
bound to him. And seei