The stranger stepped up to the wall over the fire-place. “Before I begin I wish to make a few marks, which I will explain in process of time. My story is connected with these.” He took his charcoal and made upon the wall the following marks: [Illustration: ^ /|\ [three lines, forming short arrow] R [sans-serif R] + [plus sign] ] He then turned, and stood for a moment in silence. The effect upon Clark was appalling. His face turned livid, his arms clutched violently at the seat of his chair, his jaw fell, and his eyes were fixed on the marks as though fascinated by them. The stranger appeared to take no notice of him. “These marks,” said he, “were, or rather are, upon the back of a friend of mine, about whom I am going to tell a little story. “The first (/|\) is the Queen’s mark, put on certain prisoners out in Botany Bay, who are totally insubordinate. “The second (R) signifies ‘run away,’ and is put on those who have attempted to escape. “The third (+) indicates a murderous assault on the guards. When they don’t hang the culprit they put this on, and those who are branded in this way have nothing but hard work, in chains for life. “These marks are on the back of a friend of mine, whose name I need not mention, but for convenience sake I will call him Clark.” Clark didn’t even resent this, but sat mute, with a face of awful expectation. “My friend Clark had led a life of strange vicissitudes,” said the stranger, “having slipped through the meshes of the law very successfully a great number of times, but finally he was caught, and sent to Botany Bay. He served his time out, and left; but, finally, after a series of very extraordinary adventures in India, and some odd events in the Indian Ocean, he came to England. Bad luck followed him, however. He made an attempt at burglary, and was caught, convicted, and sent back again to his old station at Botany Bay. “Of course he felt a strong reluctance to stay in such a place, and therefore began to plan an escape; he made one attempt, which was unsuccessful. He then laid a plot with two other notorious offenders. Each of these three had been branded with those letters which I have marked. One of these was named Stubbs, and another Wilson, the third was this Clark. No one knew how they met to make their arrangements, for the prison regulations are very strict; but; they did meet, and managed to confer together. They contrived to get rid of the chains that were fastened around their ankles, and one stormy night they started off and made a run for it. “The next day the guards were out in pursuit with dogs. They went all day long on their track over a very rough country, and finally came to a river. Here they prepared to pass the night.