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 detected false play , and boldly said so . High words passed , Dan 's indignation overcame his prudence ; and when the cheat refused to restore his plunder with insulting words and drawn pistol , Dan 's hot temper flashed out , and he knocked the man down with a blow that sent him crashing head first against a stove , to roll senseless and bleeding to the floor . A wild scene followed , but in the midst of it Dan whispered to the boy : ` Get away , and hold your tongue . Do n't mind me . ' Frightened and bewildered , Blair quitted the city at once , leaving Dan to pass the night in the lock-up , and a few days later to stand in court charged with manslaughter ; for the man was dead . Dan had no friends , and having once briefly told the story , held his peace , anxious to keep all knowledge of this sad affair from those at home . He even concealed his name -- giving that of David Kent , as he had done several times before in emergencies . It was all over very soon ; but as there were extenuating circumstances his sentence was a year in prison , with hard labour . Dazed by the rapidity with which this horrible change in his life came upon him , Dan did not fully realize it till the iron door clanged behind him and he sat alone in a cell as narrow , cold , and silent as a tomb . He knew that a word would bring Mr Laurie to help and comfort him ; but he could not bear to tell of this disgrace , or see 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 he sprang up to pace the stone floor like a caged lion , with a turmoil of wrath and grief , rebellion and remorse , seething in heart and brain , till he felt as if he should go mad and beat upon the walls that shut him away from the liberty which was his life . For days he suffered terribly , then worn out , sank into a black melancholy sadder 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 the chaplain was full of sympathy , and did his hard duty faithfully and tenderly . He laboured with poor Dan , but seemed to make no impression , and was forced to wait till work had soothed the excited nerves and captivity tamed the proud spirit that would suffer but not complain . Dan was put in the brush-shop , and feeling that activity was his only salvation , worked with a feverish energy that 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 's shoulder keeping step with the dreary tramp so different from the ringing tread of soldiers . Silent , gaunt , and grim , Dan did his daily task , ate his bitter bread , and obeyed commands with a rebellious flash of the eye , that made the warden say : ` That 's a dangerous man . Watch him .
He 'll break out some XXXXX . '
Blair Dan Laurie brush-shop daily day first fro manslaughter night