The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-05-07


DEVILS mass What can be easier than to
strike offeach others fetters with the pick
axe when the superintendent is not looking
and the salutes are firing? VIII you ven
ture ?"
"My life r'
"a bargain. Shake hands on it,"
l had never touched his hands in fellow
ship before, and felt as if my own were
blood-stained by the contact. knew by
the sullen fire in his glance that he inter-
preted my faltering touch Alright.
We were reused an hour earlier than
usual the following morning, and went
through general inspection in the prison
yard. Before going TO work, we were
At one o'clock we heard the first far-off sa-
lutes from the ships of war in the harbor.
The sound ran through me like a galvanic
shock. Ono by one the forts took up tho
signal 1t was repeated by the gun-boats
closer in shore. Discharge followed dis
charge, all along the batteries on both sides
of the port, and the air grew thick with
smoke.
GAS the first shot is fred yonder," whis-
pered Gasparo, pointing to the barracks be-
hiud the prison, "striko at the first link of
my chain, close to the ankle"
A rapid suspicion flashed across me.
elf do, how can l be sure that you
will free me afterward? No, Gasparo; you
must deal the first blow"
Gas you please" he cried, with laugh
and an imprecation.
At the same instant came flash from
the battlements of the barrack close by,
and then thunderous reverberation, null
| tiplied again and again by the rocks around.
| AS the roar burst over our heads, / saw
! him strike, and ! felt the fetters fall.
Scarcely had the echo of the first gun died
away when the second was fired. 1t was
now Gasparos turn to be free. l struck,
but less sl1llfully, and had twice to repeat
the blow before breaking the stubborn link.
We then went on apparently, with our
work, standing somewhat closer together,
with the chain huddled up between us. No
one had observed us, and no one, at first
sight, could have detected what we had
done. At the third shot, party of officers
and gentlemen made their appearance at
the bend of the road leading up to the
quarry. In an instant every head was turn
ed in their direction; every felon paused in
his work, every guard presented arms. AT
that moment we flung away our caps and
pickaxes, scaled the rugged bit of cliff on
which we had been toiling, dropped into the
ravine below, and made for the mountain
passes that lead into the valley. Encum-
bered still with the iron anklets to which
our chain had been fastened, we could not
run very swiftly. To add to our difficult
ties the road was uneven, ,strewn with blocks
of fallen granite and tortuous as the wind
ing of snake, Suddenly, on turning a
sharp angle of a projecting cliff, we came
upon a little guard-house and a couple of
sentries. To retreat was impossible. They
presented their pieces and called to us to
surrender. Gasparo turned upon me like a
wolf at bay.
Course you ~ said he dealing me a tre-
meudous blow; "stay and be taken have
always hated you!"
fell as if struck down by sledge-ham-
mer; and, as fell, saw him dash one sol
der to the ground, dart past the other,
heard a shot, and then--all became dark,
and know no more.
When | next opened my eyes l found
myself lying on the floor of small, un-
furnished room, dimly lighted by tiny
window close against the ceiling. it SEEM
ed as if weeks had gone by since lost con-
sciousness had scarcely strength to rise
and, having risen, kept my feet with diff
Guilty. Where my head had lain the hool
was wet with blood. Giddy and perplexed
! loaned against the wall and tried to think
In the first place, where was l =? Evident
ly in no part Of the prison from which
had escaped. There, all was solid stone
and iron grating; here was only whitewash
ed lath and plaster. must be in tho
little-guard house; probably in an uppel
chamber. Where then, were the soldiers
Where was Gasparo? Had j strength Il
Chamber up the window, and if so, in wha
direction did the window look out stOl,
to the door and found ii locked. Listened
breathlessly, but could hear no sound eithe
) below or above. Creeping back again,
} saw the little window was at least four fee
. above my head. The smooth plaster offer
0 cd no projections by which ! could rais'