Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-03-02

qu."t and gone on So steadily with
"ur WVrk. that the Warirra give Us Il
lit..,. more line than they do the
! o,hrrs: 50 first day w"'r" ont here
and ID fpr comes on. let's make Ii
run for it and get away"
TO be returned and receive more
punishment" lie said, bitterly No.
1t Is impos-ihle."
NO it isn't" | says Lets make
a try for it, and try and get ont of
the country l can get some money
sent me. and we could begin again.
Poor fellow. His face lit up. and
the color came into it. but he
shook his head. and he wouldn't talk
about it any more. for he WAS in too
hopeless a state.
But | thought about it no end, and
kept on waiting and waiting, making
up my mind more and more that !
would have a fry for liberty, and only
hoping for chance.
Six months went by, and, as often
is the case. just when l wasn't ex
pecting it. the chance came
800 and me. and dozen more had
been marched off to rough part of
the moor, and We were working away
Just as We had often worked before.
1t was a glorious morning. with the
heath all purple and the gorse yellow
and the larks singing and tho chats
twttcrlny. and ont at sea the ships
and steamers and fishing boats dotted
about as far as the eye could see.
Then all Z. Cu"H. and, like a, does
happen in those parts. ! saw the mist
| sweeping over tho moor. and knew
that in Il quarter of an hour we should
be in Il thick fog.
The w9rlcrs were SO busy with the
ganS who were down III a hollow.
that they didn't see the fog till il
was close upon us, though L had seen
il from the first. being up ut the top
of the cutting. working away with
800. But still l had not thought
about making a run for it. but had
been talking away quietly to my
mate about birds and fishing boats,
and all sorts of things. till all at
once the war,ler saw the fog, just as
it rolled down into the hollow
Here you. 500, why didn't you say
there was fog coming?' one of the
wardcrs shouted.
Fall in there shouted the other.
and they made ready to march lis
quickly back to the prison. when all
at once, just rs l was going to lower
myself down. there was shout and
a yell. and l knew what was the
matter.
Halt, OF fire. said one of the
warders.
Stop there, every man." shouted
the other: and l heard the click" :"
''click," twice over. of the rifles being
cooked; and then there was a flash of
light, the fog seemed to be cut for n
moment, and then there was the dull.
smotherod report of the pieces
Now for it mate" l whispered,
gripping 500 by the arm. ave
shan't get another chance
NO" he said in low voice, and
one of the waders heard us.
Down here. you two; quickw he
shouted: but he couldn't see us. and
we couldn't see him, for tho thick
white mist
Yes" ! whispered, "now for it."
and l made drag at his arm; but
he resisted fiercely.
Its of no use, man." he said
hoarsely." we should he shot down.
Risk it for the sake af your wife,"
l Kissed in his ear. for it was the
first thing | thought of. and he ut
tered a low fierce cry, and, gripping
my hand, he stopped down. and we
crept away through the fog. leaving
the warders shouting to us from the
hollow, and couple more shots fired.
Let 'cm fire." | said huskily. for
my mouth and throat felt dry with
excitement: let 'cm shoot. They won t
hit us in hurry"
And then We hurried on as fast as
We could. in and ont amongst the
great lumps of granite, that seemed
to stand up big and strange. while
the fruze clumps looked different
and puZzling as we saw them family
through white mist
We could hear shouting, and twice
more the reports of rifles. and these
sounds were the only guide We had,
for it was impossible to make ont
which way We were going. 1t was
enough for us though to get farther
away from them, and we kept on,
longing to run, but obliged to 20
slowly and cautiously over the
rugged ground. Now we were trip
ping over pieces of stone, now We
were going round great clumps of
heather and furze, and then We We're
wading through pools of water, but
it didn't seem to matter, for we
were free. and if we could only get
a few miles away, and down to the
coast. l hoped that we might hap
pen upon some tishermen's clothes
or boat, and perhaps manage tc
get right away.
Have you any idea which way
we're goingt' said my companion
as we trudged on.
Not bit" said. I'VE might bt
dI Illo DOtlOu vi Iue btd lOT duSuJ
can make out"
Never mind" he said; 'let's pusl
on" Tor he was eager enough nov
that we had made our start. 9Th,
difficulty is We may walk in n circle
and go back to whero we starte,
, FROM
IF we do, we must hide in tn,
heath" | said. I'VE mustn't be takel
again, now we are off; but it will be
narrow squeak, for as soon as the fos
clears away the country people viii
take the alarm, and help to catch us
l think they get a sovereign for ever.
man they take"
But the fog did not clear away
and we kept struggling on withou
, the least idea where we were goin,
to, till. all at once. there was heav,
, dull boom that seemed to shake til,
, ground under our feet, and it cam
} from right in front of US.
1t was the alarm gun. to give no