The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1885-08-07

feturnto thei. cells, Were occurred MOI
ments when man might make move
without being seen by the warder. Surely
he would have time to step into the portal
near the doctors room, rap aud enter
Then-woe 10 the doctor An exchange
OF garb, most likely of compulsory char
acter, must take place
AS if fortune favored him, on the dov
for the attempt, the mist 1 have described
enveloped the mountain prison in its almost
impenetrable fold.
The convicts were delegated to different
kinds of work within the prison. Some
had to put up with the solitude of their
cells In pursuance of the Governors Or
ders, Stephens was not one of these. AS
he could not be drafted out on to the fields,
he was set among the gang in the stone
yard.
He had become used to degradation. Yet,
now that he was forced to drag heavy
CARLOAD of stone along, yoked with villains
whose countenanccs betrayed them, the
shame of his position increased his longing
10 escape. And he was weak, too, terribly
weak the work demanded of him strained
every limb, every nerve
At last, the halEpast twelve bell tinkled,
which told the men to cease labor. Very
soou they were marshalled in files, and
were ready to march back into the interior
quadrangle. When they arrived there, it
was the business Of two warders to stand
near and supcrntend the entry of the con-
sssd1sss.sss,.s
like agigantic factory built OF ssob0, wz6SvS
the cells were placed. Is
Stephens contrived, in stating, to be one
Of the last mcu in the file. He knew then
that WHOM he got into tho quadrangle he
would be very close to the doctors apart
| ments.
DR.. Brands little surgery was irreproach-
able on the score of neatness. The doctor
was there now, having done his work at the
infrmary, and was preparing to leave the
prison, as hc usually did at midday. He
was whistling to himself, whea the door
opened. He was standing with his back
to it, and was surprised that the person,
whoever it was, had not raped Wheel
ing around, he behcld himself facing his
second self, but in convict garb-the fel-
low Stephens, Number 457'-the man
against whom he bore stupid and un-
reasoning grudgc.
There must have been something Of
menace in the mans look.
What business have you here 7? the
Doctor CALCULATED, fiercely.
And at the same moment he involun.
tarily CLAN ced aside to sec what weapon he
had within reach.
Stephens saw the movement If he had
sprung forward and grappled with his
enemy, he might have overpowcred him
but DR.. Brand would be sure to shout, and
bring all the warders in a swarm into tn.
room. To persuade him by entreaties tc
consent to exchange dresses, would be, he
felt, utterly hopeless.
All this whirled through his mind in &
moment. The next, he caught heavy
glass bottle from the nearest shelf, anc
flung it straight at the Doctors head.
The aim was perfect. The victim fel
with thud aud did not rise. Stephens
stood, wondering and potrifed for the mo
ment, and perhaps half remorseful. Then
rccollectiBg the imminent danger he wa
in, he knelt down to disrobe the prostrat,
man.
But there was no'need, for at that mo
meut he caught sight of the inner sanctum
and sawa coat hanging on peg. 1t wa
the Doctors own great-coat. 1t woul,
completely cover the prison trousers that h
was obliged to wear, and pair Of thicI
boots, not of the uumistakablo prison Gu
was under chair. 1t was hardly me
ment's work for the convict to put thes
boots on his feet, to button very closel
around him the Doctors great coat, and +
open the door and walk boldly out into tn
quadrangle.
Apparently his absence had not bee
discovered. No warder was in sight
J There wero the Two gates to be passed be