Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-08-25

agony as the doctor dressed MS WOUNDS.
Ten days later the burns had so far healed
that IS was informed he would be returned
to his cell the next morning, The news took
him little by surprise, as he had calculated
upon longer convalescence, but he was pre-
pared.
A foundryman with sand molds and mol
ten iron at his command finds little trouble |
in manufacturing a key, and better one,
too, than those formed Of knife blades, can
dlestcks, the metal frame Of pictures, or
dozen other unlikely materials, by which |
prison doors have been unlocked and mirac |
| ulous escapes effected The story of Bruce's |
| spider loses all its marvel as one reads our |
prison reports.
Besides the key, IS had possessed him. |
self Of a short, stout bar of iron, which |
he wore bound upon his back when
| he was brought to the hospital and
had since secreted beneath his mattress This
he carried in his right hand as he effected his
escape and had any obstacle presented itself
in human shape, the CLEAN of 35's dark eyes,
and the feline readiness of every motion,
suggested the course events might take and
the consequences likely to ensue.
But by good or i'll fortune, as one views
the question from the side of convict or
keeper, no one was in the way of the well
planned and adroitly executed escape, and in
the darkest hour of black autumnGl night
Nick Baybridge reached the summit of the
wall dividing him from the world,
A temporary staging left by the masons
who were repairing the stone work helped
him to surmount it, but no such aid was to be
expected upon the other side, nor had So been
able to provide himself with a rope, even if
there had been any means of fastening it.
Here's for luckm muttered Nick in lieu of
a PRAYER; and lowering himself from the cop
ing by his hands he hung for moment and
then dropped upon heap of broken iron
castings full of sharp edges and jagged
points
, I'm done for" muttered Nick, grimly
| suppressing a groan of anguish as the sentry
, above his head paced slowly along the wall,
and paused to listen for the sequel of the
voice he had heard.
t II won't die here; won't give them that
, comfort. I'll get to the water and drop over.
\ As good one way as another"
So muttering between his clenched teeth,
l the man, brave as any brute, gathered his
poor broken and bleeding body together and
I trailed it inch by inch along the pavement,
D leaving dismal track behind him. toward
the turbid tide rolling not 800 feet from the
D spot where he had dropped
But the anguish and the exertion were too
8 great, and half way he tainted, and lay
D there, his face upon the earth, half naked
and wounded TO the death-a horrible sight
s An hour went by, and brought the dawn
: Before the dawn had grown to daylight a
b young girl came tripping along the silent
2 ctr nd rauS.A1 at the hafripnipcr of the
d bridge.
"Just s. It's time for father now" said
she, listening for the sound of wheels Then,
9 as nothing was to be heard, she began to look
/, about her, noticing the odd effects of familiar
objects in the half light, and so came upon
k the PROSTATE figure of the dying felon in his
prison dress.
n The dress, the hour, the mangled form
t grouped themselves suggestively in the girls
u quick brain, and her second glance was
u toward the prison walls rising gloomy and
forbidding close behind her. No unusual
stir was apparent, and Louisa Wylie, snatch
ing the gray plaid from her own shoulders
2, threw it over the figure at her feet, murmur-
y ing deiiantly:
IS '.They haven't missed him yet, and they
l shant get him again if / can help it. Poor
o creaturel'
Just then the rumble of wheels passing
> from the paved street to the wooden bridge
= was heard in the distance, and at the SAINT
IS moment poor s. stirred in his swoon anC
moaned drearily. Both were sounds o.
70 promise, and Louisa FASTENED to lay th'
wounded mans head in an easier position
10 and then stood up looking eagerly down tn
: bridge covered country wagon, draw
by comfortable plow horse, was slowly ap
q preaching Louisa could not wait, and raj
y to meet it. Two men were upon the seat, on
a white haired patriarch, the other q goo,
looking young gentleman, who, at sight o
?, the girl, uttered an exclamation of grea
Or surprise, and made a movement as if t
spring to the ground. The old man drew tn
v, reins, exclaiming also in astonshment:
er "Why, Loci how came you here37
Id 81 knew YOU would drive over the bridg
IN on your way into the city with the marke
stuff, and wanted to see you about somt
u thing that wouldn't wait, and so | came OF
to met you, father; but what | want now
OF that you should take up this man and-an
OF hide him somewhere"
a what manl Hide himT helplessly RI
= peated the old farmer, staring about him
bewilderment, while the younger ma
sprang to the ground.
what is it, Miss Louisal Let me bel
you" said he, going close to the girl, VIII,
pointing back at the PROSTATE figure, sait
resolutely:
;. 81 suppose he has escaped from the stat
prison, but he is terribly hurt, and perhaI
=. dying. They shall not get him if can hel
it, and l want father to put him in IL
wagon and carry him right home. I'll e
too
"Sho, Louizv, l shan't do any such thin
- What, lose all my marketing for the sake
a.. helping gallows bird to escape! I'd be we
:. set to work doing that, shouldn't IN e
,S claimed the old man, Indignantly, and b
T daughter replied:
o. ''Indeed you would be, father No matt
"a what he has done, he is wounded, sufferin
in dying before our eyes Would you carry hi
M back to the very prison he has killed himse
"a in trying to escapet Oh, father, would 20
nm could you he so cruel and unfeelingr
hid well, but you see, Louizy, he amt nothi
NJ, to us, and I've got all my green stuff in t
MT back of the wagon
ASK me, and l will help you, Louisa
ck said low voice at her elbow, and Louis
nd turning, fixed her indignant, honest ey
al upon the face of the young man as she
Hs piled:
.be "Well, John Merton, do ask you to he
sy. me, and / offer you my best thanks in a
he vance for doing So"
ret 81 think, Mr. Wylie, we might make roc
ma at the back of the wagon for the poor fello
int and if you don't mind going three or TO
IN miles out of the way will take the risk
I a carrying him to my mothers house. sin
top Miss Louisa is so resolved upon rescuing hi
nd And any loss that you may experience
zen your marketing
ora The rest of the sentence was spoken soft
lies in the ear of the old farmer, who, noddi
raw twice or thrice in reply, stiffly dismount
ing from his driving seat, and, going round
md the back of the wagon, began to unbutt
\ IL the curtain and move round the varic
be- boxes and baskets slowed behind it.
Meantime the two young people had
the preached and bent over the convict, n
conscious Of his sufsrings and his dang
and watching their motions with the ke'
Yen anxious eye Of trapped animal who sees
5 as captors approaching
iou ssVo, ara drnadfullv hurt o-opft No,