People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-04-21

his eyes about him and look out for
grand rounds.
As the order came and the tramp OF
the relief died away, Evan rose eau
tiously, but nimbly, and motioned to his
nearest neighbor. As though drilled a
zouave, the man clambered on the up
per bunk, bracing himself against the
, wall, the boy climbing to his shoulders
without a sound. the file saw in his
teeth. Oiling that and the bar freely,
the boy waited until the stockade sentry
turned; then he began to saw. The
tempered steel, cooled to soundlessness
by constant drops Of oil, cut fast into
the soft iron; but the bar was thick,
and each time the sentry turned, the
worker paused to listen. So for long
while. Then the man below-faint, ex-
hausted, with great beads upon his
brow, spite of the cold-whispered for
rest. A second took his place. Again
the boy mounted his human ladder,
working on, cautious, but tireless, with
sweat pouring from him, with blistered
hands, but heart high upheld by hope.
One side was sawed through. Sud-
denly, the tramp of men approaching
the second relief.
Again the feet before the door were
still; again the sergeant and the new
sentry put in their heads, seeing four
men sleeping heavily and with stertor-
Gus breathing. Then again, with pre-
cision as though drilled to it, the human
ladder posed, and Evan went at the bar
afresh.
At last! The iron yielded, shook; and
Evan, cautiously exerting all his
strength, twisted it round, hanging by
a thin shred. Then, carefully as one
whose life hangs upon a sound, he put
forth his head.
The gibbous moon hung low in mid
western heaven, cleaning clear and
white on the snowy plain all about the
camp; but nearer in-on this side-the
high wall cast dense shadows, blacker
by contrast, for many yards. Then, as
the wall sentry walked back, Fauntle-
roy unrolled the Irvine, passing it
through his mouth to dampen out the
twist. With steady hand, but wildly
throbbing heart, he dropped it slowly
down. The depth to ground he could
not even guess, ignorant of the slope
beyond and if the wall were ditched;
but, after anxious space, he felt a
light touch, as perch were feeling the
line. Another pause and two distinct
pulls signalled him to haul up. The
sentry turned again; and he swiftly
drew up the line-taut and heavy now
hand over hand, to avoid the noise Of
friction on the sill.
At length the end of heavy rope was
in; eager hands seized it, nimbly secur-
ing it to a ring, used for refractory
captives. Then the four men listened
for the stockade sentry, scarce breath
ing as he approached the window. This
time he paused, peering mechanically
into the shadow, while Evans heart
beat loud tattoo. But the soldier turned
carelessly, paced slowly away, and the
boy, forcing himself lightly through
the bars, grasped the rope securely.
Down he went, hand over hand, his
feet carefully steering him from the
wall.
Halfway down, he heard the sentry
turn, and hung still, breathless, each
second expecting a shot. But the
friendly shadow shielded rope and man;
and next moment his feet touched the
ground, a strong hand grasped his
shoulder, and whisper came through
the darkness:
"Quick! Close to the WALL This
way!"
But the others? promised"
"They must risk it. Come! Two lives
one halter-depend on seconds nowl
Come"
Yielding, half reluctant, to the
stronger will and his own sense of right
to his rescuer, the boy followed his
guide, with noiseless feet, but eyes
glued to a new sentry, silhouetted sharp