Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-01-19


confined. A figure was lying IN the
corner. The jailer went to it, and by
means of the candle saw what he sup
posed to be the prisoner. The face was
to the wall, and he did not at first dis
cover the deception.
"Yank," he said, "air y deadT
No answer.
He took hold of the figures shoulder
and shook it.
Still no reply.
Turning Souri, over he at once recog-
nized the face of the "mulatto girl"
In an instant he saw through the ruse
that had been practiced. Without stop
ping to interrogate her, he rushed from
the room past the sentinel at the door
and out to the guardhouse. There he
gave the alarm, ard i'll a moment the
whole guard was in motion.
Souri, hoped that the sentinel at the
door would join III the chase, in which
event she intended to go to Jakey's room,
| get him out and attempt to escape. But
the soldier only went as far as the door
at the head of the long staircase Then,
remembering that he would doubtless be
| punished for letting one prisoner escape,
and that there were several negroes in
/ the "black hole for him to guard, he
went no farther.
In five minutes Souri, heard the bark
ing of hounds without.
No word was sent to headquarters re-
garding Marks escape till the hounds
had followed the scent to the river and
there lost it. Then one of the guards
was sent in to report the whole affair.
Being an infantryman, he was obliged to
walk, which took time. Cavalry was
the only arm of the service capable Of
following the escaped man with chance
of success, and cavalry must be ferried
across the river or ordered from Dallas,
on the other side, ten miles above. The
latter course was chosen, and two squad
rons were directed TO proceed at once,
the one to throw a chain guard across
the neck of Moccasin point, the other to
scour the river bank for distance of
several miles below Had there been
any cavalry nearer, Mark would have
had very slender chance to get away.
AS it was, he barely escaped one Of the
squadrOns.
About noon Of the day after Mark S
escape the military authorities began
to relax their efforts to recapture him,
as they had other matters of importance
to attend to, but they induced the coun-
try people, by hope Of IA reward, to con-
tinue the search within a radius of ten
or fifteen miles from Chattanooga. The
provost marshal sent for Souri, and
Jaliey with view to gaining from them
whatever he might concerning Mark S
identity and his mission.
Souri,, whose only clothing was that
left her by Mark, begged Mrs. Triggs to
get her more suitable apparel before
being taken out Of the Jail. Had the
old woman any excuse, indeed had il
not been for the presence of the guard
at the door, there is no telling what she
might have done to Souri,. To have
been thus duped put her in towering
passion. She went into Souri's cell and
berated her with her tongue and shool;
her fist in her face, but refrained from
touching her. When Souri, asked for a
womans dress she at first fatty refused,
but fearing she would incur the dis
pleasure of the provost marshal still
further than she had if she should send
girl to him not properly dressed she
selected an old calico frock Of her own
and gave it to her.
Souri, and Jakey were led to the mar
shal's Office, followed by crowd of
curious people, who were aware that
they had been the means of the escape
of a spy. but when they arrived the
crowd We're left outside.
Never was man more puzzled what
to do with prisoners than the marshal in
the case Of Souri, and Jakey. He saw d
simple, modest, poor white country girl
apparently not out of her "teens," and a
stupid looking boy, who was not very
far into them.
"Who are your he asked of Souri, not
unkindly.
Missouri Slack"
"Where do you live?"
"On the Anderson road, not far from
Jasper"
And this boy?'
"He's my brother"
when did you come from home"
"Tl rec days ago."
"Wnat brought you, or how did you
know that the prisoner was here and in
pil:"
"Jakey sent me word"
"This boy:"
eyes"
"Eow?"
"Ho sent me silk Handkerchief what
give t'other un."
How did you send it, boy?"
"Tiggers."
"Um."
well, you two are pretty young to
be engaged in such mischief"
The officer looked at them with inter
est and vexation mingled. He had lost
a prisoner for whom he was responsible,
but he could not but wonder a such a
dull looking boy achieving so difficult a
task as sending the communication, and
could not but admire the sacrifice made