The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-03-05
filled his heart as he again betook himself

LII ASolV u6 LAO oEoAA AAhAssA
to slumbsr.
Ten years had passed. and the prisoner
and his pins vera still inseparable. His
keeper, who never yet had spoken to him
! was now regarded with a new interest. He
feared that this man-hated as one of his
oppressoss-had Uncovered HE occupation,
and that he would endeayor to deprive him
of this so!ace. Carefully now he guarded
his pins.
One day he lost all his pins! He had
scattered them, he thought. as before, but
now they eluded his grasp. He carefully
felt over every inch of the floor of his dun.
geon. Again and again lie repeated his
search until he grew weary of the task, but
not one pin could he find.
As he lay angry and dospairing on the
stone floor no was aroused by the noise Of
the keeper removing tho chains and bolts
from the door. Presently he entered. bear
ing With him the prisoners scanty supply
of bread and water. by the dim light of
the torch which he carried the prisoner
fancied he could discern a nocking smile
upon bis fncs. This, then. was the cause.
He had stolen his pins! lie was now re-
Jolclng at his discontinue. He must have
discovered them while tho prisoner slept.
Hate now filed the soul of the condemned.
His occupation had been stolen from him.
but a new thought at once engaged his
mind, ditfnsing through him a kind of mao
JOY. lie would devise Il means to torture.
to kill his keeper. He knew that this man
the satellite of an offensive government
desplsed him. lie would DO %revenged.
For a long time he gloated over his con-
templated plan. How long lie knew not.
When suddenly a light shone before him.
II came ftcm the torch borne by the keeper.
who had returned. Placing his torch in a
crevioe in the wall be walked TO the oppo-
site corner of the dungeon from hat i'll
winch tbs prisoner crouched, and, turning
HIS baek 70 him, began TO tasten a chain to
the wall. la! no WIS then to be chained
to tie wall. His blood boiled at this new
indignity. He wished to attack the keerer
Mt once. but he had no weapon. His eyes
fell upon his hands. They were long and
sinewy. he had once been q strong man.
but long confinement and lack of nourish-
ment had weakened him.. The keeper wns
undoubtedly n strong man. All this time
he remained with his back to tho prisoner.
IL was PLAN no regarded him with con-
tempt and did not fear an attack. He even
hummed Il fragment of TN insulting song,
Cautiously, slowly. like q cat approaching
a mouse, the condemned moves upon his
victim. ltage londS hun strength. With
one bounu he Is on the keepers shoulders.
llls long, bony hands meet like a vice upon
ma th oat. lhena to rihle struggle begins.
The keeper tties to shake him off. He lsn
strong man, but he feels that he has met
his match. Then tho keeper beats him
~ilercely upon the head Eud face with n bolt
OF lion. Tue blood flows down h,s face
and blinds his eyes. but he does not relax
his hold. They roll upon the ground. the
condemned uppermost. The keeper has
managed to secure his dagger. He stnbs
She prisoner once III the breast. Then the
dagger falls from his hand, his eyes and
tongue protruae in Il iriahtful manner, his
face ia ~ mixture OF purple and red. blood
trlckles from his nostrlls. He is dead.
With II maniacal cry of delight the pris-
oner stageets To his feet, blood streaming |
from his breast and head. He attempts to |
rench tho door. but his strength fails him.
lilo is mortally hunt. With u scream he
falle Nteless ac,oss the threshold, striking
his head Il on tho hard stone floor.
But what of the pms? The prisoner had
been IN tha habit before lY,ng down to
OF fastening tho four pins Ill the left
cuft of hid blouse. Tho fear of detection so
operated upon his mind that one night, in |
fit of somnambulisui. he had put the pins.
side by side IN the edgo of the garment |
and there they were ntterward found ana
upon by the authorities of the
prison. II. IL. kirwin in the Philadelphia
Piess.