The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-06-10
AT HIS MERCY.
An Amer cans Adventure with an
Escap ed English Convict.

/ Esoap ed English Convict.
i 1t was almost dark, and the Walhau
river is mach overhung in the part.
that lie between Horrabridge. the
old brick works.
In the bed Of the river man stun
bled heavily along, trusting more te
his knowledge of the river than to his
eyesight. He~was fishing dextepously
with flies thattwere almost white--flies
which seemed TO suit admirably the
taste Of those small brown trout which
never have the, sense to leave alone the
, fare provided for their larger white
brethren.
Suddenly he hooked a larger fish, and,
not daring to step back beneath the
owerhanging oak, he proceeded to tire
his, fish out in the deep water In ten
minutes he brought it to thet landing
net, ,and. as he turnedsto open this creel
his lMart heSpt in his breast. A man
Was standing in the watersnot two feet
behindShim.
"HoIloa!' he gasped.
"I'won't insult you by'tellingy you not
to besfrightened," said the voice of a
gent eman. There was noi installing
it. 1she speaker stood-quiteSt with
the water bubbling round his legs. He
was hiNless, and his hair was cut quite
short.
A thought flashed across the fisher
mans slow brain. Like the rest of his
craft, heswas slower of mind than hand.
"Yes."l said the other, divining his
thoughts, I'm from Dartmoor. You
probably heard of my escape two days
ago"
Yes repliedthe eothernuietly, while
he wound in his line. Il heard of it. :"
"Andswhere do they say-I amp"
''Oh. the police have got a clew-as
usual" replied the fisherman.
The escaped convict laughed bitterly,
but the laugh. .broke,off into a sickening
cackle.
1--WE been.in those brick works. he
said, 'all the time, Ineditating murder.
/ stole n loaf fromta baker scarf; but a
man cannot live by breadI alone-ah!
IIa. ha!''
The fisherman held out his flask,
which the other took and opened the
somewhat unconmon silver top with
ease bred of knowledge.
He poured himself out full glass,
and drank it off.
Il haven't had thatstaste in my mouth
for four years." he said, returning the
flask. ''And you are guilty of felony"
The fisherman probably knew this,
for he merely laughed
''The question is, ''said the convict,
after a pause, during which they had
waded back TO the hank, whether you
are going to help me.or not? Heavens,
nearly killed you while you were
playing that fish,"
"Ya-aS," drawledthe fisherman. 81
take it that you must,have been tempt
ed. 1 never heard you, owing to the
noise of the water"
They were both big men, and the con-
vict stared curiously into the long,
clean-shaven face OF this calm speaker.
smile actually fiickered for moment
in his desperate eyes.
What | want" he said, SIS your
macintosh, your waders and your hat
also your red case with long stick
in it The handle of your land;ng-net
will do. Where do you come from?"
Plymouth. I'm going back by the
7:30 from Horrabridge.''
With return ticket?'
"Yes."
81 should like that also"
The fisherman was slowly disjointing
his rod.
Suppose 1 told you to come and take
'em," he said. with the drawl again.
The convict looked him up and down
with certain air Of competent crit
icism.
Then there would be very pretty
fight" he said, with laugh, which he
checked when he detected the SAVIOR of
the prison yard that was in it.
I'VE haven't time for the fight" said
the fisherman.
And there came hot gasp of excite
ment from the convict's lips. dis stake
was a very large one.
In the same slow, reflective manner
the fisherman unbuttoned the straps of
his waders at the thigh, and sat down
to unlace his brogues.
Here" he said. pull EN- off for me-"
He held up his leg, and the convict
pulled of his wet fishing stockings.
He drew them on, and the fisherman
kicked the brogans toward him. In
exchange the convict handed him his
shoes.
Am to wear these?" the fisherman
asked, with something in his voice that
might have, been amusement.
"Yes-they're little out of shape,
I'm afraid. The queen is no judge OF a
shoe"
Il guess not" answered the other.
lacing.
There was little silence.
Il suppose" said the convict, with a
curious eagerness, that you have seen
bit OF the world"
Here and there" answered tae
other. searching for the return half Of
his ticket.
should You think, now. that 2 girl
would wait four years for q chan who.
IN the eyes Of the world, was not worth
waiting for?"
The fisherman. not being an absolute
fool, knew that there was only one
answer to this. But he was kind
hearted man. 50 he told I lie. There
w2s something about this convict tha,
made him do II.
Yes, / should think she would.
6iris are nat alrars ~n.io-~i