Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-01-12
CHAPTER XIV.

AZ was scarcely more than tfteen NM
utes after Souri had bid Mark god
speed when old Tfiggs re-entered the
prison grounds. and mounting the fight
Of steps leading to the second story went
into the Jail. No one seemed to be
about the place. He entered his bed
room and found his wife doing IN her
chair by the window. He asked for the
colored girl, and his wife told him that
she had not vet returned with the Inedi-
cine. He waited, expecting every min
ute that she would come in. Had he not
noticed an absence of the groans TO
which the supposed invalid had been
treating him an the evening he might
have waited for Souri, without move
nent much longer than he did. As Il
was. it occurred to him that perhaps tie
prisoner might be dead.
Taking mp tallow dip he went to tie
room where Mark was supposed 70 be
confined A figure was lying IN the
corner. The jailer went TO it, and by
means of the candle saw what he sup
posed 10 be the prisoner. The face was
to the wall. and he did not at first dis
cover the deception.
"Yank, he said, "air y dead:'
No answer.
He took hold Of the figures shoulder
and shook il.
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 step
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 in a moment the
whole guard was in motion.
Souri, hoped that the sentinel at the
door would join in 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 ''blacll 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 We're 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 TOR 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 Marks
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 conn
try people. by nope of reward, to con-
tinue the search within radius of ten
or fifteen miles from Chattanooga. The
provost marshal sent for Souri, and
Jakey with a view TO gaining from them
whatever he might concerning Marks
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 1t
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 shook
her fist in her face. but refrsined from
touching her. When Sour asked for
woman's 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
3 girl TO him not properly dressed she
selected an cid calico frock Of her own
and gave it 70 her.
Sour and Jakey We're 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 were left outside.
Never was man more puzzled what
to do with prisoners than the marshal in
The case Of Sour and Jakey. He saw
simple. modest, poor white couufry girl,
apparently not out Of her teens and a