Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-04-27

subject of his inquiry, the governor
I thought, with great tact, and then
asked one or two unimportant ques-
| tions.
The only answer the man made was
| to turn to the governor.
/ SIS there anything in my conduct"
/ he said, ''to warrant you in inflicting
/ this extra punishment on me? Send
me back to my work.
'I'm inclined" said the governor,
''to put you in dark cell for week
| to punish you for your internal obsti
macy. I've treated you altogether too
well, old man"
/ The old man gave a slight shrug of
his shoulders, but was silent.
Kent began to apologize for him,
| and, as coaxingly as he could, asked
/ him several more questions. To one of
/ them he growled out a sullen mo-"
and was on the point of saying some
/ thing else when one of the guards
I came in with a message for the gov
ernor, at which he relapsed into ST.
I lence, and no further attempts could
| induce him to say word.
When he had been taken away the
governor said: "You see I was right
when told you it was hopeless task"
ION the contrary" said Kent, 81 feel
quite encouraged. I've only been feel
ing of him"
Il think I'll lock him up for a day or
two. 1t will make him civil"
Il wish" said Kent, you'd lock me
up with him for half an hour. If l
don't make any headway then, I'll
give up the job and go back"
The next day the governors family
went to church picnic and Kent ac-
companied them. He proved on this
occasion to be the life of the little
party. There seemed to be nothing
that he could not 10, from making an
omelette in the woods to making
speech to the children. The governor
was really quite proud of his guest.
Kent had now been three days inside
the prison jurisdiction, and how well
he had improved his time appeared
afterwards. When they were coming
home from the picnic he told Mrs.
Ixtel that he had overstayed his time
and must finish up his business on the
morrow. If the governor would lock
him up with Laport he thought he
could make the fellow confidential
The upshot of all this was that on
the fourth day Kent was taken to La
ports cell, carrying nothing but a
pencil and pad which the governor had
furnished him, and jocularly remark
ing as he was going through the cor
ridor that they ought to search him
first, for he might have some files about
him and let that rascal out to teach the
world golden silence.
The governor laughed, as he now did
at almost everything Kent said, and
only remarked: "If he gets away from
me, I'll take all the blame"
"All right" rejoined Kent, but. as
you value human life, don't forget to
| let me out inside of the half hour.
| Make it twenty minutes"
They entered the cell together. La
| port was sitting on the stone floor with
| his head between his knees. He
| neither rose nor looked up as they came
| in. The place was dimly lit by one
| embrasure. 1t was furnished with an
iron pallet and pail.
Kent went toward the light and
looked at n large gold watch. at is
! ten minutes of ten," he said. "Give
| me till quarter past"
Laport looked up and addressed him
| self to the governor:
"Are you going to put this lunatic
| on me?" he said, It'll | knock my
| brains out against these walls?"
"The best way to get rid of him, "
replied the governor, sis to treat him
| civilly. He doesn't want to annoy
| you, and he comes from some of your
| friends"
eyes," said Kent, "you can treat me
confldentially. The governor is going
to leave us together for a few moments.
If you will answer some of my ques-
tions / can be of service to you"
| Laport dropped his head between his
hands. The governor gave shrug
| and turned to the door. I've heard of
squeezing pig-lead out of sponge, he
said. "It's holiday work to squeezing
that old bundle of scrap-iron."
| "For Gods sake, don't forget me
when the times up" said Kent, and
sat down on the iron bed.
| The governor then went out. Kent
heard the great bolt shot with an iron
clang.
Now them" he said SO that the
| Governor could hear him on the other
side of the door If he listened. This
is the last chance I've got TO talk to
! you, my friend II you will tell mo
what want to know 1t will secure
you the influence of powerful friends" p"
He listened. He heard the retreat
ing footsteps Of the governor in the
| corridor. He sprang softly but quickly
| to the iron door and put his ear down.
| The governor was some distance
away.
Laport looked up with something
like momentary interest in the
strange actions.
| Now listen to me, Jean Laport, T"
said Kent, dropping his voice, I've
| Just twenty minutes TO say all I've got
| TO tell YOU. | have come here TO liber-
| ate YOU. All this business OF newspa-
per and politics is blind to get In
here. can stay here three days more.
| In that time | can free you. You
| must follow my directions minutely.
| In three interviews ! can get the tools
TO YOU. | have made all the arrange
ments to take care of you when you
are outside the walls. Is there any
chance Of their changing your cell2'
Laport looked at Kent suspiciously.
what do you want to free me for?'
he asked.
~ know your whole history" re-
piled Kent, land ! sympathizc with
| you. But sympathy has nothing TO do
with my actions. want your help.
You are the best mechanician in the
country. have work for you-let
| that suffice. II they do not change
| your cell within five days you are free
| man. Now, listen. The first thing TO
| do Is To get II stone out in the darkest
| corner OF the cell 80 as TO hide the tools
bring you. Here Is the thin steel
! knife TO do IT, and here Is the muriatic
acid and syringe to soften the NOR
tar"
Kent took from an inner breast
| pocket as he spoke tool which he
screwed together, II small phial and "a
little syringe. "You are TO gather the
mortar in this handkerchief and viii
take IL away when next see you. The
wall on that side Is part Of the old wall
Of the original penitentiary. IL was
built by contract and is only faced mp
with blocks; the center is filed in
with cracked stone. You can loosen
! one Of those blocks before tomorrow
and viii bring you the implements TO
cut that bar and the wire 10 make the
descent have made the measure