Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-09-27
COPYRIGHT. 1S941
CHAPTER JIL-CoNr1NUED.

SRiA1 LIN
"Now listen to me, Jean Laport,"
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 I can free you. You
must follow my directions infinitely.
In three interviews I 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 cell?"
Laport looked at Kent suspiciously.
what do you want to free me for?"
he asked.
Il know your whole history" re-
piled Kent, land / sympathize with
you. But sympathy has nothing to do
with my actions. 1 want your help.
You are the best mechanician in the
country. / have work for you-let
that suffice. If they do not change
your cell within five days you are free
man. Now, listen. The first thing to
do is to get stone out in the darkest
corner of the cell so as to hide the tools
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 a tool which he
screwed together, a small phial and
little syringe. You are to gather the
mortar in this handkerchief and l will
take it away when / next see you. The
wall on that side is part of the old wall
of the original penitentiary. 1t was
built by contract and is only faced up
with blocks; the center is filled in
with cracked stone. You can loosen
one of those blocks before tomorrow
and will bring you the implements to
cut that bar and the wire to make the
descent. I have made the measure
ment of all the spaces outside, watched
the system of guard relief-and will
furnish you a plan for every foot of
your way"
Laport was turning the tool overs and
inspecting it with a workman's adj
miration. Kent continued: ''You are
to escape by the window. 1t is twelve
feet above the laundry shed. The
window bar is iron, not even case
hardened. You are to work at it on
Friday when the engine in the laun-
dry is running. From the corner of
the laundry to the angle of the prison
wall east is fifty feet. The guard can
not see you till you get to the wall,
and if you get there at the right time
he will be on the eastern stretch and
you will be in the shadow of the main
building. There will be a wire over
the wall in the far angle. Once you
are over 1 will take care of you. I'll
give you further directions tomorrow.
You must clearly understand that to
carry out this scheme you must remain
in this cell and, to insure your stay
ing here, you must assist me in deceiv-
ing the governor. 1 shall tell him
that you complained of the confne-
ment and shall advise him to keep you
here till 1 get all the information 1
want"
Kent stopped and listened. He saw
that the prospect of freedom had
awakened a flash of interest in the old
mans eye.
''What do you want me to do"
asked Laport, that you take all this
trouble?"
81 want to employ your genius"
said Kent, land pay you handsomely.
If you don't like the employment. you
are at liberty to go and do as you
please. But you will not object to it.
There is no time to discuss that now
/ will tell the governor that am get
ting the information / want from you.
/ have already invented a plausible
story He will let ME come back here
tomorrow. Do your work tonight so
that when I bring you the tools you
will have place to put them. Every
thing depends on your loosening one
of those stones tonight in case they
examine your cell. Follow my direc-
tions and 1 will give you your liberty.
Stand still a moment and let me meas
ure you"
He took a little piece of paper and
tiny tape line from his pocket. You
understand" he said, '.that it is to get
a disguise ready that will fit you. To
morrow 1 will bring you two blank
checks to sign. You will understand
later what they are for"
A moment later a step was heard in
the corridor, and Kent was sure the
governor was listening. He was not
mistaken. What the governor heard
III pdEl WIS tnlS.
Now then why not tell me the rest
of it? These men can do you no serv-
ice now, and the friends of the adj
ministration will secure your pardon
if they are furnished with all the facts
You have told me enough to make it
worth my while to stay here another
day to get the rest of it and In anx-
ious to get back"
The governor shot the bolt and OPEN
ing the door looked in.
Time" he said.
Kent appeared to be so engrossed in
his interview that he did not instantly
perceive the entrance of the officer,
but went on talking to Laport. Think
it over" he said. Your own personal
comfort if not your freedom may be in
volved in it,
Then he and the governor left the
cell.
The first thing that Kent did was to
tell the governor that he had succeeded
in unsealing Laport's lips and had al
ready got from him some limitations
of the political gang which had at
tempted to use him. He then narrated
a story of his own invention which
was SO ingeniously fabricated that the
governor was deeply interested and
himself proposed that Kent should
stay until he had got the whole of it
and this Kent at last consented to do,
merely remarking: I'D keep the fell
low in that cell till get it, if l were
L. H. 7