Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-06-29
THE PRICE OF FREEDOM.

tina walked In, and strapgeiy enough.
the criminal looked like a respectable
man, and the officers Of the law like
criminals, by the same theory that a
visitor 1t the State Insane Asylum ex.
plotted, when he remarked to the su.
perintendent:
Anybody would know those people
were craxy. They have such vicious
faces and low foreheads."
"ThOse," answered the superinten.
dent ARE members Of my own family ;
we have not reached the insane wards
yet"
Martina walked into the jail and with
one loving glance and q "howdy" to her
husband, threw the loaf Of bread on the
table between the sheriff and his coin.
paniOn, without. a word Of apology.
The sheriff drew a formidable knife
from the back OF his leather belt. and
with two sharp motions of the blade
cut the loaf into three pieces.
mary hle nor shootln' iron Their.
Never left dull spot on the blaid. Mis-
Flack. yer . prime good baker. Give
Jim his LOAF, dep"
Martina turned her back on the two
men, and like O fash her eyes tele.
graphed something to Jim, but his
keen, handsome face gave no sign Of
interest. The deputy had his eye on
him. and Jim wasn't going to give any.
thing away.
The husband and wife were allowed
to speak together with the deputy and
sheriff both watching and listening.
"H0w's tn kids?" asked the prisoner.
"Peart." Martina's eyes filed with
tears, and her voice choked up. Even
desperadoes have moments Of delIcacy,
but the sheriff and his deputy had
none.
"Don't whimper. little woman" said
the sheriff, bluntly; "there's as good fish
In the SEQ a. was ever caught"
"You'll spoil your pretty eyes, Mis-
Flack," said the lecring deputy.
Jim Tlack doubled his brawny flst,
and there was murder in his heart ID
no heard the men claiming his wife.
True. he had stolen horses. but that was
his only crime. and It had come about
through his being cheated In o trade
and no had sworn to get even. But he
would not have kicked an enemy when
he was down. and his reverence fol
women and children was Unborn. He
had hard work now to control his tom
per. but at glance Of intelligence
from his wife. lie managed to maintain
q sullen silence.
"Eat the middle Of tn loaf fust," she
had said when she handed him the
bread. 1T air slack-baketi. ca yer likes
II, jim"
When she was gone lin took the sec.
ton Of bread aud broke It In two. II
was well the sheriff and his companion
had become involved In o quarrel,
otherwise they would have heard some
thing fall from the prisoners hand and
roll heavily on the door. 1t was q
$50 gold piece.
"Shc hev sold poor Jinnys colt"
thought Jim, as he picked up the
money; ut hev been baked In the bread
an It means o bribe-yes. It debut
whether for the sheriff or dep.--or--hO
on--mebbe both. Hello! Ef she aln't
writ somcthin' on II. then I'm sucker!
There werc some crooked white let
tiers on the gold piece. written with q
creased stick after.a method known Il
those who are likely to need such writ
ing-just few words which. decipher'
cd BY Jim meant this:
"Bribe-Dep.-Walnut Hill-Jenny-
ter.night."
He understood. Martina had sold the
colt. % she had promised to do. and hs
was to use the money to buy bis way
out. He was not sure Of the sheriff
who hs believed had q personal spite
against him. but he knew the deputy
would sell bis soul for so. had II beer
Of commercial value-he had felt thu
grateful Jingle Of many q bride In hi,
unclean palm. 80 Jim began with til,
deputy and had NO trouble In making
Q compact
That night, covered by . revolver II
the hand Of the 0fficial, Jim walked ou
free man. He did not intend to run
and he did mean to pay the price Of hi
freedom. but he had conveyed the idei
that he was to receive the money at til,
place where the mustang was tiet
awaiting him. He had no confidence II
the man who was helping him. but III
was determined he would not return
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