Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-02-07

though absolutely convincing to him.
self, was purely conjecthral. He
could bring not one proof, no single
| witness, save the dumb cat, and that
evidence, he we'll knew. would suffice
only to convince the one person he
most wished to be ignorant Of the
! truth, Lillian herself.
The day on which he returned to
the Notifications was hot and fiercely
bright. The town was full Of life.
Gay carriages were bearing ladies In
| light summer bravery to garden
parties, afternoon dances on board
ships, and other revels; bands were
playing on piers, vessels OF every kind.
some gay with flags, dotted the Solent
end the calm blue harbor; colors had
been trooped on the common, troops
had marched past the convicts; the
sweet chimes of st. Thomas's had
rung a wedding peal; the great guns
had Numbered out royal sdlutes to the
royal yacht as she bore the sovereign
over to the green Wight-there was
such a rush and stir of life as quite
bcwldercd Everard and made the
sharpest contrast to his gray and
dreary prison life. TO see those freest
Of free creatures, the street boys,
sauntering or springing at Will along
the hot streets, or, casting Off their
dirty rags, flinging themselves into
the fresh salt sea and reveling there
like young Tritons, or balanced on
rails, criticising the passing troops,
was maddening.
The day grew hotter, but pick and
barrow had to be piled without re-
spite, though the sweat poured from
hot brows, and one man dropped.
Everard saw that it was sunstroke,
and not malingering, as the warder
was inclined to think, and by his earn
est representations got the poor Great
ure proper treatment. The brasSy sky
grew lurid purple, and heavy crowds
of thunder came rumbling from the
distance; some large drops Of rain
fell scantily; and then suddenly the
sky opened from horizon to horizon
and let down sheet of vivid flame.
Darkness followed, and roar. as of
al the artillery at Portsmouth firing
and all its magazines exploding at
once.
"Now or never" thought Everard,
and, dropping his barrow at the end
of his plank, he leaped straight ahead
down into waste patch, over which
he sprung to the road. He ran for
life and liberty with q. speed he did
not know himself capable of, straight
on, blindly aiming at the shore, tear
ing off his cap and jacket and tlinging
them widely in different directions,
as he went through the dark curtain
of straight. rushing rain.
The walMers, bewildared by the aw-
full roar of the thunder, blinded by the
fierce, quick dazzle of the lightning
and the hlackness of the all-conceal-
ing rain, did not at first miss him. 1t
was only when he leapcd the palisade
bounding the road, and showed
through the rain-curtaln, n bare
headed, fugitive figure, that the grim
guardian caught sight of Kim Had
he possessed the nerve to walk quietly
out through the gate, he might have
got off unobserved under cover Of the
storm.
Quick rs thought. the warder, on
seeing him, lifted his piece to his
shoulder and fired. He vas a good
marksman, and his lace. .iErted up
with satisfaction as Ae hit his flying
quarry, in spite Of the bad light and
confusing storm.
Everard felt n sharp, hot sting in
the thigh, but ran on. his course
marked with blood, which the friendly
storm quickly washed away. The
darkness became intenser, TIE light
ming more binding, the downrush of
rain heavier. and the crashing of the
thunder II ore dcafening. Neverthe-
less, the alarm was given, and the pur.
suers were soon in full chase
Down the nowdeSerted high-road
dashed the fugitive, every faculty he
possessed concentrated on flight With
the blind instinct Of the hunted, he
rushed ut the first turning, through n
gate, up some steps, along to the
bastion which rose behind rhe powder
magazines. He dartcd along some
pleasant green walks under the MASSEY
ems. TIL he reached the first sentry
box, In which stood the sentry. stall
wart highlands, sheltering from the
storm.
Instead of firing on him, as the dcs-
pcrate fugitive expected, the man
stepped quickly aside. and the pant
ing runner. divining his friendly pur.
pose, ran into the box.
The soldier swiftly resumed his sta
ton, and stood looking out with an
immovable face as before. while the
hunted convict, in the darkness IN the
narrow space at his side, stood face
inward. close pressed to the wooden
wall. soaked to the skin. and painting
In hard gasps that were almost groans,
vet sufficiently master of himself to-
press wad of folded trouscr OH the
bleeding wound. which proved to be
only Il flesh Craze, but which might
ruin the friendly Scot by Its damning
, stains on the floor of the box,