Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-01-09
tured, you will be doubly chained for
three vapra -

Il
cannon shots, and send kilograms to
the harbor and to the police through
out France.
] After the officer had read the rules,
he relightcd his cigar, put the book
away, and left the hall.
I was now prisoner, linked to an
other prisoner. AS looked at him
found his eyes turned toward me. He
was sinister-looking fellow, about 40
years old, not any taller than ], but of
| Herculean build.
| ''Then you are in for life?" he said.
"How do you know that?" I angrily
exclaimed.
81 can tell by your cap-green is for
life. Why are you hede?"
81 conspired against the govern
ment."
He shrugged his shoulders contempt
uously.
"Then you are high-falutin' prison
er. We other prisoners hate such arts
tocratic company"
| l made no answer.
This is the fourth time that I have
been here" continued my companion.
perhaps you have heard of Gasparo,
the counterfeiter?"
1 had heard of the daring criminal,
and drew back trembling from his gaze.
An uneasy look in his eyes told me that
he noticed my shrinking.
From that moment he hated me. Gas
| paro and I, with 200 other prisoners,
were put to work in a stone quarry on
the other side of the harbor. Day after
day, week after week, from sunrise to
sunset, the rock resounded to our
blows. Thus spring and summer
passed and autumn came. ..
My fellow-prisoner had come from
Piedmont. He had been thief, coun-
| terfeiter, incendiary, and when he last
fled from prison he committed a MUIR
der. Heaven only knows how my suf-
ferings were intensified through this
terrible comradeship. How l shrank
from the touch of his hand. What
loathing took possession of me when I
felt his breath on my face at night!
l tried to overcome this aversion; but
in vain. He knew it as well as I, and
took every opportunity to revenge him
self in such ways as only depraved
mind can think of. However, it could
have been of no avail to put myself in
opposition to him, and any complaint
to the overseer would only have pro-
volied The wretch to worse tyranny.
| At last there came day when his
| hate seemed to diminish. He allowed
me my nights rest, and seemed to be
somewhat friendly. The next morn
ing, shortly after we had begun work,
lie whispered in my ear:
| "Do you want to escape?"
| l felt the blood rush to my face, and
could not say word.
Can you keep secret?" he went on.
Until DEATH"
| "Well, then, listen: Tomorrow
Marshal d'Auvergne will inspect the
docks, harbor, prison and stone quarry.
Salutes will be fired from the walls and
ships, which will make it difficult to
hear the guards signal for two escap-
ing prisoners. Do you understand
me?"
| yes"
"What, then, will be easier than to
knock off the letters with the pick-ax
| and escape when the overseer is not
looking our way? Will you dare?"
with my life!"
"Your hand"
had never before touched his blood
stained hand, and could not refrain
from shuddering as 1 clasped it. The
next morning we had to undergo an in
spection before going to work An
hour before noon the first salutes from
the harbor reached our ears. The dull
report went through me like an electric
spark. Gasparo whispered to me:
| "When the first shot is fired from the
barracks strike with your pick-ax on
the first ring of my chain, close to the
ankle"
| A sudden suspicion came over me.
"And if l should do it, how can be
sure that you will then free me? No,
Gasparo; you must strike the first
| blow"
"As you say" he answered, smilingly.
At that moment flash came from the
barracks, and then a report that re-
verberated hundred times from the
rocks. AS the echo rolled over our
heads I saw him get ready to strike,
and felt my chain fall. Hardly had the
thunder of the first shot died away
before the second came. Now was to
free Gasparo. Twas less dexterous than
he, so it took several strokes to Tree the
chain. At the third shot we threw
away our caps, climbed up the rock
and struck for path that led into the
valley. Suddenly, at a sharp bend in
the road, we stood before little guard
house, in front of which were two SOL
diers. They pointed their guns at us
and ordered us to surrender. Gasparo
turned toward me, struck me heavily
and said:
There, stay and let them capture
you. You always were an obstruction
in my path"
AS fell saw Gasparo dash one SOL
der to the earth and rush toward the
other. Then shot, and all was dark
and still around me.
When I opened my eyes found my
self lying on the floor of little unfur-