Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1896-12-31

bending low; you would like to see
her free of this place, would you not?'
..Oh, wouldn't l though! Sure. l
n,ay for deliverance every night and
morning en- my knees" sobbcd Mrs
Barton.
.:Antl--you would help her to escape,
if good plan was Ibid, and it was
safe for you?" inquired Amelia, in Il
low. GREATNESS whisper.
"Eh!''
"lf you could do it safely. without
endungering yourself, you would con-
uivr ut her escape, would you not?'
"Eh! w hat? l don't understand
YOU: but l would do anything in the
world could for her. Sure, she
knows that without my telling her."
Welt, then, listen! But stol-wllat
hours do you watch with her?"
"From six to twelve in the morning
and then from six to twelve at night"
Very we'll; no, if l We're to come
again tomorrow morning while YOU
have the watch. couldn't you contrive
to turn your back and shut your eyes
and pretend to drop asleep while ]
change clothes with her, and let her
walk out closely yelled in my place."
Eth. What! No, Miss"
But why?"
"Iawk. Miss, l dar'n't."
"Oh. YOU need not be afraid of con-
sequences; there would be no danger
to you. You might be suspected, but
you could not be convicted. for no one
on earth could prove that. overcome
by fatigue you didn't fall asleep; and
so the worse that could befall YOU
would be the loss Of your place-for
do suppose they would not keep Il
female w;lrder who was addicted to
falling asleep on her watch. But. Mrs.
Barton. any loss you might sustain.
should be made up to a hundredfold."
""r'aint that, Miss, amt afearcd of
nothink but doing wrong. dar'n't
let her escape"
But it would be meritorio,ls act,
helping the innocent to cvade I'M
merited DEATH"
$50 it would. Miss, under some cir
cnmstanccs; but, you see, when took
this place, pledged myself to obey
the laws, and to watch ove- the safe
custody of the prisoners under my
charge. And so I dar'n't break my
word. or betray my trust. Miss-no,
not even to save her precious life, as
it melts my heart to see her suffer
So said Mrs. Barton, putting her
apron up to her face, and beginning
to Cry again
Not if 1 was to offer you five lnt-
dred pcunds-a thousand pounds!
Not il so be as you We're to offer
me ten thousand, Miss sobbed the
woman.
look at Eudora. then; if you Won't
LOT bn,s 90 Oft ~
nella. artfllly.
turned her eyes towards the prisoner
who sat upon the side of her bed. with
her head bent forward. her cheeks
flushed. her lips apart her eyes
strained outward. and her hands
clasped and extended in mute, elo-
quent appeal for freedom
Il can't look at her; it cleaves IL;
heart in two. it does!' sobbed Mrs.
Barton, covering her face again.
With sudden impulse Eudora start
ed forward and clasped the hand of
her warder cNclaiming:
on. listen to her! Listen to my
friend! Give me leave to get away if
| can; give me this little chance Of
HE. Think have got but one week
TO live; one short week. and then 7
am to die such a horrible death. Oh,
pity me! let me go!'
"Oh. this is dreadful-dreadful! 1
would do anything in the world for
you; poor child: but dar'n't do this
darn't betray my trust replied
Mrs. Barton, wildly weeping.
suppose l was your own child, you
would let me go-you would risk your
SoulS salvation to free me; or, il
mad mother. she would move heaven
ana earth to save me--but am moth
elless. OH. pity me as if l were your
child. and let me go!'
II darn't: Lord help me, ] darn't.
And even if l did. poor dear, it would
not save you; you'd he known and TUX
up again afOre you got outside of the
prison gates. I.awk. yes: afore you
even got to the head o. the stairs O
this very ward; and then your case
would be worse not it is now"
lit could not be worse: and if the
chance is ever so small. still il is one.
on. give me this little. little chance of
life. l do not deserve to die this hor-
rible DEATH
I'D rather die this minute myself
than refuse you. mustn't be Il trait
or. Sure, you wouldn't have me so
agin my conscience?'
Without another word ErdOra turn
ed and sat down OH the bed. dropped
her clasped hands upon her lap. her
pale face upon her breast. and sat i'll
an attitude and expression of blended
shame and resignation.
How could you be so hard-hearted
anu cruel!" exclaimed AnnelM.
I'm not so. miss; con,rariwisc. 1t
almost breaks my heart to refuse her,
nut even so l must do my duty sob
bed Mrs. Barton. with her apron once
more ut her eyes
"Oh. bother your duty" exclaimed
Amelia with indignant vchcmence.
That word in as good as Il dose OF tar
lar-cmetic to me, for do believe there
~ more sin committed In the name OF
duty thnn has ever been prrpetrnted
III the instigatlon of any devil IN Pan
dcmonium from Moloch down. ! am
NOT M old As the north stnr but even
! have noticed MI my life. when any
one IN going to do anything 80 nbon-
mildly wicked or sllnmefully mean Thai
Satan himself would blush to ow'i II,
they father II upon duty" :,