The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1897-03-27

utos which comprise the remaining two
years or his term. He had but just
dropped or into a half-sleeping condi-
ton when his cell door opened. and in
stead OF the hard face Of the warder
come to tell him to tidy up he saw the
Governor and chaplain. with the ward
or In the background.
What could II mean? lie sprang M.
rubbing his eyes. and almost before he
knew what was happening the Cover
nor had told him in few words that
he had received the Queens pardon.
aud then proceeded to read the same.
What did 1t all mean? No other thought
terminated In his dull brain. Freel
Free 10 go where he willedl Free to
walk out Of the gaol gates. Never TO
return within the stone walls which
had shut him In from the outside world,
as surely as though no world other
than that contained within them exist
ed. The prison bell changed startling
him into state Of wakefulness. The
Governor had finished reading the Of
ficial-l0oking paper. and with the con-
cluson OF the formal part of his duty he
added few words of congratulatlon.
IIarborde seemed to have no compre-
hension of their meaning He remain
ed standing in the center OF the narrow
cell speeches.. At last the chaplain
made him understand the import of the
document which had just been read
over to him.
"Freel Free. II is impossible" he ex-
claimed. and then he threw himself on
the bed in an agony Of joy. The clang-
ing Of the bell afresh. the slamming of
DOORS the echoing of footsteps down
the resoundng corridors recalled him
TO sense of his position. A warder
entered with a suit of clothes. With
trembling fingers he removed his prison
garb; worn, soiled with weather and
labor, and lntolerable The trousers
felt chilly after the thick prison tight
fitting knckerbockers. and rough, thick.
worsted stockings. The coat seemed to
fit him nowhere. With one look around
his cell, on the walls of which he had
done innumerable calculations to keep
himself from insanity bred by the ter
rble silence and sense of loneliness, mo
27.' now no longer n mere figure, n ma
chine, but human being, stepped into
! the corridor.
There was breakfast for him such
| as he had not tasted for nine long years,
but he had no appetite The one idea
, now possessing his mind was home,
escape whilst the Governor was willing
/ for him to depart. He swallowed n
! few mouthfuls drank n few gulps Of
! cocoa, and then with the allowance
( money in his pocket hurried to the gate
[ way.
; He was free Free to go wherever he
; liked. Free to start for home as fast
] as steam would carry him. Free to
stretch out his arms to the placid gray
= blue waters of Western Bay, now de-
nuded of their mantle of fog and spark
. ling in the sunshine. Free to breathe
= the pure air uncontaminated by com
, panions criminal and vicious But the
. waters, the hillside, the lovely stretch
: of verdant country extended before his
I eyes had no charm for him save that
r they spelt freedom. Behind him lay
Q the prison house, the flagstaff. from
| which no ensign of dread futtered to
b tell of his escape. Before him lay free
| dom.
, He rushed down the road. waving his
e arms with the reawakened instincts of
/ a boy escaping from school. oblivious
2 alike of the sympathetic gaze of wo-
q men he passed and the half contemptu-
1 Gus remarks of the men. He dashed
[ into the bleak. shabby little railway
/ station. only to learn that there was no
S train for an hour. Already his limbs,
2 unused to such riotous movement and
I still feeling the lag of the chain, had
( begun to fail him, making the half
v jocular suggestion of the solitary por-
o ter that he should take a little exer-
r else and walk to Weymouth" out of the
v question.
/. "I'u have to wait" was all he could
J. think of to say.
!. "Doin time amt altogether exhilar.
: attn nor strengthenin' work." the por.
l. ter remarked.
Harborde nodded his head. yet longed
= to tell him that he was an innocent
f man. The porter, however, had van
= ished. to return in few moments with
r paper.
@ Here. mate" he exclaimed Will
II rough kindness. "You won't know all
d yesterdays news. I'll go bail"
e Harborde seized the paper. No, he
IS knew nothing Of yesterdays news. MOI
- that of thousands of days which had
v once been yesterday. He could Sc,
It nothing at first The print swan in d
o confused tumble before his eyes. Wher
- his sight cleared he commenced to read
D. How strange it all was He used to b,
is great reader before he became mo
r. 81" And now he seemed to know moth
# ing of the world. New names confront
5. ed him everywhere. Names of thos'
r. in authority, names of towns. name.
W even of countries. Where was Mashona
q land and Matabeland? He was con
le fused. He read on. This delicious new
'e found turmoil of the world. how good /
IN was after all.
v At last his eye caught small para
:, graph slowed away at the bottom o
e. the third column on page six Of tn
paper He read 1t and reread 1t owe
" and over again: Her Majesty tn