The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-06


contents.
gle, a young lieutenant with dangling
sword and pair of eyeglasses that
gave him fierce expression.
Maurice coolly saluted and dropped
his rifle to the floor.
Everything right, is it?" asked the
officer thickly, and Maurice noted with
some uneasiness that he had been drink
ing.
"All's WE'LL" he responded gruff1y,
though his voice trembled in spite Of
his effort to control it.
Under his glasses the lieutenant
stared fixedly, and with sinking heart
Maurice returned the gaze, believing
that his identity was suspected. The
next word treasured him.
Russo" said the officer, "have you
got drop Of vodka about your"
Maurice felt himself trembling like a
leaf, and then, hardly conscious of what
he was doing, ne plunged his hand into
the pocket of his coat. Something hard
slid into his grasp, and he drew out
small flask.
'Ah, you sly dog" exclaimed the
lieutenant, and seizing the flask he took
a long pull at the contents and handed
it back. Maurice mechanically restored
| it to his pocket, and when he looked up
| the lieutenant was half way up the cor
ridor. A moment later and he vanished
around the angle.
Overjoyed at his marvellous good for
tune and hardly able to believe it true,
Maurice waited until the sentry in the
next corridor had passed through his
interview, and then hurried to the cell
door. He drew the bolt noiselessly and
gave slight rap on the panel. A mo-
ment later it opened from within, and
| Platoff's head appeared at the crack.
He shook with excitement when Maui
rice related what had happened.
"We are saved" he exclaimed, "my
noble lad You have effected our saliva
ton. l shall never forget it. The officer
Of the guard will not make another
round for an hour and half or two
hours. In that interval we should reach
the cave unless some unforeseen COM
plication occurs. But come in and close
the door, All is in readiness for the
start
Maurice entered, to receive warm
welcome from Phil, while Platoff, aft
or waiting moment in the doorway to
assure himself that the coast was clear,
Joined his companions.
"Iwas only waiting for your signal. I"
he said. 81 have just renewed the chic
reform on those fellows. and on the Cos
sack too" And he pointed to the SOL
dier's motionless figure stretched on the
platform.
81 put your garments on him." he
added. "When he wakes up, he'll know
how it feels to wear convict clothes"
"And shall keep the uniform on?"
demanded Maurice with surprise.
EYES," said Platoff. 1T may be of
some aid to you; who knows? And now
we must be off. Look! This is what /
have done while you were on guard du-
ty in the corridor"
He pointed to hole in the floor close
to the platform, from which two planks
had been ripped up.
"Now," he continued, 81 will 90
first, and you must follow at once"
He glanced again through the cell to
assure himself that no precaution had
been overlooked, and then dropping to
the floor he slipped through the hole
and disappeared. Phil went after him,
and Maurice brought mp the rear.
"Just moment now" said Platof.
And drawing his head and shoulders
back into the cell he lifted the two
planks into position and let them drop
behind him into their places. "Not that
it matters much" no observed, "foI
they will soon discover how we escaped,
but IL may give as more time"
The situation in which the boys
now found themselves was anything bu,