The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-12-02
'Iarw God Sarsaparllla-ror the bio d
Guaranteed To cure. A. b. RAIN
THE CONVICT.
By CHARLES B. LEWIS.

When reached Hampton Hall one even
ing on invitation from Colonel Hampton
to spend the week with him, found that
he had been suddenly called away on bust
ness and would be gone for couple OF
DAYS. He left note for me explaining
matters and begging that would make
n.NsClf comfortable, and ! was given
room next to his on the second floor. 1t
was in the month of November, and the
evening was bleak and drear For cou-
ple of hours after dinner | sat chatting
with one of Hampton's neighbors who
hal pened in and then went to my room,
taking q book from the library on my
way up. 1t was large room, with bed
on the west side against the wall, and the
table at which ! sat down to read was in
the center. Five minutes after entering
the room was busy with the book, and it
was perhaps 20 minutes before ! raised my
eyes from the pages. / faced the bed, and
it may have been some slight noise that
attracted my attention. just glanced IN
that direction, but an instant later the
glance became a fixed stare. 1t was a
massive old fashioned bedstea6, with a
valance, or curtain, falling to the floor
around one side and the foot. just peep
ing out from under this curtain was the
toe of shoe--a coarse heavy shoe, with
sole nailed on. 1t was not the shoe worn
by mechanics or day labOrers, but recog-
nized it in an instant rs prison shoe. All
convicts wore that make Of shoe in prison
and left it behind when set at liberty.
A discharged prisoner who should 90 out
wearing such shoes would he arrested as q
susrect by the first constable who en-
, cOuntcred him
The toe of prison shoe peeping from
under the bed meant that there was FOO
, in it, ley belonging TO the foot, body
l belonging to the leg. That there was al
: escal cd convict under the bed hadn th'
: slightest doubt. AS looked at that toe
= remembered that Colonel Hampton hat
I been governor at Dartmoor prison 10
g many years, though out of it for five year
j. back 1t was 16 miles to Dartmoor, ant
: had heard nothing of an escape, but tn
! man under the bed was no doubt in prlsol
uniform and from the institution named
u How had he managed to enter the house
!. What was his object? What move shout
II ! make under the circumstances
h With my eyes fastened on the page OF tn
book and my heart beating like tri
vs. hammer, tried to figure out the situi
n ton and decide on what was to be dom
l was not armed, and l was all alone
~ that floor. by this time all the servant
> had gono to their rooms, and even II
could arouse them they were not to be d
pended on in a struggle with an escape
convict had pretty good nerve III tho
DAYS, and yet as sat there trying to SOL
the problem found my mouth As dry
~ cotton and my whole body tremblln
You will perhaps say that should ha
got up and walked out of the room al
down stairs. To be honest with you, II
knees were so weak that / feared tn
would not serve me, and also feared IN
the convict would suspect my design al
y roll ont and attack me. If got safely o
and down stairs, he would be left benin
and what would be do? 1t was mile
the nearest house and four miles to a
lice station. / knew little Of the castle a
WAS ignorant of the servant s quartz
While admit that l was unnerved,
no thought of running away. BY and
as continued TO grope for remedy, a
4 at the same time scold myself, grew co
er, ana presently ulu NV p'sV 'i'i'e
der the circumstances. Doing my best
steady my voice and speaking as If to
1 beside me, ] said
"You might as well come out from
, der the bed, my nan. / have known
your presence there this half hour, q
ers YOU must be tired by this time.
The toe suddenly disappeared from sig
l. and there was a waving motion OF
curtain.
81 think you had better come cut. J
eX., are here on an errand, and the sooner
cry have acc mplished it the sooner you
C On 20. The men from Dartmoor will be
led your heels before daylight"
civ Then the man suddenly rolled into V
for and sprang 20 his feet with mute
de- curse. He was in convict uniform.
in was short and thickset and maj
ire; great strength. AS for his face, every
red of it was evil. He had beetle brows, L
i I'VE sive jaws and baleful eyes, and his RI
Ms. hand clutched and fiourished ma
ties knife nearly foot long. Given my che
ore. would sooner have faced a Bengal I
ran bounded to fury by hunters.
well, what do you want heref' a
rs put aside the book.