The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-09-16

paced ltr hdnd against me- 49, =.
fingers slightly extended. Tnat was an
But as the party turned TO pass ou'
Dalton heard her say TO little EHma'
Come. little girl. don't sou want 10 Walk
with me?" and he knew that she uhueI-
stood him. even az he understood 'ha' s'''
would return In five days.
II was the very next day that tne ioed
came TO alton. The atner was -
tremely hot and humid, ana the air lhslua
was almost unbearable Keeper hialn
called 10 the convict assistant, an eNP''N
machinlst who instructed newcomers
did minor repairs and through his iaI'h-
ulness enjoyed many privileges.
Look" he said, lust 90 up on tn i"
roof and open those yentilatoFs' w"
your -
And then Dalton recollected the LADDER
nailed 70 the side Of the wall ana Won
dere why II had never occurred 20 MN
that this might lead 20 the desperate
chance he craved.
LITTLE EMMA AS MESSENGER.
A day or two later be had taken the
next step toward freedom. Little Emma
was playing in his aisle by his tanle'
Dalton dropped his scissors. As he stoop-
ed down De slipped into the child's hama
a tiny wad of paper. For the lady.
ne breathed. For a few moments she
continued 10 make dresses for her dolly
out of the clippings and then she danced
out Of the room merriy singing. u IN
the nyest thing tn old New York
The NTH day came and Dalton's nerves
were an a-tingle with expectancy. Would
Maggie came just as Dalton reached a
state Of despair there came nudge ID
the side and a hOarse whisper from the
man behind him. Cit on 20 the deputy
piping of the gals by the boiler house
and he glanced to the right. Yes there
stood the deputy, the center OF adinltd-
ton for a circle OF young girls uoIns
ms great talk act And. yes. there was
Maggie. a sImphaed. rejuvenated Maggie
positively virginia. In a plain gray dfess
and straw sailor hat. Little Emma was
there. too passing from one 10 another
Of the visitors tO receive their caresses.
Even as the line swung by, the chid
snrang into Maggio's arms. he~ ''''n hama
toyed afecu0nately with The young WOO
mans neck and Dalton gave q great sign
az relief as DE realized that his note OK
instructions was safely nesting over the
more or less faithful heart OK the "o-
man.
That evening the nirhtwatchman look
ed once and again with great satisfaction
into DaltOn's cell The man was engaged
cutting into bits the damp. sticky plug 't
tobacco WHICH was the weekly allowance.
Evidently DE had accepted the inevitanls
and was adopting fhat routine I'm little
things which is the saving grace Of long
timers. Perhaps $50, and yet it the night
watchnqn had looked Oftener and closer
ne would have seen that Dalton was dry
ing his tobacco bits on % tim over MS
lamp and then was grinding them down
into snuff. an operation when Wouil
have awakened suspicion and dismissed
{ ID. .ts t.tf 81 A.
lurc.
The next morning the smoke from the
high chimneys circied down and hung
over the wall like fog Dalton STUCK
doggcdIv 90 his task. keeping a turtNe
inward glance on officer kr3uk. That
mnctionary maintained close Watcn
from his desk now bending forward nc
the slightest noise. noW settling nacN
again in his chair ms ho discovered It's
harmless nature Then the time Tor ac-
u0u came. and Dalton acted with tne
precision of a machine. ife iufu.1
wheel Tho wrong way ana inc Nt-'
soueakad. As kr8uN thrust as ne'o
forward with repr0Of on IBIS ups,
Dsit,, -r~eo, d handful of the snuff he
mad prepared fun lu the sharply peer.Hf
ewes The officer p'ueky drew IBIS r.
volver and fired at random before Doe r'H-
GA ou the floor iu agony The shot naiu-
rally went Wild of .ts mark and Dalton,
upscttng the assistant Instructor in ih'
aisle. dashed out leaving behind "a shop
uu OF men. wildly gcst.cuI1tng anu
screaming grating cn chairs and iapi'5
IKE dtrr.shes bat rotraInlns from io'-
lowing him through that lack OF concert
which is tle maInstay OF prison ai7.'-'-
line. .,-.-..-
uH..