Omaha daily bee., 1900-10-18
IN STRIPES, BUT NOT A CONVICT.
A Case of Love and Mistaken Identity.
BY GARRETT GEERLINGS.



from house directly opposite the massive
walls The strange actions Of inmates Of
this house aroused q woman's suspicious
and the authorities were placed on their
guard The cellar was examined imme-
diately, and the great mass OF earth piled
UP In front OF an opening convinced the
officials that the hole must extend many
feet In length. Several men volunteered to
enter, but after advancing short distance
were forced by the sitting odors to retreat.
The authorities next decided TO sink
shaft from the street to the tunnel To de-
termne the exact spot to dig the hole II
was necessary to secure the services Of IN
experienced mining engineer.
Robert Masters, we'll known young en-
gineer, was communicated with and pcEt
day came prepared for business.
This is very dirty piece Of work
said Warden wrex to the engineer. II ad-
wise you to don this suit OF conylcts clothes.
1t Is strong and cannot be ruined
Robert Masters attrcd himself in the
suit without hesitation. lie was intent on
the work before him. The city was inter-
ested in the extent Of the tunnel and his
success or failure would be made public in
the papers. He determined TO succeed ava
the donnIng Of. convllt's clothes for the y.
casion did not emharrass him.
The warden and two convicts who were TO
assist In the work accompanied the engi-
peer across The street to the ccllarway. 4
large crowd had gathered to watch tho
operations.
Helen Morse and two OF her friends were
among those who were watching the work
She could not help but notice the differ
enoe in the convcts Two were pale anl
listless. covering and abashod, while the
third, who TO her seemed unusually familiar
with the warden. was bright, energetic and
alert. Indifferent to the staring crowd. This
convict evidently interested her more than
did thu tuniel
"What handsome man" said Hclcn to
her friends. he certainly must be n
desperate character. His face shows too
much intelligence and shrewdncss TO 10
classed among the ordinary criminals. /
wonder who he is'
Helen was visiting friends I'm the city.
She lived In a small town. where she was
popular and the recognized leader Of So
ciety She was young and her studies had
thus far, prevented her from becoming
familiar with incidents which occur daily
In a great city. SO the proposition to visit
the penitentiary and see the tunnel hid
been accepted with enthusiasm.
The young engineer remained underground
for hours; the crowd was thinning out.
Helen's friends wanted to go home, but she
insisted on remaining. she had become in
terested In a convict and wanted TO see him
again.
when Robert Masters reappeared he was
covered with mud. but there was a sparkle
In his eye, denoting confidence that he
could determine upon an opening in the
street which would communicate with the
tunnel Some calculations we're made and
speedily two convicts with pick and shovels
were digging hole.
Masters watched the progress OF the dig
gers; Just as intensely did Helen watch the
features OF the youhg engineer. He gave
orders. talked with the reporters and re-
ceived courteous treatment from the war
den. All this convinced Helen that he was
no ordinary prisoner and she edged up
more closely.
They have struck the tunnel" sud =
denly exclaimed the engineer as u volume
OF cold air rushed up from the opening
Robert Masters calculations were correct
he had made no errors, and. proud OF his
success, he Joined the warden and convicts
as they returned TO the prison.
Helen concluded that the handsome con
Wet had earned his liberty: IL not. then he
he certainly was dangerous criminal.
Jack Thibet life prisoner, was one OF
the men who had assisted the engineer In
determining the windings OF the tunnel
While In the hole he had advanced beyond
his companions and found that the opening
terminated within six inches under the
prison yard. This he knew because he
heard the convicts crushing stone above
Quickly returning, he stirred up the pools
OF foul water as he went. which emitted
such an odor that his companions gave vi
the work for that day.
That evening the warden visited Thbet's
cell. He was worried about the attempt
which had been made to liberate the prison
ers and was anxious TO gain information
from Thibet, who had been In the hole. Dur
ing the conversation the convict complained
of severe headaches. This the warden at
tributed to the foul odors which the men
had encountered and he gave Thibet per-
mission to exercise for a short time In the
prison yard.
Armed guards stood upon the massive
walls and no prisoner had ever attempted
TO scale them. Thibet walked brlskly to
and fro and after reLated steps was con-
vinced that he had located the spot where
the tunnel terminated. The difference IN
sound told him so. Until now he had been
resigned to his fate as life prisoner
but he had a chance. He paused. He
would wait for the rumble OF a street car
or a passing train. Just then a steamboat
on the Ohio river blew its sonorous whistle
Thibet leaped into the air and then went
crushing through the earth. The guards
had seen nothing, neither had they heard
Thirty minutes later when the keepel
went to look for his prisoner the hole wal
discover ed and the alarm given. A rusl
was made for the opening to tho tunne
across the way. but the prisoner had es
capped. A suit OF clothes intended for tn,
man whom the plotters had planned Il
rescue was missing and a convict's garl
lying In Its place.
Early next morning Helen was on he
way to the peuitentiary. She purposeC
distributing a basket of fruit among th'
prisoners, or rather to a prisoner. Whei
she arrived at the prison she was tol'
OF the daring escape and when told tina
the convict was one OF the men who haC
assisted In locating the wlndings OF tn,
tunnel she hoped II was not the man 10
whom the fruit was intended
~ should like TO have him free and yet
II free. how shall 1 ever see him again,
she mused.
From tier TO tier and from cell to Gel
she passed. but the basket of fruit re
mained intact, The convict she was look
ing for was not there and she conclude,
that he had escaped. The visit over sh