Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-22

I
| flight wondered if the other man were
/ afraid of him. 1t made him the more de-
! termined to fight hard If the other man
| were a warder he would be armed. but
! the prisoner would try to get to his neck
| and throttle him.
Lets know who you are" said the man
on the path.
The voice was rather conciliatory than
| threatening. and the prisoner did not rec
ognize it. What if this other man should
be escaping, too? They might fly to-
| gether.
It's all right" continued the voice. u
amt dom no harm, mister"
| What wild, happy feeling welled in the
| convict! He felt strong and light-limbed
as before.
IAN right" he said.
Common speech, the speech Of free men
| which he had not used for years. was
| strange and difficult to him. 1t was hard
| not to say sir to the man, who was evil
| IDENTIFY tramp.
| Il thought maybe you was cop" said
the other, though / don't see the harm
! of a chap turnin' in here for a bit O. sleep.
| l amt no grave robber. I'm only tramp
! How the convict wished he could change
places with this homeless creature. who
had crept in to sleep among the graves!
With the wish came the thought that he
/ stood within the danger OF the man, who
| must presently perceive his prison suit II
! the man informed against him at the prison
they would give him q reward, and one
l
| lodging. He stole a cunning glance down
/ ward at himself, and observed amazediy
| that he was wearing, not the prison clothes
but his own, the suit he had worn six
years ago. on the day he was arrested He
could not imagine how he had effected the
| change. which gave him so much security
| but II increased greatly his feeling Of ella
ton. He drew nearer to the friendly tramp
| who had addressed him as a superior
| You wasn't a-goin' to sleep here.
| reckon. mister? Maybe lost your way"
| The prisoner caught at the suggestion
| Yes. he said. Il thought this might
station over there somewhere? To tel
you the truth, I'm in a hurry, and got
| over the WALL
He felt confident and even safe. wearing
his own clothes, and spoken to with defer
| ence by this poor outcast. In six years he
! had scarcely had a word that was not q
| command.
| Take this path I'm on. and keep straight
| ahead, said the tramp. IF you climb:
| this wall at the end you can see the rail.
: way lights. Say, you amt got copper O,
| two. sir?"
| Money? He had not known the touch
| or money all the years Of his imprison.
/ ment Once. about a year ago. he ha6
| seen warder take some silver out Of his
pocket. and since then he had never ever
| looked upon q coin.
| i hope you will believe me-" he said. az
nave not any money whatever with me
| NOT penny piece. l shall have to beg a
] ticket at the station
An right. mister" returned the tramp
oeheHe you. They'll give the likes OF
| convict. S'o 'iis
Good night. mister"
AS he turned to go the convict saw some
| thing shining on the path behind the tremn
| he stopped swiftly, unobserved. and nicLa az
| j, up. III was six-pence, and he thrust s
IN his pocket with feeling of triumph anr
oeilsht' and no sense at all of guilt TIL,
| tramp had reminded him that he needed
! money: 1t was not for him to ask how tn,
| sN-pence had come there Perhaps 1t ha,
| fallen from his own pocket; 1t might hay,
peeh missed when his clothes wer,
| searched.
He now began to move with silent speed
along the path. abatng nothing of hi.
| watchfuiness of ear. yet with better cour
age than he had hitherto felt. He thong n
| more and more that his flight had not We
| been discovered In the prison.
Inc wall at the opposite side Of the Gem
| etery was reached. and, scaling It, he be
held the lamps Of the railway, as the TRAMP
had said. burning the high embank
| ment but a little way beyond He footed /
| quickly to the embankment, crawled u,
| with steaith-for he was now afraid Of TIN
iamps-and lay down In shadow to shap,
| his program further.
The glare of light some 200 yards a1ons
the lne-that must indicate the station
| Only 200 yards or less from q railway sta
iion. and money in his pocket. He felt fo
| the sixpence: yes, II was there, a forum,
In silver. If he bought ticket for two O.
| threepepce he could pretend to sleep 1,
| the train and be carried far out into tn,
| country. or an outlay no greater woult
probably sufnce to bear him into the hear
Of London.
But he reflected thereupon that. sine
this was doubtless the station nearest I,
| the prison, warders and police would to
surety DO looking for him there II 1t wer,