Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-01-03
them with bedding belonging to their
fellows until every item of clothing and
furniture was showed out of the room.


fellows until every item of clothing and
furniture was showed out of the room.
One member of the board and one only
failed to enter with his assooiateS-a
veteran captain who read much war
literature and abhorred Canker. To the
surprise of the sentry he walked de-
over to the fence, climbed 1t
and presently began poking about the
wooden curb that ran along the road,
making low revetment or retaining
wall for the earth, cindes and gravel
that, distributed over the sand, had
been hopefully designated q sidewalk
by the owners of the tract. Presently
he came sauntsring back, and both SEN
tries within easy range would have
sworn he was chuckling. Canker
greeted him with customary asperity.
"What do you mean, sir, by absent
ing yourself from this investigation,
when you must have known was with
the board and giving it the benefit OF
the information I had gathered?"
81 was merely expediting matters,
colonel. While you were looking for
where they went in I was finding where
they got out"
"Went in what? Get out Of what2"
snapped Canker.
"Their tunnel, sir. It's Libby on q
small scale over again. They must
have been at work at it at least ten
days." And as he spoke, calmly ignor-
ing Canker and letting his eyes wander
over the floor, the veteran battalion
commander sauntered across the room,
stirred up slightly projecting bit OF
flooring with the toe of his boot and
placidly continued: "n you'll be good
enough to let the men pry this up you
may understand"
And when prisd up and lifted away
= snugly fitting trap door about two
feet square = there yawned beneath
1t, leading slantwise downward In ths
direction Of the street, tunnel through
the soft yielding sand, braced and
strengthened here and there with hdi
and sides of cracker-boxes. ''Now, i.
you don't mind straddling fence, sir
I'll show you the other end" said thu
captain, imperturbably leading tn,
way, and Canker, half-dazed yet wholly
in command of his stock of blasphemy
followed. At the curb, in the midst o
alot of loose hay from the bales dumped
there three days before, the leader dis
lodged with his sword the top of a cloth
ing box that had been thickly covered
with sand and hay-and there was tn
outlet. EASY as rolling off log
colonel" said old Cobb, with sar
castle grin. ''This could all be dom
without . man you've blamed and az
rested being . whit the wiser. The,
sawed Q panel out of the floor, SCOPE,
the sand out Of this tunnel, banked
solid against the weather boarding in
side, filed up the whole space, prett
near, but ran their tunnel under feno
and sidewalk, crawled down the gut
ter to the next block out of sight Of tn
sentries, then walked away free me1
Those three thieves who got away wer
old hands. The other men in the guard
house were only mild offenders, excep
Morton. Course he was glad of th
chance to 60 with 'em. I s'pose you'
release my sergeant and those ssntris
now"
"I'n do nothing Of the kind" ar
swered Canker, red with wrath, IAN
your suggestion is disrespsctful to you
commanding officer. When Iwant you
advice I'll ask for It,"
"well, Mr.. Gray will be relieved I
learn of this anyhow. I suppose I ma
tell him." hazarded the junior men
ber, mischievously.
"Mr. Gray be. Mr.. Gray hs
everything to answer for!" shouted til
angered colonel. SIT was he who tel,
phoned for . carriage to meet and ru
those rascals off. Mr.. Gray's fate
sealed. He can thank God don't ala
him into the guardhouse with hl
chosen associates, but he shan't q
cape. Sergeant of tho guard, post
sentry over Lieut.. Gray's tent, with o
ders to allow no one to enter or leave
without my written authority. M
Gray shall pay for this behind the prise
bars Of Aoatraz."