Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-12-19
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
The Warden's Kids.
by NJ. QUAD.
Copyright. 1901, by c. .. LswI..l

| prison in company with bad record.
When arrested for robbery, he had
stabbed an officer; while waiting trial
he had broken jail; when sentenced he
had tried to assault the judge; as the
irons were fastened on his wrists and
ankles preliminary to his journey he
had sworn to kill any official of the
prison who attempted to rush" him.
In addition to his record, which would
count against him on the prison books,
he had the look and bearing of an OBJ
stinate, dangerous man. If any proofs
were needed that he meant TO make
trouble. he furnished them himself as
he stood in the warden's Office during
the recording OF his pedigree. After
burst out with:
Look here, now, but they got the
wrong man. | am not guilty. and l
don't propose TO creep and crawl to no
one. If you start in to be rough with
me, you'll find me a bad man.
And let me say to you," replied the
warden, that If you give me any trou-
bic I'll have the hide logged off your
backp'
Renfew had been sentenced for IF
teen years. With never n day of good
time" to his credit-with only black
marks showing against his name-with
punishment more or less severe two
or three times per week. he earned the
reputation of being the bad man of the
prison. In the course of n year, as
shown by the prison records, he had
not done an hours work He had pass
ed fully half the time in the dark cells.
and his outbreaks and whippings ran
up to thirty or more. 1t was after
looking over this record that the ward
en- went to the convict's cell and said:
"Renfew. l am tired of the way
things are going. l am here to run this
prison according to rules. and you have
either got to come to time or I'll make
jabbering idiot of you. You give me
more trouble than all the other men put
together
Listen TO me-" calmly replied the
convict Il was not guilty of the rob-
berry, and my arrest and conviction
were blunder. | told you so the day
entered here. but you sneered at me.
hate you. and you hate me. I'll do all
can 10 keep you in hot water. And as
for your threats and punishments.
defy you"
A week later Renfew headed n mu-
tiny that was quickly suppressed. and
then ii was whispered about the prison
that he was dead-yielding up his life
under punishment. This was not true.
however. though he was close to
deaths door when the warden's hand
was stayed He was sent to the hospi-
tai with spark of life left, and il was
three long months before he could limp
about. His uSliness and obstinacy
came back as he grew better, but the
doctor shielded him and carried him
along until one day there was such n
fragrant breach of discipline that it had
TO be officially reported. That meant n
new punishment on top of the half
healed scars. but when the guards
came TO take him from the room Rem
few was not TO be found. He had I'm
some manner passed out OF the prison
with crowd of visitors. There was n
hue and cry at once. and the warden
was among those who took up the
chase. The convict had only half an
hours start. but luck was with him.
They beat up the town and its sub
urbs I'm vain. Fifty men covered the
roads and traversed the fields. but the
fugitive seemed to have taken wings.
A fortnight before the escape the
warden had sent his two motherless
children to pass n few weeks I'm the
country with an aunt. On the morning
of the second day OF the search he
drove out on this road and at high noon
was within q mile of his little ones.
His horse had fallen lame. and he was
proceeding slowly and missing no OPP
portunity 10 make inquiries when a
great dog overlook and passed him
with a growl. The animal was finging
its head about and foaming at the
mouth. and there was no doubt of it
being a case of hydrophobia.
The warden stopped the horse and
stood up in his buggy and looked. Be-
tween him and the farmhouse were
two children playing by the roadside
his Bob and Susie. The mad dog had
passed him, but would it pass the chill
dren without infiicting a deadly bite?
The man tried to cry out. but he was
voiceless. He thought to leap down
and run after the dog, but he seemed
helpless to move. The mad beast was
within dozen rods of the children and
had swerved from his straight course
TO atLack them Wnen n man VINO Dad
been hiding in the rank weeds of the
ditch scrambled up on to the road. He
was facing the dog. and he hadn't five
seconds to understand the situation. 1t
must have come to him like a fash.
for be shouted to the children to run
and turned as the dog sprang upon
him. They went down and rolled over
and over together, and by and by the
shook off his chains and sprang
down and ran forward. The struggle
was over when he reached the spot.
The man was Renfew the convict, and
bis throat had been torn open. Even
IN death. however. his two hands
the throat OF the dog. and the
beast lay gasping and dying. The chill
lren came running and crying his
name. but the warden did not heed
Them. He dragged the mutilated corpse
~ ha NJ, fn rho and