Daily camera., 1901-05-15
TOR eight years l had occupied the
position of resident physician at

TOR eight years had occupied the
position of resident physician a
the state penitentiary at S, and for
the first time my position meant much
to me. This was owing to romance
which had begun 10 blossom for mt
within the austere prison walls, She
was the warden's niece. beautiful anc
irail. who had but recently taken uF
her abode among us, acting as secre
tary to her uncle. The interest was
mutual. for Pauline did not frowr
upon my suit, and was on my way tt
the warden to ask his sanction Of ou'
union when met him in the corridor
crumplius a Telegram IN in his hand. Per
emptoriIy OBTAINING me, he explained
that he was leaving the city immediate
,y on urgent business, and that as tn,
deputy WAS i'll would be compelled L
act in his place.
Accordingly ! started on my round!
of inspection at once with no word o!
the subject nearest my heart. Invent
first to the brush shop, where new
man was overseeing the work. and wa:
detained there some time by the ap
parent unrest and disorder.
Thoughts of this place had, at the
warden's first instructions, caused me
misgivings which grew to positive ap
prehensions when Brown. the new man
called ne aside and reported convic,
by the name of Brooks for rank in
suborGination. This Brooks was life
man aci a particularly bad one. He
had given us no end OF trouble during
the ten months he had been in. He
was mulatto and seemed 10 have all
the bad blood Of both races in his veins
All my qaalRs were confirmed tha,
evening when. Just as Pauline and
were leaving the building for quiet
stroll about the campus, 'trusty" in.
formed me OF Brooks escape. He had
removed one Of the grea, flags in the
floor OF the solitary and had slipped
underneath.
Pauline was pale and trembling " hen
left her TO begin the search for this
black monster. Fearing he would fire
the building before we could discover
him. hastily summoned TO my aid two
faithful TRUSTEES whom we had dubbed
Hanks" and Blonde"
l decided to go under the floor by a
trap door in the farihest end of the
west wing and TO search every foot of
the ground as far as the new cellhouse !:
from there we would have TO proceed
more carefully, as tina, part of the
foundation was cut up by many stone
cross walls. There was so little room
between ground and rafters that we
but for the most part had to wriggie
along on our chests and elbows.
Hanks carried lantern on my right
and Blonde carried one on nv left.
while l covered the rough middle
ground between. 1t was not an easy
place to search, for the great steam
mains, which ran from engine-room to
kitchens and radiators, were every
where overhead. Then there were two
cross walls through which holes had
been drilled barely large enough to
pass man.
At last We reached the thick wall
which separates the new from the old
building. This wall was nearly two
feet thick, but had the usual opening
into the new cellhouSc,
Pushing Hanks lantern before me,
attempted to set 1t upon solid ground
on the other side OF the wall, but found
to my surprise that the excavation was
at least IS inches lower than the
ground where we lay. AS Preached far
out knew had missed my calcula tion
and felt the lantern slip from my fin-
gers. could not regraspit. Ofcourse
it did not stay right side up. hastily
started TO squeeze myself through the
hole, in order to set it upright but the
opening was too small to pass my shoul-
ders. and soon the little blue and yell
low flames were shooting back into the
kerosene.
just above this flame was the oil
soaked floor Of the new dollhouse. 1t
was about noon, and $50 men were
probably eating in their cells on the
second and third floors; there were
700 more in the old building. Would
the guards discover the fire in time
to get out the men? Who would let
them out? Would there not be panic
and men running like sheep over the
fields? Worst Of all, what would be
the fate Of Pauline among these des'
peradoes? ! closed my eyes. trying
to shut out the mental picture. Then
I calculated the cost of rewards to be
paid for escaped convicts, and lastly the
probable cost Of property destroyed
and all this through my carelessness
But / would not live to witness the
awul consequences. Iresolved to stay
there until the fire was out, or to per
ish in my struggle against it.
In the Pickering light Of our single
lantern, the two anxious faces Of tht
silenced men stood out strangely
against the background Of murk.
gloom.
"Blondie," my voice sounded strang'
and muffled, get out of here as fas'
as you can. Go around through th'
new dollhouse; have Shafter let 20,
through the east trap door; then yo'
two crawl through on the other sid
as fast as you can; you may be in TIM
to put out the lantern!"
snow, Hanks, you 60 to the turn
key; tell him to get all the men ou
of their cells. I'll stay here to watcl
the fire; besides, must wait to di
rect Blondie."
The men quickly disappeared in tn