The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1901-06-13

Continued from sixth page.)
hiding about the middle now. Come on,
gentlemen" and around he trotted to
the front door. Sergeant" he cried,
get out all the prisoners-all their
bedding-every blessed thing they've
got. want to examine that floor"
Most of the guardhouse birds" were
out chopping wood, and Canker danced
in among the few remaining, loading
them with bedding belonging to their
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 associates
veteran captain who read much wal
literature and abhorred Canker. To the
surprise of the sentry he walked de-
hberately over to the fence, climbed il
and presently began poking about the
wooden curb that ran along the road
making low revetment or retaining
wall for the earth, cinders and gravel
that, distributed over the sand, had
been hopefully designated a sidewalk
by the owners of the tract. Presently
he came sauntering 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 1 was with
the board and giving it the benefit of
the information l had gathered?"
Il was merely expediting matters,
colonel. While you were looking for
where they went in / was finding where
they got out"
Went in what? Got out OF what ?"
snapped Canker.
Their tunnel, sir. It's Libby on a
small scale over again. They must
have been at work at it at least ten
days. And as he spoke, calmly ipnor-
ing Canker and letting his eyes wander
over the floor, the veteran battalion
commander sauntered across the room.
stirred up a slightly projecting bit of
flooring with the toe of his boot and
placidly continued: IF you'll be good
enough to let the men pry this up you
may understand"
And when pried up and lifted away-
snugly fitting trap door about two
feet square = there yawned beneath
it, leading slantwise downward in the
direction OF the street, a tunnel through
the soft yielding sand, braced and
strengthened here and there with lids
and sides of cracker-b boxes. "Now. if
you don't mind straddling fence, sir.
III show you the other end" said the
captain, imperturbably leading the
way, and Canker, half-dazed yet wholly
In command of his stock of blasphemy.
followed At the curb, in the midst of
a lot OF loose hay from the bales dumDed
there three days before. the leader dis
lodged with his sword the top of cloth
ing box that had been thickly covered
with sand and hay-and there was the
outlet Easy as rolling off a log,
COLONEL" said old Cobb, with a sar-
castle grin. This could all be done
without man you've blamed and ar
rested being whit the wiser. They |
sawed panel out of the floor, scooped |
The sand out of this tunnel. banked if
'old against the weather boarding in
nde, filled up the whole space, pretty
near, but ran their tunnel under fence
Ind sidewalk, crawled down the gut-
.er to the next block out of sight of the
entrles, then walked away free men.
Those three thieves who got away wcre
I'D hands. The other men in the guard
louse were only mild offenders, except
NORTON. Course he was glad of the
nance to go with 'em. / s'pose vou'u
elease my sergeant and those sentries
low."
III do nothing of the kind" an
wered Canker, red with wrath, ''and
our suggestion is disrespectful to YOUR
commanding officer. When | want vour
dvice I'll ask for it,
We'll, Mr.. Gray will be relieved IN
earn of this anyhow. l suppose 1 NAV
ell him." hazarded the junior men,
er, mischievously.
Mr. Gray be. Mr.. GRAY has
Verythlng TO answer forl" shouted the
ngered colonel. at was he who tele- s
noned Tor carriage to meet and run {
nose rascals off. Mr.. Gray's fate is /,
aled. He can thank God | don't Sian
Inn into the guardhouse with his '
nosen associates, but he shan't es- G
'pe. Sergeant of the guard, post a
'ntry over Lieut.. Gray's tent, with or 9
srs to allow no one to enter or leave il 4
lthout my written authority. Mr.. 7
ray shall pay for this behind the prison :
ars Of Alcatraz." C