The Worthington advance., 1901-04-05

and mufaed, get ont of here 60 fass
% you can. Go around through the
new cellhouse; have Shafter let you
through the east trap door; then you
two crawl through on the other dde
% fast as you can; you may be IN time
to put out the lantern!" Il. I: VI. 3
"Now, Hanks, you 60 to the turn.
key; tell him to get Al the men out
Of their cells. I'll stay here to watch
the fire; besides, I must wait to di-
rect Blonde"
The men quickly disappeared in the
darkness, and was alone. I think I
prayed . little, for this fre light was
the last light I ever expected to see.
Then. q in answer to my prayer, a
idea shot into consciousness-throw
my heavy sweater over the lantern
and smother the flame.
Holding the sweater before me, I
thrust my arms into the hole-one,
two, 1t swung and landed squarely;
my aim was true; this, would hold
the fire till help came, or possibly ex-
tinguish it.
The ease with which got into tho
hole this time made me believe that
without coat and sweater I could
crawl through.
Holding my arms close to my sides,
I started to work my shoulders into
the hole. 1t was much easier than
before, and in = minute or two my
head projected beyond. Now I
stopped for moments rest, and to
ook around me. I could see but q
short distance into the gloom. and
then everything blended into black.
The lantern was completely covered
by the sweater and emitted only q
very faint light.
Suddenly my heart gave a great
throb. for over to my right I thought
saw q shadow move. It could not
be q friend, or he would have spoken;
surely then it must be that black
devil. For a moment could not stir.
but riveted my eyes upon the silent,
retreating figure. Then scarcely
knowing what I did, or why, 1 was
possessed with the spirit of panic;
struggled, frantically to escape
from my perilous position; but
while more sane and orderly efforts
might have been successful, tho
many twists and turns caught my
shoulders under q pipe fixture, and
was wedged fast.
Even that faint, fading light must
have shown my face as picture of
struggling terror, for I saw that
form again emerge from the other
shadows and plunge toward me on
hands and knees.
1t was he! I heard his inhuman
chuckle; the whites of his eyes rolled
and cleaned hideously. Then, slow
ly, with malevolent glance toward
me and ghastly laugh, he drew the
sweater along from off the lantern.
Freed from its smothering cover, the
flames leaped out, lighting every cor
ner of the little compartment, and
outlining the savage figure of the
negro. Undoubtedly he knew of an
escape for himself when the heat
grew unbearable.
| I longed for shot at this animal,
but my arms were pinned close;
could only move my fingers aim
lessly.
With q look Of savage triumph, he
cautiously lifted the blazing mass by
means Of the sweater and allowed the
flames to play around the rafters.
I saw the cobwebs sputter, the little
splinters on the rafters caught and
burned like tiny matches.
In imagination I could smell my
singed hair and my burning flesh.
The fiend had squatted cross-legged
on the ground safely beyond the fire
and was gloating over my gasping
misery. I saw him draw shining
razor from his belt. He began rub
bing it back and forth across his
striped legs, and with each fash of
the steel he laughed aloud.
"The fire will do it's work first,
thank God!" I murmured, drowsily,
and my head fell forward through
sheer exhaustion. Yes, was dying.
This numbness was the beginning OF
the end. Why did he not come on
with his murderous blade? What
did the delay mean? Voices sang in
my ears. Pauline was speaking. Oh,
the music of that voice!
Pauline" whispered. With des-
perate energy Of the death struggle,
I raised my head and stared before
me.
"Work or you die!" The words,
the voice, the dramatic scene are pho
tographed on my brain. Brooks was
working like mad before the fast.
succumbing flames. Every muscle Of
his giant frame was strained to the
task.
"Work, say, faster, or" There
was a sharp click. The sound eman'
ated from a crouching white figure
in whose hand cleaned the barrel
of pistol. Just then another light
glimmered through the gloom, and
Hanks CHEEKY voice rang out:
Keep him covered, Miss Pauline:
we're comm with the bracelets;
we've got the men calmed down a
bit"-he kept up q stream of talk
as he approached-"Me and Blonde
mo thanks to Brown"
The sentence was finished by snap.
ping the handouts on the negro'a
wrists, for Brooks had extinguished
the fire. and was waitinu stronro1u