Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1902-06-27

dered IL that fallen tree trunk would
not be very pleasant place on which
10 spread her lunch. With all the whim-
ricality of a child living out fairy tale
she fairly skipped across the stream
ANnd plunged through the underground
into the sunllt glade.
Yes; there lay the old log. all moss
grown, with fern stalks clustered
around 1t. She spread out her inviting
lunch: then, with laugh almost girl
ish, she piled some arbutus In the cen
ter as if to grace her woodland feast.
She was biting into a tasty sandwich
when q sound In the brush behind her
made her whirl round She gave n
slight scream and turned white to her
lips. Something long and sinuOus and
striped, something with glitterlng blue
ewes. seemed to be crawling straight
toward her Now the bushes parted.
and the awful thing rose to it's feet. a
man in prison garb. Paralyzed with
fright, Miss Jane chung to the tree
trunk, and then a musical voice, though
pitched to a nervous key, broke the
woodland silence.
Don't be afraid, ma'am. | don't
want to hurt you. But, oh. am so
hungry. and you looked kind, and !
thought
"Gracious," exclaimed Miss Jane In
spite of herself, you're nothing but a
boy! What are you doing In jail?"
"Im not in Jail now, but | will be
soon il you don't help me. Oh, 1t was
all mistake. He struck me first. !
had to do 1t to save my own life. but
they said it was my awful temper. You
WHIP
"Do you mean to say you killed a
manY inquired Miss Jane, with n
shudder
~ didn't mean to-" he exclaimed
wildly. "God knows. I've suffered for
the blow. His face follows me every
where, And now they're after me,
Won't you help meG They'll take mo
back there for life-think Of it'll |
die And | am strong! | can't die
soon. Think Of 1t, to be shut up there
for years and years, day and night.
and never to see this sunlight, never
to feel free air, but always the air OF
the prison yard! And you, everybody
else, will be out here in the beautiful
world, free-frce"
Long fasting and the horror Of being
hunted like a wild animal had made
him hysterical, and after all he was
not more than boy just turned twen-
ty-one. He chung to her skirts, his eyes
fixed naploringly on her face. Nervous
" she pulled her dress from his hands.
She remembered they were stained
with blood, but her lips were echoing
involuntarily, "Neyer to feel free air,
but always the air of the prison yard"
Suddenly she rose. Something bright
glittered in her eyes and rolled down
her cheeks
81 know it's wrong. I'm breaking
the law, but I've been Il prisoner, too,
all my life" The man gaped at her,
but she did not heed him. You eat
this lunch, and III be back directly"
He clutched at the food like wild
creature but without looking ut him
Again she ordered him back into the
underground and hurried away.
That night a fragile looking woman,
who walked with q slight limp, board
ed the Philadelphia accommodation at
Dobbinsville. Under loose cape she
wore n black poplin waist trimmed
with beaded gimp that refused to meet.
A thick veil shrouded bonnet that
wabbled a tri6e uncertainty, and If
any one had examined the skirt care
fully he would have noticed hastily
sewed tuck near the waist line. When
most of the passengers had fallen
asleep, the woman's figure squared
itself around as If to screen something
~ her lap. Two work worn hands
spread out a roll Of bills. Two CULVER
ing lips counted them. Then n voice,
In which rang half sob, murmured:
"I'll send for her some day when it's
safe and show her was worth saw
ing. SO help me God, III do the right
thing down there in South America for
that old lady's sake, She's on the
square, But wonder what she meant
when she said, I've been prisoner
all my life bet she never saw the
inside of Jail. Perhaps they had her
in 'sylum. But I'm going to do
what's right, on the level, old lady,
for what you've done for me-"
And in Jane Prentices kitchen at
that very moment there rose from the
stove an odOr Of burning wool and
leather that made her wonder If the
neighbors noticed 1t.